(18) Malchiram also, and Pedaiah.--According to our present Hebrew text these six persons, arranged as two trios, are sons of Jeconiah, and brothers of Shealtiel.

Shenazar--Heb., Shen'azzar; LXX., ???????--is a compound Babylonian name, like Belteshazzar (Daniel 1:7), of which the last part means "protect," and the first is, perhaps, "Sin" (comp. ???????????), the moon-god. Such a name as "Sin protect" may well have been given to this Jewish prince at the court of Babylon, just as Daniel and his three companions received idolatrous designations of the same sort from Nebuchadnezzar. This fact seems to support our rendering of the word Assir (1Chronicles 3:17).

Hoshama.--A contraction of Jehoshama (Iahweh hath heard), like Coniah for Jeconiah.

Verse 18. - Of the name Malchiram and five following, it must be left still doubtful whose sons they were - whether of Jeconiah (comp. again 2 Kings 24:12, 15; Jeremiah 22:30) or of Neri as possibly brothers of Salathiel, or of neither of these. The first of these suppositions seems almost untenable, the second seems unlikely enough, and the exceeding prevalence of a corrupt text would strongly favour the third supposition. At the same time, it may be observed that ver. 19 proves that the names must belong to the royal succession, and indicates that, whoever Salathiel was in such aspect, that Pedaiah was, who becomes father of Zerubbabel. The verses that follow are thought by Eichhorn, Dahler, Keil, and some others to be an interpolation of later date, chiefly on account of the point to which the genealogy is brought.

3:1-24 Genealogies. - Of all the families of Israel, none were so illustrious as the family of David: here we have a full account of it. From this family, as concerning the flesh, Christ came. The attentive observer will perceive that the children of the righteous enjoy many advantages.Malchiram also,.... That is, was a son of Jeconiah as well as Salathiel, and so the rest that follow:

and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah; Kimchi says these were the sons of Salathiel; but I rather think they were the sons of Jeconiah, and brethren of Salathiel, because of what follows.