Information for the Book of
First Chronicles
The books of Chronicles do not state by whom they were written, or when, however the book records events as early as the Cyrus decree of 538 B.C.. This decree permitted the Jews to return from exile. This along with various genealogies, and the relation of these books to Ezra and Nehemiah, indicate that Chronicles (as well as Ezra and perhaps Nehemiah) were likely written by Ezra around the time of 450 B.C.. Chronicles and Ezra were probably one consecutive historical composition. Nehemiah may have been autobiographical.
Significant sections:
Ezra's zeal for the establishment for the Law of Moses after the return of the Jews, led him to restore temple worship, eliminate mixed marriages, rebuild Jerusalem's fortifications (wall) (with Nehemiah's help), and stimulate the rebuilding of the traditional theocratic beliefs. It was important to develop and review the history and genealogies of the people, to preserve the proper priesthood and worship as well as give emphasis to the Law, the temple, the ark (of the covenant), the Levites and singers. The Chronicles give important information around genealogies and history to the people of that time and for us today.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOKS OF FIRST AND SECOND CHRONICLES
I. TITLE OF THE BOOKS:
A. The Hebrew Title is <ymyh yrbd "The Words [or Events]
of the Days," hence "The Annals"
1. This is not taken from the first verse but from 1
Chronicles 27:24
2. The Targum starts "This is the book of
genealogies, the Chronicles from days of
Antiquity" emphasizing the enormous historical
scope of the book as it reached from Adam to the
establishment of the Persian empire (2 Chronicles
36:20)
B. The Greek Title is PARALEIPOMENWN A', B' [The Books] of
Things Left Out
1. This title identifies the fact that Chronicles
supplements the history in Samuel and Kings in
many places
2. Nevertheless, the name is misleading:
a. Chronicles also repeats much of the material
in Samuel and Kings
b. The name fails to note that Chronicles own
positive purpose which has decided his
selection and arrangement of material to
include in these books1
C. The English Title is First and Second Chronicles:
1. Jerome noted the enormous extent of these books
(as with the Targum above) and thus stated in his
prologue to the books of Samuel and Kings that "we
might more significantly call it the chronikon of
the whole sacred history.'
2. Even though Jerome used the Greek title for the
books, his suggestion influenced Luther and thus
became the title for the books which is used in
English today2
D. One should not confuse the references to the
"Chronicles" mentioned in the books of Kings with the
book of Chronicles
1. Both Kings and Chronicles drew from earlier court
chronicles3 (see below)
2. Court scribes probably produced a number of
scrolls which recorded the daily events of each
monarch's rule (Est. 2:23; 6:1; 10:2)
II. AUTHOR: Either Ezra the Scribe or an unknown Levite-scribe
A. Technically, the book is anonymous--no author or
compiler is named
B. An unknown chronicler who was a priest or Levite
because of the writer's interest in the temple4
C. Ezra the Scribe:
1. The Jewish Babylonian Talmud identifies Ezra the
scribe as the author who "wrote the genealogy of
Chronicles unto himself" or down unto his own
time5
2. The description of the decree by Cyrus in II.36:22
supports a time close to that of Ezra--at least
not much before his time
3. The genealogy in I.3:19-24 traces the descendants
of Zerubbabel to the sixth generation. If
Zerubbabel can be dated at 520 B.C. this would
result in a date of 400 B.C. for the latest
descendant of Zerubbabel (counting 20 years for
each generation). That would require the book to
have been written c. 400 B.C. which would make it
reasonably compatible with Ezra the scribe6
4. Similarity of literary and linguistic features in
Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles suggest a single
author (Ezra) for these works7
III. DATE: 450-400 B.C.
A. Some identify the date of Chronicles to have been
during the mid-fourth century B.C. because of style,
vocabulary, and genealogies8
B. The earliest possible date for the book is 538 B.C.
when Persia was established over Babylon and Cyrus
issued the decree for the Jews to return to Jerusalem
and build the temple (2 Chron. 36:20-23)
C. The latest possible date for the book is the mid-second
century B.C. with the textual attestation of the
existence of the LXX of Chronicles by Eupolemos9
D. Most conservative scholars date the book between 450-
400 B.C.10
1. Chronicles 3:1-24 lists David's descendants unto
the eighth generation after Jehoiakim (3:16-24);
this could allow for a 400 B.C. date:
a. Jehoiakim was 18 years old in 597 B.C. when
he was taken captive by the Babylonians (2
Kings 24:18)
b. An average of 25 years times eight
generations would yield 200 years
c. This places the earliest date around 400 B.C.
