2 Kings 11 · a question people ask
Why doesn't Matthew's list of Jesus' ancestors name Joash?
Matthew's genealogy says, "Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah" (Matthew 1:8), and "Uzziah became the father of Jotham" (Matthew 1:9). Between Joram and Azariah, 2 Kings names three kings of Judah: "Ahaziah his son reigned in his place" (8:24); this chapter's "Joash the son of Ahaziah" (11:2); and "Amaziah his son reigned in his place" (12:21), after Joash. Then "All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah" (14:21). When Azariah died, "Jotham his son reigned in his place" (15:7), and 2 Kings also calls Jotham "the son of Uzziah" (15:32). Matthew doesn't name Ahaziah, Joash or Amaziah, and doesn't say why. These notes don't give a reason either; the verses are set here as they stand.
The verses
“Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram. Joram became the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham. Jotham became the father of Ahaz. Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.”
“Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.”
“But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.”
“For Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in David’s city; and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.”