Expert: Dean Gade - 4/17/2008

Question
QUESTION: I get so confused when I try to pronounce and keep up with the names of the people in the Old Testament such as in the lineage of David.  Is there any sort of translation of these names to our current day names?  Also could you help me find a "family tree" from the time of Moses through 2 Kings.  I hope I am not asking too much of you but I do greatly appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.  I have such a hunger and desire to learn all that I can to understand His Word.  I am like a sponge, so again thank you so very much.  God Bless You!!!

ANSWER: I'm sorry to say that I can not be of much help to you with pronunciations of biblical names.  

The problem is that when those names are translated they are usually "transliterated".  That is, the translator tries to find a letter or several letters in our language which would replicate the SOUND of the Hebrew (or Greek) used in the Bible.   But, translators don't always agree as to what is equivalent in sound....or where the accents should go in the name.

The most modern translations of the Bible will help you most in determining how to pronounce the name.  Or, if you have one, a Bible concordance will help pronounce the name in the same way a dictionary does with all words.

What "family tree" are you looking for?  Was this for David, Moses or some other family?  Please clarify this because I may be able to help since the Bible does cover some genealogies even though there are often gaps of several generations.

For your desire to "soak up" biblical knowledge,  an old but good general commentary is still the Mathew Henry commentary which can still be found in Bible bookstores and even some used bookstores.  If you have the money, check out a company named "Biblesoft"(Biblesoft.com) They have a variety of excellent programs for your computer with a massive amount of helps in finding information in the Bible.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: It is the lineage of David that I am seeking.  Thank you so very much.

Answer
I apologize for the delay in answering you. It was just a minor health problem.

The lineage of David is not found with Moses because Moses was of the tribe of Levi while David was the descendent of Judah.....both of these tribes were sons of Jacob(Israel).

The best we have in that lineage of David is in Matthew 1, where the lineage of Jesus is given...since Jesus was a descendent of Judah (and David)  In the following, start with Jacob:

Matt 1:2-6

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
4 Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse,
6 and Jesse the father of King David.
NIV

I hope that this is what you were looking for. If not, write again.