Nahshon ben Amminadab

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28th of the Biblical Patriarchs
Ancestor of King David
Commander of the Tribe of Judah during Exodus

Biography

Nahshon - In the Hebrew Bible, Nahshon (Hebrew: נַחְשׁוֹן‬ Naḥšōn) was a tribal leader of the Judahites during the wilderness wanderings of the Book of Numbers. In the King James Version, the name is spelled Naashon. According to a Jewish Midrash, he was the person who initiated the Hebrews' passage through the Red Sea, by walking in head-deep until the sea parted.

According to the Hebrew Bible, Nahshon was a son of Amminadab, descendant in the fifth generation of Judah, and brother-in-law of Aaron. According to the Greek New Testament,[5] he is also the father-in-law of Rahab. He was an Israelite and a Judahite, and a member of the Perezite and Hezronite clans, through his descent from Jacob, Judah, Perez, and Hezron, respectively.

According to the Book of Numbers, he was at least 20 years old during the census in the Sinai, during the Exodus.[6] By the same account, those of the Israelites who were among the original number that had set out from Egypt, of whom Nahshon was one, did not survive the forty-year sojourn in the wilderness to enter the Promised Land of Canaan.

Nahshon was appointed by Moses, upon God's command, as prince and military commander of the Tribe of Judah and one of the leaders of the tribes of Israel. Although his tribe was fourth in the order of the Patriarchs, at the dedication of the Tabernacle he was the first to bring his dedicatory offering.[4] His title or role is translated into Modern English variously in the New Revised Standard Version, as "leader" and census-taker,[7] one of the "heads of their ancestral houses, the leaders of the tribes",[8] "first .. over the whole company",[9] and "prince of the sons of Judah".[10]

Nahshon was, through Boaz, the direct male ancestor of David,[4] and thus of Solomon and all of the kings of the Kingdom of Judah. He was exactly halfway in the direct male line between Judah and King David.

Nahshon is also mentioned in the New Testament in the genealogy of Jesus.[11]

Exodus 2

Nashon was commander of the Tribe of Judah during the Exodus - 40 years in the Desert:

3 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. (Numbers 2:3)

Family

Exodus 6 Narrative

23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
24 And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.
Exodus 6:23-24

1st Chronicles 2 Narrative

3 ¶ The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the Lord; and he slew him.
4 And Tamar his daughter in law bare him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.
5 The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.
6 And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.
7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.
8 And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.
9 The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.
10 And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;
11 And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz,
12 And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse,
1 Chr 2:3-12

Book of Ruth 4 Narrative

18 ¶ Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab,
20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon,
21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,
22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
Ruth 4:18-22 = KJV

Children

Offspring of Nahshon and unknown parent
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Salmon ben Nahshon		9999 Land of Canaan

Siblings

Offspring of Amminadab ben Ram and unknown parent
Name	Birth	Death	Joined with
Nahshon ben Amminadab		9999 Land of Canaan
Elisheba bat Amminadab		9999 Land of Canaan	Aaron ben Amram

References

Footnotes (including sources)

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