Matthew 1:1–16 gives the genealogy of Jesus Christ. There seems to be a missing generation in the second group of fourteen. Can you explain?

Verse 17 of Matthew 1 states, “So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.”

Expositors have proposed a number of solutions, but none of them can be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt. Here’s one way of solving the problem: In Hebrew, the numerical value of “David” is fourteen. David is included twice—at the end of the first group and beginning of the second—thus bringing the number of generations in the second group to fourteen. The three groups of fourteen emphasize David’s number. This emphasis on David points to the Davidic King—the Messiah—prophesied in Scripture (Jeremiah 23:5). This is Matthew’s way of saying that He has arrived.