3:1 were born to him in Hebron David had moved to Hebron after Saul’s death (2 Sam 2:1–2). He reigned there as king over Judah for seven years (2 Sam 2:11; 5:5). See 2 Sam 3:2–5.

3:5 were born to him in Jerusalem After David was anointed king over all Israel (2 Sam 5:1–3), he conquered Jerusalem and made it his capital (2 Sam 5:6–10). See 2 Sam 5:14–16.

3:9 Tamar was their sister Tamar was the biological sister of Absalom and was raped by her half-brother, Amnon. Absalom avenged Tamar’s rape by killing Amnon (2 Sam 13:1–33). These events eventually led to Absalom’s rebellion (2 Sam 15).

3:12 Azariah Also called Uzziah (2 Chr 26:1; Isa 1:1). Uzziah was king of Judah during a time of relative peace and prosperity (see note on Isa 2:7; 2 Kgs 15:1–7).

3:13 Ahaz King of Judah during the Syro-Ephraimite War (ca. 735 bc). In Isaiah, Ahaz is depicted as fearful and doubtful of Yahweh’s ability to deliver Judah (see note on Isa 7:10–25).

Hezekiah A king known for his attempt to get the people to turn away from idol-worship (2 Kgs 18:4). He ruled Judah when Sennacherib of Assyria invaded (2 Kgs 18:13–16). In preparing for an Assyrian siege, Hezekiah commissioned a tunnel to bring water into Jerusalem (2 Chr 32:30). The completion of that project was commemorated by the Siloam Inscription.

3:14 Josiah One of the last kings to rule Judah before it became a vassal of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (2 Kgs 24:1). Like Hezekiah, Josiah is known for his religious reforms centered around the discovery of a “book of the law” in the temple (2 Kgs 22).

3:15 the sons of Josiah The typical pattern of generational succession from father to son broke down in the final years before Judah fell to Babylon (586 bc). Different sons of Josiah were installed on the throne by different foreign powers (2 Kgs 23:34; 24:17). During this period, three different sons and one grandson of Josiah reigned over Judah—two for only very brief periods of about three months.

Johanan Possibly to be identified with Jehoahaz (2 Kgs 23:30), or perhaps an otherwise unknown son of Josiah. Some Septuagint manuscripts read “Jehoahaz” here.

Shallum Most likely Jehoahaz, since he was proclaimed king upon Josiah’s death (2 Kgs 23:30–31); Jeremiah calls Josiah’s successor “Shallum” (Jer 22:11–12). He reigned for only three months before the Egyptian pharaoh deposed him and installed his brother Jehoiakim as king (2 Kgs 23:34–36).

3:16 Jehoiakim Made king by Pharaoh Neco, who changed his name from Eliakim to Jehoiakim (2 Kgs 23:34–36).

Zedekiah Either Jehoiakim also had a son named Zedekiah (the same name given to his brother Mattaniah by Nebuchadnezzar; 2 Kgs 24:17), or King Zedekiah is listed here as “son” in the sense of “successor of” Jeconiah.

3:17 of Jeconiah, the captive Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah) captive to Babylon (2 Kgs 23:15). Apparently he was imprisoned for about 37 years before Nebuchadnezzar’s successor Evil-Merodach (also rendered “Awel-Marduk”) had him released (Jer 52:31; 2 Kgs 25:27–30).

Shealtiel Apart from this passage, the ot always identifies Shealtiel as the father of Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:2, 8; 5:2; Neh 12:1; Hag 1:1, 12, 14; 2:2, 23; compare Matt 1:12; Luke 3:27). In 1 Chr 3:19, the Septuagint has Shealtiel, not Pedaiah, listed as the father of Zerubbabel and Shimei.

3:19 Zerubbabel A central figure in the period following the exile. He was appointed governor of Judah by the Persians and oversaw the work to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (ca. 516 bc). See Ezra 3:2 and note.