Limitless Word
the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon,
Luke 3:32 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
  • KJV Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
  • NKJV the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
  • NASB the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
  • NLT David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was the son of Obed. Obed was the son of Boaz. Boaz was the son of Salmon. Salmon was the son of Nahshon.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The line passes through Jesse, Obed, Boaz, and other figures from Ruth's story. Jesus descends from the well-known ancestors of David.

Overview

These familiar names—Jesse, Boaz, and others—connect Jesus to the account in Ruth and to David's immediate forebears. They show God's grace working even through Gentile inclusion, as Ruth the Moabite enters the messianic line. The Savior's ancestry weaves together Israel's covenant story.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • Ruth 4:18–22Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,
  • Isa 11:1–2Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.
  • Matt 1:3–6Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.
  • Ps 72:20Thus conclude the prayers of David son of Jesse.
  • Num 1:7from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;
  • 1 Sam 20:31For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingship shall be established. Now send for him and bring him to me, for he must surely die!”
  • 1 Kgs 12:16When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home,
  • Num 7:12On the first day Nahshon son of Amminadab from the tribe of Judah drew near with his offering.
  • 1 Chr 2:10–15Ram was the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, a leader of the descendants of Judah.
  • 1 Sam 17:58“Whose son are you, young man?” asked Saul. “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David replied.
  • Acts 13:22–23After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in its entirety.’
  • Num 2:3On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard: The leader of the descendants of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab,

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (8)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 3:32YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.

How Luke 3:32 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.