1. Name and Meaning
• Name: Amminadab (Hebrew: עַמִּינָדָב, ʿAmmînāḏāḇ)
• Meaning: “My kinsman is noble” or “people of the prince”; from ʿam (“people”) and nāḏāḇ (“noble, willing”), suggesting a lineage of honour and generosity
2. Genealogical Placement and Lineage Role
• Position: Twenty-seventh generation from Adam; seventeenth generation after the flood in the Messianic line
• Father: Ram – early tribal leader in the line of Judah
• Son: Nahshon – prince of Judah during the Exodus
• Lineage Role: Prominent ancestor in Judah’s royal line, linking the patriarchal period to the Exodus generation and the future Davidic monarchy
3. Life Summary and Historical Setting
• Lived during the late Egyptian bondage and possibly the early Exodus period
• Father-in-law of Aaron (Exodus 6:23), thus connecting the royal and priestly families of Israel
• Though not a narrative figure, his name indicates noble lineage and is preserved in key genealogical records
• Likely served as a respected elder in Judah during a time of national transition
4. Theological and Christological Significance
• Bridges two major covenantal structures: the Abrahamic promise and the Mosaic community
• His line produced both the royal (Davidic) and priestly (Levitical) offices, prefiguring Christ’s dual role as King and High Priest (Hebrews 7)
• Included in both Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies, affirming his foundational role in the Messianic descent
5. Legacy and Interpretive Reflections
• Honoured through his son Nahshon, who became a leader of Judah and is frequently praised in Jewish tradition
• His family’s proximity to both the priesthood (via Aaron) and kingship (via David) illustrates divine orchestration of redemptive history
• Viewed as a noble transmitter of promise across generations
6. Summary Insight
• Amminadab stands at a key generational junction in salvation history, honourably positioned between the patriarchs and the leaders of Israel—his legacy shaped both priestly and royal lines culminating in Christ.
7. Biblical References
• Exodus 6:23
• Numbers 1:7; 2:3
• Ruth 4:19–20
• 1 Chronicles 2:10
• Matthew 1:4
• Luke 3:33