SHEALTIEL

(She·alʹti·el) [Asked (Inquired) of God].

A descendant of King David and ancestor of Jesus in the tribe of Judah. Shealtiel is called the son both of Jehoiachin (Jeconiah) and of Neri. Both Shealtiel and his brother Pedaiah are called the father of postexilic Governor Zerubbabel.

As to Shealtiel’s father: Shealtiel is listed first among the sons born to Jehoiachin during his exile. (1Ch 3:17; Mt 1:12) If Shealtiel married an unnamed daughter of Neri through whom Luke traces Jesus’ genealogy, Shealtiel might be referred to by Luke as being “of Neri” in the sense that he was Neri’s son-in-law. This would be the same as Luke’s later referring to Joseph, who took Mary (apparently Heli’s daughter) in marriage, as being “of Heli.”​—Lu 3:23, 27.

As to Zerubbabel’s father: Pedaiah is once so identified (1Ch 3:19), but Pedaiah’s brother Shealtiel (1Ch 3:17, 18) is so termed in all other instances. (Ezr 3:2, 8; 5:2; Ne 12:1; Hag 1:1, 12, 14; 2:2, 23; Mt 1:12; Lu 3:27) If Pedaiah died when his son Zerubbabel was a boy, Pedaiah’s oldest brother Shealtiel might have raised Zerubbabel as his own son. Or, if Shealtiel died childless and Pedaiah performed levirate marriage on his behalf, the son of Pedaiah by Shealtiel’s wife would have been the legal heir of Shealtiel.