2. Chronicles 3:17-24 may not be a straight line of
descent from Jehoiachin through Anani--some of the
persons mentioned may be contemporaneous and not
successive11
a. Jehoiakim was 18 years old in 597 B.C. when
he was taken captive by the Babylonians (2
Kings 24:18)
b. This would make for at least five generations
c. An average of 25 years times five generations
would yield 125 years
d. This places the earliest date at a mid-fifth
century B.C.
3. The question around the mention of money in
"darics" during the time of David in 1 Chronicles
19:7 does not necessarily require an early date of
Chronicles to be anachronistic since the "daric"
need not be a reference to Darius I (c. 520-486)12
IV. CANONICITY:
A. Nature of the Books:
1. Originally they were one scroll13
2. The Greek LXX first divided the material into two
books c. 200 B.C.14
3. The first Hebrew division of the material into two
books was not until 1448 A.D.15
B. Greek LXX and English:
1. In the Greek and English OT canons the books of
Chronicles PARALEIPOMENWN A', B' "[The Books] of
Things Left Out)" are placed among the historical
books following the books of Kings (BASILEIWN A' -
D' )
2. Even the book of Ezra may have had an original
unity with Chronicles it is placed after
Chronicles in both the LXX and our English
canons16
3. When the Greek Canon expanded with the inclusion
of apocryphal books it separated Chronicles and
Ezra with the inclusion of I Esdras.17
C. The Hebrew Canon:
1. At an undocumented point prior to the fourth
century A.D. Rabbinic authorities made up a third
division of the canon called "The Writings"
probably for liturgical reasons by:
a. combining the former and latter prophets
b. transferring some of the former prophets
(Chronicles), some of the shorter scrolls and
one latter prophet (Daniel) into a single
group
2. Therefore, Chronicles now stands at the end of the
Hebrew Canon (<ymyh yrbd ; "Events of the Days",
hence "Annals")18
V. SOURCES USED19
A. Canonical Sources:20
1. Genesis
2. Samuel
3. Kings
B. Extracanonical Sources:
1. The Book of the Kingdoms (or Kings) of Judah and
Israel (or of Israel and Judah)21
2. The Story (midrash) of the Book of the Kings22
3. The Words of Ussiah composed by the prophet Isaiah
4. The Words of Shemaiah the Prophet of Iddo the Seer
5. The Midrash of the Prophet Iddo
6. The Words of Jehu the son of Hanani
7. The Words of Hozai
C. The author used his sources with an intentional
understanding and design23
VI. NUMBERS IN CHRONICLES THAT DISAGREE WITH THEIR OT
PARALLELS:24
# Higher Lower Description Parallel Evaluation
Passage of
Chronicles
a 1Chr 300 slain by 2Sa 23:8 Scribal
11:11 Jashobeam, not error
800
b 1Chr Hadadezer's 1,000 2Sa 8:4 Correct
18:4 chariots and
7,000 horsemen,
not 1,000 and 700
horsemen
c 1Chr 7,000 Syrian 2Sa Correct
19:18a charioteers 10:18a
slain, not 700
d 1Chr and 40,000 foot 2Sa Correct
19:18b soldiers, not 10:18b
horsemen
e 1Chr Israel's 2Sa 24:9a Different
21:5a 1,100,000 troops, objects
not 800,000
f 1Chr Judah's 470,000 2Sa 24:9b More
21:5b troops, not precise
500,000
g 1Chr Three years of 2Sa 24:13 Correct
21:12 famine, not seven
h 1Chr Ornan paid 600 2Sa 24:24 Different
21:25 gold shekels, not objects
50 silver
i 2Chr 3,600 to 1Kg 5:16 Different
, 2:2,18 supervise the method of
j temple reckoning
construction, not
3,300
k 2Chr 20,000 baths of 1Kg 5:11 Different
2:10 oil to Hiram's objects
woodman, not 20
kors (=200 baths)
l 2Chr Temple pillars 35 1Kg 7:15 Scribal
3:15 cubits, not 18 error
m 2Chr 4:5 Sea holding 3,000 1Kg 7:26 Scribal
baths, not 2,000 error
n 2Chr 8:10 250 chief 1Kg 9:23 Different
officers for method of
building the reckoning
temple, not 550
o 2Chr 450 gold talents 1Kg 9:28 Correct or
8:18 from Ophir, not scribal
420 error
p 2Chr 9:16 300 gold bekas 1Kg 10:17 Different
per shield, not 3 method of
minas reckoning
q 2Chr 9:25 4,000 stalls for 1Kg 4:26 Correct
horses, not
40,000
r 2Chr Ahaziah king at 2Kg 8:26 Scribal
22:2 42 years, not 22 error
s 2Chr 36:9 Jehoiachin king 2Kg 24:8 Scribal
at 8, not 18 error
Compared with its parallels, Chronicles is the same once, higher
10 times, and lower 7 times.
