Adam, Seth, Enosh Ezra wrote this book of genealogy through Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi during the eighteen years from the name that Zerubbabel and Joshua the Priest came to Jerusalem in the days of Cyrus I until Cyrus the son of Esther came. All of this [book] is for the [purpose of tracing the] lineage of King David and the Levites for gate sentries, guards, and singers, how David stationed them in their positions, and the priests in their watches. Therefore, he traced their lineage from Adam to Abraham, and since he had to trace Abraham's lineage, he mentioned also the rest of the nations, his sons and his grandsons, and because of his sons, he had to trace the lineage of the rest of the nations, the sons of Canaan, to let [us] know how Abraham inherited their land. And since he had to mention and trace the lineage of the generations of Canaan, he mentioned together with them (the generations of) the rest of the nations, but he mentions them only briefly and casts them away until he reaches the main ones, as is explained in Genesis Rabbah (39:10) (See also Tanhuma Veyesheb 1). This can be compared to a king who was traveling from place to place and dropped a pearl. The king stood and sifted the sand with a sieve until he found the pearl. So said the Holy One, blessed be He, "Why should I trace the lineage of Shem and Arpachshad and Terach except to find Abraham?⁠" [As it is written] (Neh. 9:8): "... and You found his heart faithful [before You].⁠" And because of the honor of Isaac, he traced the lineage of the sons of Esau and Ishmael and the sons of Keturah, and he cast them away little by little and left them. He mentions the sons of Seir because the sons of Esau inherited them [i.e., their territory]; he also traces the lineage of Timna, who became a concubine to the seed of Abraham, to let us know the praise of Abraham, for she was the daughter of princes and chiefs and wished to be a concubine to the seed of Abraham, as it is written (Gen. 36:22): "... and Lotan's sister was Timna,⁠" and it is written (ibid. 12): "And Timna was a concubine to Eliphaz the son of Esau,⁠" because she said, "If I am not worthy to marry him, I shall be his concubine.⁠" (Gen. Rabbah 84:14, Sanh. 99b) Moreover, for this reason, he traced the lineage of the sons of Seir because they were chiefs and princes, and Mount Seir belonged to Seir, but out of love for Isaac, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave it to Esau, as it is written (Deut. 2:12): "... and the children of Esau drove them out, etc., and settled in their place,⁠" and to inform us of the fulfillment of the words of the Holy One, blessed be He, Who promised Isaac that He would multiply his seed and give him dominion over all, and because of the honor of Isaac he likewise wrote (verse. 31): "Now these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, etc.⁠"

Adam, Seth, Enosh This is to be interpreted like: "The sons of Adam: Seth, and the sons of Seth: Enosh,⁠" but since they were not the main part of the genealogy, he states them briefly, and he does not mention Cain and Abel because they did not beget generations, but from Seth emerged the generations of Noah and Abraham, and from Abraham to David.

Noah, Shem, Ham He should have counted the sons of Shem immediately to find the pearl, namely Abraham, etc., until David, but he mentions the unimportant one and treats his lineage briefly and takes hold of the main ones; and so is the method of all this genealogy of Chronicles, and so it is in the section immediately following (verses 28f.): "The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth.⁠" And so: (verses 34f.): "And Abraham begot Isaac; the sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel; the sons of Esau: Eliphaz,⁠" where he mentions first the lineage of the unimportant ones and afterwards the main one.

Ashkenaz and Diphath (with a "daleth"), but in the Pentateuch it is written (Gen. 10:3): "... and Riphath,⁠" because in the beginning they were weak (רָפִים), and they did not overpower Israel, but at the end they were filled with disgrace (דֹּפִי) and evil.

And the sons of Javan: Elisha The reason he did not mention Magog and Madai is that he mentioned only the lineage of these, but he did not mention the sons of Magog or the sons of Madai or the rest because heads of nations did not emerge from them, but all their nations were called by the name of Kittim and Dodanim.

and Rodanim And further (Gen. 10:4) Scripture states: "and Dodanim.⁠" When Israel sins, they come and rule over them (רוֹדִים), but when Israel is in power, they say, "You are the sons of our uncles (דּוֹדֵינוּ).⁠" At first they appeared as friends when it was for their own benefit, but later they subjugated them.

began to be a mighty man on the earth He began to make wars and [perform] mighty deeds on the earth.

