Why is the Babylonian exile mentioned in Matthew 1:17?
Matthew 1:17
NKJV - 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.
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Tim Maas
Aside from the fact that the exile was a major event in the history of Judah, I would say that Matthew also made specific note of it with respect to Jesus' paternal (kingly) genealogy because he wanted to show that, in spite of the disruption (including the end of the Judean monarchy) caused by the exile, it did not interfere with the recording of the genealogical data that he presented, or with God's involvement in the fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the Messiah (such as His being descended from David), as also indicated (in part) by the "symmetry" and order with respect to the number of generations from Abraham to David, David to the exile, and the exile to Christ.
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