Genesis 11 · a question people ask
Luke's family line of Jesus has a Cainan between Arphaxad and Shelah. Why isn't he in Genesis 11?
Genesis 11:12 says "Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and became the father of Shelah." Luke 3:35-36 has "the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad". Protestants explain it two ways.
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
Genesis skips a generation
"Became the father of" can mean became the ancestor of. Matthew says "Joram became the father of Uzziah" (Matthew 1:8), but 1 Chronicles 3:11-12 lists Ahaziah, Joash and Amaziah between Joram and Azariah, who is Uzziah (compare 2 Kings 14:21 with 2 Chronicles 26:1). On this view Luke includes a name the Genesis list passes over.
Matthew 1:8 · 1 Chronicles 3:11-12 · 2 Kings 14:21 · 2 Chronicles 26:1
Luke follows another copy of Genesis
Luke's list follows the old Greek translation of Genesis, which includes a Cainan in this place; the Hebrew text of Genesis 11:12 doesn't.
Luke 3:36 · Genesis 11:12
The verses
“Arpachshad lived thirty-five years and became the father of Shelah.”
“the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,”