And Mitzraim begot Ludim In Genesis Rabbah (37:5) "Said Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: The entire coinage of Mizraim is only in the sea. Said Rabbi Joshua ben Korhah: 'Ludim' is written 'Ludiim' in chronicles, with two 'yuds,' to tell you that 'Ludiim' means לוּדֵי יָם, Ludim of the sea; Anamim, Anamim of the sea; Lehabim, Lehabim of the sea; Naphtuhim, Naphtuhim of the sea.⁠"

Pathrusim Pathrusim of the sea; Casluhim, Casluhim of the sea; Philistines, Philistines of the sea.

from whom the Philistines and the Caphtorim were descended The Pathrusim and the Casluhim would switch wives with each other, and from them were descended the Philistines (and the Caphtorim).

And Canaan begot, etc. They are eleven, and with Canaan they are twelve. This is what is written: "He set up the boundaries of the peoples.⁠" He set up the boundaries of the peoples corresponding to the tribes of Israel, for they too are twelve; corresponding to the tribes of Israel, He set up the boundaries of the peoples, on the pattern of (Gen. 21:29): "... that you set up (הִצַּבְתָּ) by themselves.⁠"

the earth was parted The days of the people were divided and diminished, for at first people lived nine hundred years or more, and in the days of Arpachshad and thereafter, [they were diminished] to four hundred years or more, and from Peleg and thereafter, they were divided in half, to two hundred years out of those four hundred years.

all these were the sons of Joktan for he belittled his affairs. Eber was a great prophet (for he named his son for a future event), but the names of the others were not meant to be expounded upon, for they were not inspired by prophetic word.

Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah He enumerated the sons of Shem above, and he now commences again in Abraham's honor. This may be compared to a king who lost a pearl, as above.

Abram; he is Abraham Now he traced the lineage from Shem to Abraham, and who is this Abram? He is the one who was called Abraham.

And the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine Anything disgraceful that he could tell about them he tells to enhance Isaac's honor, i.e., they were all the children of a concubine, but he was the mainstay and the master of the household.

And the sons of Midian: Ephah and Epher, etc. five heads of nations. Therefore, they appointed five kings, each one its king, as it is written (Num. 31:8): "Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, etc., the five kings of Midian.⁠"

all these were the sons of Keturah [These were mentioned] because of Abraham's honor.

Esau and Israel Because of David's honor, he says, "Israel,⁠" not "Jacob.⁠"

The sons of Esau: Eliphaz in order to deal with him briefly and to cast him away; he only mentioned him in honor of Isaac.

Hamran and Eshban But in the Pentateuch (Gen. 36:26) it is written, "Hemdan.⁠" At first, they were precious and desirable (חֲמוּדִין וְנֶחֱמָדִין) as righteous men, but at the end they were as ugly as a donkey. So is the way of a donkey: at first it is pretty and at the end it becomes ugly, but a horse is at first ugly and later pretty.

Now these are the kings It is explained (Gen. Rab. 83:2): Rabbi Aibu said: This was before a king reigned in Israel, but since a king reigned in Israel, a governor reigned in Edom. Rabbi Jose the son of Hanina says: When this one [Edom] appoints kings, this one [Israel] appoints judges; when this one appoints chiefs, this one appoints princes. Said Rabbi Joshua the son of Levi: This one [Edom] appointed eight [kings] and this one: [Israel] appointed eight [kings], and I heard [people ask]: Did Edom have only these eight kings, and did Israel have only eight? Were there not more? Joram, Ahaziah, Joash, etc. Rather, the statement that this one appointed eight kings means that when they [Edom] appointed those eight kings of Edom, they [Israel] did not appoint the kings of Israel, because they were before David, and the chiefs of the heads of his fathers' houses.