Total disagreements; 19 (j repeats i) out of 213 parallel numbers
VII. PURPOSES FOR THE BOOKS OF CHRONICLES
A. To bear witness to the "unity of God's will for his
people."25
B. To bear witness to "the continuity of the obedient
response within the history of Israel."26
C. To bear witness to "the fundamental correspondence
between an action and its outcome."27
D. To "give the Jews of the Second Commonwealth the true
spiritual foundations of their theocracy as the
covenant people of Jehovah"28
E. To bear witness to the "role of sacred scripture as
providing the rule of faith by which the community
lives."29
F. To "interpret to the restored community in Jerusalem
the history of Israel as an eternal covenant between
God and David which demanded an obedient response to
the divine law."30
G. To reveal God's desire to bless those who
wholeheartedly worship Him and to curse those who
resist Him in rebellion according to the Mosaic system
of Temple worship31
___________________________
1 Williamson writes, "it may be said that the influence of
this misnomer in LXX and V on the Christian church has
contributed significantly to the undervaluing and consequent
neglect of these books until comparatively recent times" (H. G.
M. Williamson, 1 and 2 Chronicles, 4).
Merrill writes, "The Books of 1 and 2 Chronicles provide the
only Old Testament example of a 'synoptic problem,' since they
parallel the contents of Samuel and Kings to a great extent. That
is, they recount the history and theology of Israel from a
slightly different perspective than that of Samuel and Kings.
Likewise, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke view the life
and teachings of Jesus in similar but by no means identical ways.
Students of the Old Testament are sometimes confused by this
repetitious yet alternative approach to God's revelation. Why, it
is asked, should there be two versions of the same set of
circumstances and events?
These same kinds of questions have been asked relative to
the Gospels. The most satisfying evangelical response has been
that each gospel writer was a unique individual who witnessed
personally and otherwise came to understand the life and message
of Jesus in a unique way. Furthermore, each recounted the
tradition as the Spirit of God prompted and corrected him. Thus,
the quotations of Jesus' words differ from gospel to gospel and
the order of events likewise varies according to the interests,
emphases, and literary structures peculiar to each writer. This
freedom of literary creativity within the boundaries of divine
supervision is well understood and accepted by those who have
engaged themselves in serious study of the Gospels.
Careful reading of Samuel-Kings and of Chronicles reveals
the same approaches and processes. Though the two respective
accounts deal largely with the same essential subject matter,
they vary in their emphases, in what they include or exclude and
in their theological interests. And yet, just as reverent gospel
studies have shown that there is no demonstrable case for
contradiction among them, so Samuel-Kings and Chronicles evidence
no insoluble disharmonies. The exposition to follow will make
this clear.
To see Chronicles as synoptic to Samuel-Kings is not to deny
its independent importance and significance, for it is in those
very areas of its topical, thematic, and theological divergences
that its justification lies. Its authors and compilers were
sensitive to the fact that the Holy Spirit desired to use them to
communicate the truth of revelation in ways that paralleled the
message of Sammuel-Kings from a different perspective and with
different objectives. Thus, no study of the Old Testament is
complete that dismisses Chronicles as a mere repetition of Samuel-
Kings and fails to see it for what it is--a fresh, alternative
way to view God's dealings with his people in Old Testament
times" (Eugene H. Merrill, 1, 2 Chronicles: Bible Study
Commentary, 9-10).
