what are some of the reasons that people today might be interested in genealogies?
why were genealogies important in ancient Israel and Judah? did the meaning of genealogies change over time?
what do discrepancies in genealogies (e.g., between Matthew’s and Luke’s genealogies of Jesus or between Samuel’s identification as a Levite in 1 Chron 6:33-34 but as an Ephraimite in 1 Sam 1:1) tell us about how the genealogy was used?
why is it common for genealogies to stretch back to a legendary, mythical, or famous ancestor? how does the appearance of unhistorical figures and gentilic names in genealogies affect our understanding and use of them? how valuable are different types of genealogies for historical reconstruction?