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The main question about this passage is what it means by the word brothers.

According to Chronicles, Jeconiah only had one brother, so the plural does not make sense.

A common view is to see Jeconiah's name in this section as an error.

Jeconiah, who is already listed in Matthew 1: 12, sometimes has his name written as Jehoiachin making it possible that the author of Matthew or a later scribe confused him with his father Jehoiakim.

In Irenaeus ' Latin version of this text Jehoiakim's name appears, but this is the only piece of textual evidence for this theory.

All other ancient versions leave him out.

Also in Iraneus the brothers are still associated with Jeconiah.

This theory would also address a number of other problems.

Josiah is believed to be Jeconiah's grandfather rather than father, and having the listing of Jeconiah as two separate people would correct the seeming error in Matthew 1: 17.

Jehoiakim had a number of brothers and these are mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3: 15.

Albright and Mann believe the author of Matthew mentioned the brothers, despite there having nothing to do with Jesus ' genealogy, because they are prominently mentioned in Chronicles.