<p>The fact that we cannot recognize many of the names in a genealogy is one of the reasons why we are tempted to skip them. “Nahshon the father of Salmon” means nothing to me other than perhaps making me a tad hungry for fish. I have no idea what Nahshon looks like. I know nothing of his hobbies, his passions, his pains, his preferences. Nothing. But Nahshon matters.</p>