The economy of modern-day Bethlehem is deeply linked to tourism as people flock from all over the world to visit the birthplace of Christ. However, before Jesus' birth, the city's claim to fame was that it was the birthplace of David, the shepherd boy who became Israel's greatest king.
The first chapter of Matthew's gospel painstakingly lists Jesus' genealogy through King David and all the way back to Abraham, the founding father of the nation of Israel.
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
— Matthew 1:17 ESV
Ok.
Fourteen. Fourteen. Fourteen.
Got it.
And we hurry on to verse 18, because we haven't got a clue.
Matt clearly wants to emphasise something here, but the meaning of the fourteen thing is completely lost on us. What is he saying?