Josias was actually the
grandfather of Jechonias. The reference to Jechonias here should probably be to
Jehoiakim, son of Josias and father of Jechonias. The words “and his brethren”
would then refer to the brothers of Jehoiakim who ruled after him, Jehoahaz II
and Zedekiah (who is mentioned in 1 Ne. 1:4). This correction would then restore
the 13 generations from the captivity to Christ to the 14 generations Mt.
mentions in v. 17. There is also medieval manuscript support for the reading “Jehoiakim”
here, showing that the omission of Jehoiakim was fairly obvious. (Kevin L. Barney,
“The Gospel According to St. Matthew,” in Footnotes to the New Testament for
Latter-day Saints, ed. Kevin L. Barney, 2 vols. [2007], 1:12 n. d)