57.8% of Chronicles is unique in Old Testament Literature
(J. B. Pyne, "The Validity of the Numbers in Chronicles,"
Bibliotheca Sacra, 136 (1979): 111. Donald Holdridge writes,
"Aside from Solomon, the Chronicler writes 8.5 verses more on
each Judean king than does the writer of 'Kings'" (Donald Wesley
Holdridge, "The Argument of 2 Chronicles," paper submitted for
course 327 Seminar in Old Testament Historical Literature. Dallas
Theological Seminary, Spring 1989, 21 n. 6).
Johnson writes, "Evaluation is the point of the narrative
history. The author of Chronicles is an author in the sense of a
historian. Continuity and selectivity are the twin considerations
for a historian. Continuity is necessary because of the
interrelatedness of history. Each event bears a definite
relationship to others--like a thread in a fabric--and cannot be
understood in isolation. Selectivity is mandatory because no one
could record everything that happened in any given era. The
historian, therefore, singles out and highlights what is
significant. An event is significant because it expresses his
evaluation of the period. An event is measured as valuable when
it expresses whole-hearted worship and is dangerous when it
involves turning away and forsaking God. A valued event reflects
what was pleasing to YHWH then and what is now pleasing to YHWH
in the recently constructed Temple. What was dangerous bears all
the marks of warning for the repetition of the same response to
God. This was the criterion of selection. The criteria of
continuity involved the establishment of the Davidic mediated
Kingdom and the factors related to its continuation" (Elliott E.
Johnson, "Synopsis and Selective Analysis of 1 and 2 Chronicles"
[unpublished class notes in 327 Seminar in Old Testament
Historical Literature, Dallas Theological Seminary, Spring 1989],
2-3).
2 See H. G. M. Williamson, 1 and 2 Chronicles, 3-4.
3 See R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament:
With a Comprehensive Review of Old Testament Studies and a
Special Supplement on the Apocrypha, 1160.
4 Andrew E. Hill, and John H. Walton, A Survey of the Old
Testament, 217; See R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old
Testament: With a Comprehensive Review of Old Testament Studies
and a Special Supplement on the Apocrypha, 1157; Eugene H.
Merrill, 1, 2 Chronicles, 12.
5 Baba Bathra 15a. Archer writes, "It is quite possible that
the Talmudic tradition (Baba Bathra, 15a) is correct in assigning
the authorship to Ezra. As the chief architect of the spiritual
and moral revival of the Second Commonwealth, he would have had
every incentive to produce a historical survey of this sort. As a
Levite from the priestly line, his viewpoint would have been in
perfect agreement with that of the author of this work, and he
would be very apt to lay the stress just where the chronicler
has. It is pertinent to note that there was embodied in 2
Maccabees 2:13-15 a tradition that Governor Nehemiah owned a
considerable library: 'He, founding a library, gathered together
the books about the kings and prophets, and the books of David
and letters of the kings about sacred gifts.' If Nehemiah did
possess such a sizable collection of reference works, it might
very well be that his close collaborator, Ezra, would have had
ready access to these reference works and used them in the
compilation of Chronicles" (Gleason L. Archer, Jr., A Survey of
Old Testament Introduction, 413).
Nevertheless, Merrill writes, "Moreover, there is nothing in
the Baba Bathra statement that says Chronicles was completed by
Ezra, but only that he 'wrote the genealogy of Chronicles unto
himself' (15a). This leaves room for genealogical records beyond
his own time and, of course, it may intend to say only that Ezra
contributed to the genealogies and to nothing else" (Eugene H.
Merrill, 1, 2 Chronicles, 12).
6 See R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament:
With a Comprehensive Review of Old Testament Studies and a
Special Supplement on the Apocrypha, 1153, 1156-57.
7 R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament: With a
Comprehensive Review of Old Testament Studies and a Special
Supplement on the Apocrypha, 1153; William. F. Albright, "The
Date and Personality of the Chronicler," Journal of Biblical
Literature 40 (1921): 104-119. Note also that 2 Chronicles 36:22-
23 is repeated as the opening verses of Ezra 1:1-3a.
