http://cns-web.bu.edu/pub/dorman/inerr.html (Matt. 1:17) "This genealogy is divided into three ages: (1) from Abraham until David, fourteen generations, the age before the establishing of the kingdom; (2) from David until the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations, the age of the kingdom; (3) from the deportation to Babylon until the Christ, again fourteen generations, the age after the fall of the kingdom. According to history, there were actually forty-five generations. By deducting from these generations the three cursed generations [Matt. 1:8; 1 Chron. 3:11-12; 2 Kings 15:1, 13; 2 Chron. 21:5-6; 22:1-4; Exo. 20:5] and the one improper generation [Matt. 1:11; 1 Chron. 3:15-16; 2 Kings 23:34-35], and then adding one by making David two generations (one, the age before the establishing of the kingdom, and the other, the age of the kingdom), the generations total forty-two, being divided into three ages of fourteen generations each. From the Book of Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 1:3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 1:4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 1:7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 1:8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 1:9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 1:10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 1:11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 1:12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 1:13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 1:14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 1:15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Look at it this way: 1 Abraham Solomon Salathiel 2 Isaac Roboam Zorobabel 3 Jacob Abia Abiud 4 Judas Asa Eliakim 5 Phares Josaphat Azor 6 Esrom Joram Sadoc 7 Aram Ozias Achim 8 Aminadab Joatham Eliud 9 Naason Achaz Eleazar 10 Salmon Ezekias Matthan 11 Booz Manases Jacob 12 Obed Amon Joseph 13 Jesse Josias Jesus 14 David Jechonias There seems to be a small error here someplace. Forget for a second that supposedly Jesus was not really Joseph's son anyway. Forget that the list is missing several important people that are known to be there from well recored history (in the line of David). There is simply a counting error here. For me, that means that the Bible (King James version, anyway) is not completely without error, and that is the point. END***************************************************************************