1 Chronicles 2:1

1 Chronicles 2:1 says, These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,  We now have a record of the birth of the sons of Israel, or Jacob, who would become the fathers of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel.  These were God's Chosen People from the promise He made to Abraham.  We are God's chosen people by the promise made through Jesus Christ, if we put our faith in Him.  Verse two adds, Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.  Verse three continues, 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.  We now start to have a list of the children of Israel's children or his grandchildren but there are no grandchildren of Jesus Christ.  We cannot be saved because our parents were.  We have the added fact that Er, the first born of Judah, did evil in God's sight and God killed him.  God is the Creator and Sustainer of life, so if we become too evil, He may allow us to be killed, even if He doesn't directly cause our death. Verse four continues, And Tamar his daughter in law bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.  Judah also had a son with his daughter-in-law, which really wasn't in accordance with God's will.  We cannot be successful Christians if we disobey God's laws.  Verse five states, The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.  Pharez and Zerah were twin brothers.  Verse six adds, And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.  Verse seven continues, And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.  Achar was called a troubler of Israel who transgressed in the thing accursed.  As Matthew Henry points out, even the best and most honorable families may have those belonging to them that are blemishes on the family name.  This would be Christian families who have those who refuse to follow God today.  Verse eight says, And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.  Verse nine adds, The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.  Verse ten continues, And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;  Verse eleven states, And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat Boaz,  Verse twelve adds, And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse,  We have now gotten to Jesse, the father of David.  We don't need to trace our ancestry back to any particular person to be a part of God's family but can only trace it back to our relationship with Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord in order to be a part of His family.