Harrison (and others like Newsome, Hill & Walton, and Samir
B. Massouh in J. Barton Payne, "1, 2 Chronicles," in The
Expositor's Bible Commentary, 4:306-307) argues against this very
point later when he writes, "Attempts to identify the Chronicler
with Ezra appear inadvisable because of significant differences
in style, historical and theological perspective, the treatment
of source material, and the basic metaphysic of history as
exhibited in the two compositions" (R. K. Harrison, 1157).
However, these objections are not determinative since Chronicles
seems to be a completely different genre than that of Ezra-
Nehemiah. Therefore, style and treatment of material is not
determinative of the author here any more than it would be for
Luke as the writer of the Gospel and then the book of Acts. Genre
can determine literary choices. In addition the purpose of the
author can be as determinative of what is included and what is
excluded as the concept of a different author.
8 R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the Old Testament, 1154;
H. G. M. Williamson, 1 and 2 Chronicles, 15-16. For an overview
of positions see Gleason L. Archer, Jr., A Survey of Old
Testament Introduction, 413-14.
However, these objections are not determinative since
Chronicles seems to be a completely different genre than that of
Ezra-Nehemiah. Therefore, style and treatment of material is not
determinative of the author here any more than it would be for
Luke as the writer of the Gospel and then the book of Acts. Genre
can determine literary choices.
9 H. G. M. Williamson, 1 and 2 Chronicles, 15. However,
Payne observes that this is actually obsolete now since an actual
MS of Chronicles has been found among the Dead Sea Scrolls at
Qumran cave four making a third-centry date difficult to maintain
(J. Barton Payne, "1, 2 Chronicles," In The Expositor's Bible
Commentary, 4:305).
10 C. F. Keil, "The Books of the Chronicles," in Commentary
on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes, III:27; Gleason L. Archer,
Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, 418; Andrew E. Hill,
and John H. Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament, 217; Eugene H.
Merrill, 1, 2 Chronicles, 11-12. This allows for Ezra to be the
chronicler, but does not prove it.
11 Eugene H. Merrill, 1, 2 Chronicles, 12. Merrill writes,
"The chronicler obviously does not trace the genealogies past his
own time so that further descendants of David through Zerubbabel
(and perhaps otherwise) continue for only two or three more
generations (3.21-24). Hananiah, a son of Zerubbabel, has only
one generation in his succession. Then there follow four families
whose connection is unstated, with the last of these extending
through five generations--Shecanian, Shemaiah, Neariah, Elioenai,
and Anani. If Shecaniah was contemporary with Hananiah, the son
of Zerubbabel (which seems reasonable), five generations
inclusive would place the date of Anani, the last named, about
425 B.C., a generally accepted date for Chronicles" (Ibid., 28).
12 Archer writes, "At the same time it must be conceded that
darics had for many decades been in circulation before Ezra's
time, and there would be no difficulty in his referring to them
as a current unit of exchange. Since the daric represented a well-
known weight in gold, there is no particular reason why Ezra
could not have computed the amount of bullion actually
contributed by the Israelite princes for the service of the
temple and then have convereted the sum into an equivalent number
of darics as more meaningful to the public of Ezra's own
generation" (Gleason L. Archer, Jr., A Survey of Old Testament
Introduction, 415). See also R. K. Harrison, Introduction to the
Old Testament: With a Comprehensive Review of Old Testament
Studies and a Special Supplement on the Apocrypha, 1157.
13 A Masoretic notation at the end of a manuscript of
Chronicles noted the middle of the book as being 1 Chronicles
27:25 (ZPEB s.v. "Chronicles, Books of," by S. J. Schultz, I:809.
14 This was probably done due to the books length. They
would divide the books at the death of a key figure, which was
David here.
15 Ibid.
16 See Josephus, Against Apion I.38 [8] for the earliest
description. Payne writes, "Moreover the incompleteness of form
with which the decree of Cyrus appears--breaking off in the
middle of the king's decree--at the close of 2 Chronicles, and
with which Ezra opens, suggests that Chronicles was added to the
canon after Ezra was already there.
A plausible explanation is as follows: when God inspired
Ezra in 450 to write the total volume, he also inspired him to
place the last part of it (= Ezra) within the OT canon, as the
divinely authorized sequel to the historical record of Kings.
Only subsequently, perhaps at the canon's final compilation
shortly before 420, did God lead him to insert the rest (=
Chron), as supplementary parallels to the materials found in
Samuel and Kings" (J. Barton Payne, "1, 2 Chronicles," In The
Expositor's Bible Commentary, 4:312).
The inclusion of Chronicles with Ezra in the LXX supports a
canonization of the books from at least the middle of the second
century B.C.
17 Esdras B = our Ezra-Nehemiah. Meyers writes,
"Chronicles, Esdras A, Esdras B (our Ezra-Nehemiah). That was the
order followed by St. Jerome and Luther, and hence in our English
Bibles, except that Esdras A (apocryphal Ezra) has been relegated
to the Apocrypha while Esdras B appears as Ezra and Nehemiah"
(Jacob M. Meyers, I Chronicles: Introduction, Translation, and
Notes, XVII).
18 Payne writes, "But though Chronicles, as a result, now
stands at the very end of printed Hebrew Bibles, the English (and
Greek) arrangement is the one that corresponds to the order of
the canon in NT Times. For in Matthew 23:35 Christ spoke of all
the martyrs from Abel in the first book (Gen) down to the last
martyred minor prophet (Zechariah, who was 'slain in the
sanctuary'; Malachi is not known to have suffered martyrdom)" (J.
Barton Payne, "1, 2 Chronicles," In The Expositor's Bible
Commentary, 4:312).
19 Hill and Walton follow Payne and divide the categories of
sources into (1) genealogical records, (2) letters and official
documents, (3) poems, prayers, speeches, and songs, (4) other
histories, (5) prophetic writings, and (6) canonical sources
(Andrew E. Hill, and John H. Walton, A Survey of the Old
Testament, 217-18; cf. J. Barton Payne, "1, 2 Chronicles," In The
Expositor's Bible Commentary, 4:309-11).
20 Archer writes, "It is much disputed whether the
chronicler actually copied from Samuel and Kings; most
authorities assume that he did so (cf. New Bible Commentary).
Others, like Zoeckler (in Lange's Commentary, pp. 18-20) and E.
J. Young (IOT, pp. 384-85), believe that he copied from common
earlier sources, but that differences in detail and arrangement
preclude the possibility of any direct borrowing" (Gleason L.
Archer, Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, 415).
21 Archer writes that these "may be the same as the Book of
the Kings of Israel and the Words of the Kings of Israel"
(Gleason L. Archer, Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction,
415).
22 Archer writes "(which may or not be different from the
one previously mentioned)" (Gleason L. Archer, Jr., A Survey of
Old Testament Introduction, 415).
23 Childs writes, "What can one say about the author's own
understanding of his sources? First of all, it is clear that the
chronicler is making a selection of material from a much larger
source which is available to him. Thus, for example, he passes
over in silence the whole history of the Northern Kingdom after
the division of the nation and only uses it when it has a direct
bearing on Judah (II Chron. 18). However, it is a basic error of
interpretation to infer from this method of selection that the
Chronicler's purpose lies in suppressing or replacing the earlier
tradition with his own account. Two reasons speak directly
against this assumption. First, the Chronicler often assumes a
knowledge of the whole tradition on the part of his readers to
such an extent that his account is virtually incomprehensible
without the implied relationship with the other accounts (cf. I
Chron. 12.19ff.; II Chron. 32.24-33). Secondly, even when he
omits a story in his selection he often makes explicit reference
to it by his use of sources. For example, the Chronicler omits
reference to Jeroboam's divine election (I Kings 11), but his
explicit reference to the prophecy of Ahijah (II Chron. 9.29)
rules out a theory of conscious suppression. Then again, the
Chronicler's frequent method of repeating large sections of
earlier material to which he supplies a theological explanation
of its causes indicates that the author views his work, not
simply as a supplement, but as a necessary explication of the
tradition" (Brevard S. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament
as Scripture, 646-47).
24 J. Barton Payne, "1, 2 Chronicles," In The Expositor's
Bible Commentary, 4:561; cf. also Andrew E. Hill, and John H.
Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament, 220.
25 Brevard S. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as
Scripture, 654. This point has often been lost in the modern
concern over the issue of historicity. Childs writes, "The author
relativizes all issues of historical change and development, and
deals with God's will for his people as eternal and unchanging.
The Word of God addressed ancient patriarchs, pre-exilic kings,
and exiles from the Babylonian captivity with the same
imperatives and accompanied them with the same promise. In other
words, the Chronicler speaks to the ontological question and
faithfully testifies to the unchanging reality of the One God"
(Ibid., 654-55).
26 Brevard S. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as
Scripture, 655. Childs writes, "Because God did not change his
will, demanding one thing of his people earlier and something
different later, there emerged a common profile of the faithful
within Israel. There is a family resemblance in their praise and
thanksgiving, in prayers and laments which extends throughout all
ages. The Chronicler shaped his material to highlight the
continuity within the community of faith" (Ibid.).
27 Brevard S. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as
Scripture, 655.
28 Gleason L. Archer, Jr., A Survey of Old Testament
Introduction, 412. Continuing he writes, "The historian's purpose
is to show that the true glory of the Hebrew nation was found in
its covenant relationship to God, as safeguarded by the
prescribed forms of worship in the temple and administered by the
divinely ordained priesthood under the protection of the divinely
ordained dynasty of David. Always the emphasis is upon that which
is sound and valid in Israel's past as furnishing a reliable
basis for the task of reconstruction which lay ahead. Great
stress is placed upon the rich heritage of Israel and its
unbroken connection with the patriarchal beginnings (hence the
prominence accorded to genealogical lists)" (Ibid).
Holdridge writes, "He stressed the Davidic and Mosaic
covenants in the examples of their former kings, so that they
would live in hope and obedience to these covenants respectively
during the second temple era" (Donald Wesley Holdridge, "The
Argument of 2 Chronicles," paper submitted for course 327 Seminar
in Old Testament Historical Literature, Dallas Theological
Seminary, Spring 1989, 15).
Merrill writes, "There could hardly have been a more fitting
and encouraging message for the post-exilic Jewish community than
that of Chronicles. The people had returned, a temple had been
rebuilt, and a cultus with its priesthood and other institutions
continued. There was no monarchy, to be sure, but the merging of
the offices of priest and king along with the prophetic promises
of contemporary men of God, such as Haggai (2:4-9) and Zechariah
(9:9-10; 14:9-21), were reason enough to fill the remnant with
hope that the covenant promises of the Lord could not fail and
would surely come to pass" (Eugene H. Merrill, 1, 2 Chronicles,
14; cf also J. Barton Payne, "1, 2 Chronicles," In The
Expositor's Bible Commentary, 4:312-14).
29 Brevard S. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as
Scripture, 655. Continuing he writes, "Far from being a dead hand
of the past, the writings of the prophets offer both a chart and
a compass for the boldest possible exploration of the inner and
out structure of faith within the world and without. The fact
that the book of Chronicles does not replace Samuel and Kings,
but stands along side the earlier traditions, illustrates the
function of the canon as a means of enrichment of the biblical
traditions in the process of critical reflection" (Ibid.).
30 Brevard S. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as
Scripture, 644. Continuing he writes, "On the basis of past
history he sought repeatedly to draw the lesson that Israel
prospered when obedient but courted God's wrath and the
destruction of the nation through disobedience. In spite of
continual warnings from the prophets, Israel abandoned God's law
and suffered the consequences (II Chron. 36.15f.). However, after
the judgment, God once again restored his people who continue to
stand under the same divine imperatives. The author assumes that
the will of God has been made known through revelation. It does
not need to be actualized or reinterpreted for a new era. Rather,
both the judgments which the writer cites upon disobedience in
the past (I Chron. 10.13f; II Chron. 12.2; II Chron. 36.15f.) as
well as the promises proffered for a faithful response remain
authoritative for every generation (II Chron. 6.1ff.; 7.11ff.;
21.7). Significantly, the term Israel retains for the Chronicler
its basically religious connotation of the people of God and does
not become simply a political designation (cf. Williamson)"
(Ibid.).
31 Elliott Johnson writes, "The Chronicler's overarching
concern is the theocratic character of the community of [the]
returned remnant. God's direct activity, the pattern of
retribution, scriptural authority, and centrality of the temple
are all components in the providential rule of God over his
people. The Chronicler longs for and seeks to contribute to a
recovery of the glorious days of David and Solomon--not by the
reestablishment of the mediatoral rule of God through the
monarchy but by a return to obedient worship. To a people
stripped of kings (monarchy) and forced to obey Persian law and
to submit to Persian government (times of the Gentiles), he
writes about the glory days with an implication of hope. God
adores and blesses those who worship Him with a pure heart. The
book selects events surrounding the Temple (I.6:31, 49, 9:27;
17:1; 22:6; 28:11; II.5:1; 7:1; 22:12; 24:4; 29:3; 24:1-33; 36:7,
22, 23) and features experience worship (I.14:10; 14; 16:7ff.;
17:16ff.; 21:17; 29:10; II.5:2--7:10; 14:11; 20:5-12; 26:4; 30:6;
31:2; 35:1). For the restored remnant, the clear implication is
that God relishes such worship in the restored Temple and
purposes to bless these worshippers.
In addition, God's pattern of retribution also implied that
the resistant ones in rebellion would be the object of God's
covenant curses. This was a remnant surviving in the midst of
Gentile nations whose own destiny would relate to their worship.
They were linked to the experiences of the Davidic line not
because the Davidic heir was recognized but because the same God
would be worshipped. The purposes of God toward his people
remained unchanged in spite of their change in status from nation
to worshipping community" (Elliott E. Johnson, "Synopsis and
Selective Analysis of 1 and 2 Chronicles" [unpublished class
notes in 327 Seminar in Old Testament Historical Literature,
Dallas Theological Seminary, Spring 1989], 1).
Continuing he writes, "Perhaps the dominant theological
emphasis of Chronicles is the constant concern for the temple,
its worship, and its officials, the Levites. Comparison of the
accounts of the inauguration of worship in Jerusalem under David
(2 Sam. 6:12-19; 1 Chron. 15:1--16:3) or Hezekiah's reform (2
Kings 18:4-7; 2 Chron. 29--31) reveals the Chronicler's avid
interest in the structure and personnel of Israel's religion.
Though he is by no means disinterested in the Hebrew Prophets,
(I.21:18; II.15:1; 2; 18:6; 19:2; 21:12-15; 25:7; 28:9; 36:21-22)
the Levites, who assisted the priests in preparing sacrifices and
who served as temple attendants, singers, and gatekeepers are
particularly dear to his heart (I.23; 24; 25; 26:2--20:14; 23:11;
24:20). Little attention is given to these in Kings.
Although his priestly perspective cannot be doubted, one
need not hold that 'the Chronicler gave the Levites a higher
place than they ever actually had' (N. H. Snaith OTMS, 111). The
complex history of the relationship between priests and levites
brooks no sweeping generalities of any kind. The author of
Chronicles simply lingers on those individuals who valued and
supported worship. Worship according to the Mosaic order was
valued and the preparation of David which established the order
for worship received detailed attention. David restored the ark
to Jerusalem which is distinctly identified as the throne of God
(I.13:6) and prepared a temporary dwelling (I.15:1). In addition,
a Psalm (105) written by Asaph whom David commissioned is
included in David's worship (I.16:1, 8-36). That narration of
David's worship is matched by a narration of Solomon's worship
(5:1--7:22). Solomon worships in the completed Temple as YHWH
settles in a cloud displayin impenetrable glory in His presence
(II.5:13, 14). Then Solomon celebrates the coming of YHWH's glory
as a realization of YHWH's promise to David (II.6:1-11). and
worships as He petitions YHWH to respond to prayers offered in
the Temple (II.6:12-42). YHWH's second appearance to Solomon
defines the Mosaic [provisions] as conditional blessing; if they
humbly pray, then YHWH will forgive (7:14) but if they turn away
and forsake His commands to worship other gods, then they will be
uprooted from the land (7:19, 20). This pattern of worship or
rejection of worship governs the remainder of the Davidic kings
(II.36:15 and 18-20); blessing (II.11:16, 17; 12:7, 12; 15:5;
17:3-10; 26:5; 32:5) and judgment (II.12:1, 2; 21:6, 7; 22:3, 4;
24:18; 26:16; 32:25; 36:9, 12; 36:21, 22)" (Ibid., 1-2).