Chronicles

• Title
• • Hebrew title is dibre hayyamim "the words (events) of the days"
  • The title "Chronicles" goes back to Jerome who used the title Chronicon Totius Divinae Historiae ("Chronicle of the Entire Divine History")
  • Luther titled the book Die Chronik in his German translation which was then brought over as Chronicles in English Bibles
  • The Septuagint used the title Paraleipomena "the things omitted or passed over"
  • The division of the book in two also first occurred in the Septuagint - Hebrew Bibles divided the book into two sections in the 15^th century
• Relationship to Ezra-Nehemiah
• • Many scholars think the school of thought that produced Chronicles also wrote or edited Ezra and Nehemiah
  • • Reasons
    • • Ezra 1:1-3a is identical to 2 Chron. 36:22-23 indicating the two works have been consciously linked together
      • 1 Esdras contains material from 2 Chron. 35-36, Ezra 1-10, and Nehemiah 8 indicating that the author of 1 Esdras probably found his material all in one great work
      • Books have common vocabulary and syntax and exhibit the same stylistic peculiarities
      • All share a common perspective on history and a preference for certain topics and seem to follow the same method in selecting materials to include
    • Other scholars have begun to dispute this relationship by stating that the evidence above can be interpreted quite differently
  • Theological differences between Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah
  • • Retribution which is an important theme in Chronicles is not evident in Ezra-Nehemiah
    • Differ in attitude to northern tribes - Chronicles more inclusive, Ezra-Nehemiah more exclusive
    • Chronicles emphasizes the Davidic monarchy more than Ezra-Nehemiah
    • Chronicles concentrates on the election of Jacob and deemphasizes the exodus while Ezra-Nehemiah emphasize the election of Abraham and the exodus
    • Chronicles often mentions prophets while Ezra-Nehemiah does not
    • Israel is composed of all 12 tribes in Chronicles but only Judah and Benjamin in Ezra-Nehemiah
  • Currently the relationship between Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah is not as certain as once thought - still some believe that the same author wrote both works
• Date of the Book
• • Chronicles ends with the edict of Cyrus to allow Jews to return to Jerusalem from exile and rebuild the Temple - must be after that date
  • If the author also wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, the date would have to be after Ezra and Nehemiah's time as well
  • Greek words do not appear in the book nor is there any Hellenistic influence - thus the book was probably written before the advent of the Greek Empire
  • A 4^th century B.C.E. date is possibly best but the book is at least post-exilic
• Place of Writing - Jerusalem
• Sources Used by the Writer
• • Introduction
  • • For a long time Chronicles was not studied because it was considered a supplement to or reworking of Samuel-Kings
    • When De Wette wrote that the author of Chronicles had "reworked, altered and falsified" his earlier sources to fit his particular view, scholars leaped to the book's defense and begin to study it again
  • Sources used
  • • Biblical
    • • For genealogies - Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Samuel, and Ruth
      • Psalms 96, 105, and 106 are quoted in 1 Chron. 16
      • Allusions to or knowledge of Isaiah (2 Chron. 28:16-21), Jeremiah (2 Chron. 36:21), and Zechariah (2 Chron. 36:9)
      • Primarily Samuel-Kings - very selective borrowing
    • Non-biblical sources
    • • Acts of Nathan the prophet, prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and vision of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat (2 Chron. 9:29, cf. 1 Kings 11:41)
      • Commentary on the Book of the Kings (2 Chron. 24:27, cf. 2 Kings 12:20)
      • Book of the kings of Israel and Judah (2 Chron. 27:7, cf. 2 Kings 15:36)
      • Some scholars think these are not independent sources but simply references to what the writer already found in Kings
    • Other information (e.g., Hezekiah's tunnel in 2 Chron. 32:30; and Neco's goal as he fought with Josiah - 2 Chron. 35:20) was found by the author somewhere and must be historically reliable
    • Many believe the speeches and prayers of the kings and prophets recorded in Chronicles were written by the author - others would see these also as coming from another reputable source
• Distinctives
• • Pays special attention to David
  • • Omits almost all of the accounts of David's rise to power and his transfer of power to Solomon
    • No mention of David's adultery with Bathsheba, his consigning Uriah to death, or Absalom's revolt
    • Perhaps the author knew his readers already knew these stories but more likely he was omitting accounts that did not put David in a positive light, especially as a religious figure and great king
  • After the kingdom divides, Chronicles concentrates on Judah (southern kingdom) - Israel (northern kingdom) only receives mention when it interacts with Judah
  • Stresses Jerusalem as the only true place to worship - some believe this stress is to oppose the Samaritan community but that is doubtful since such tensions were not evident until later - more likely the author is providing a rallying point for returning exiles and their descendants to rebuild the nation and maintain their faith
  • Very interested in genealogies (1 Chron. 1-9) and religious rituals (1 Chron. 23-26, 2 Chron. 3-4)
• Some Theological Points
• • Much attention to David and Solomon who are seen as being equals
  • • Both are unanimously approved as king with no conflicts (1 Chron. 11:1-3, 2 Chron. 1:1-2)
    • Both are very concerned for building a Temple (1 Chron. 11:4-9, 15:25-16:3, 22:1; 2 Chron. 2:2-16, 5:2-14)
    • Both concerned to have the priests and Levites in place and functioning (1 Chron. 16:4-7,37-42; 2 Chron. 8:14-15)
  • Retribution
  • • Often punishments or blessings come to a king as a result of his behavior (e.g., Rehoboam in 2 Chron. 12:1, Asa in 2 Chron. 16:7-10, Azariah/Uzziah in 2 Chron. 26:16-21)
    • Retribution is always immediate
    • How author described positive behavior
    • • One who "seeks" God (1 Chron. 28:9)
      • One who "relies on" God (2 Chron. 16:8)
    • How author described negative behavior
    • • One who forsakes God, God's law, or the Temple
      • One who is unfaithful in his actions
      • One who enmeshes himself in foreign alliances
      • One who refuses to listen to God's prophets
    • Rewards God uses for a king's faithful behavior
    • • Many children
      • Opportunity to engage in building projects
      • Possessing an army that is well-equipped
      • Success in battle
      • Reforming the cult
      • Receiving tribute from other nations
    • Punishments God uses for a king's unfaithful behavior
    • • God's wrath
      • War
      • Defeat on the battlefield
      • Illness
      • Victim of conspiracy
    • Retribution can be avoided through repentance (2 Chron. 20:20)
  • Attitude to Israel (northern kingdom)
  • • Those in the north who are willing to return to God and worship in Jerusalem were welcomed (2 Chron. 30:7-8)
    • Examples
    • • Soon after the kingdom split some repented and acknowledged the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Chron. 11:13-17)
      • When Asa was king, many from Ephraim and Manasseh joined with Judah (2 Chron. 15:9)
      • Prophets actively preached in the north (2 Chron. 28:8-15)
      • During Hezekiah's reign, people from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun repented and came to Jerusalem (2 Chron. 30:11)
      • Josiah carried his reforms of the cult into Manasseh, Ephraim, and even into Naphtali (2 Chron. 34:6)
    • Perhaps the author was inviting those outside Jerusalem in his day to repent and return to worship at the Jerusalem Temple
  • More developed doctrine of Satan as a figure opposed to God
  • • The census David took in 2 Sam. 24:1 was instigated by God to punish Israel - when Chronicles refers to the same census, Satan was the instigator and God punished Israel because David followed Satan (1 Chron. 21:1)
    • Yet at other points the idea that the heavenly host and God Himself can deceive is still present (e.g., 2 Chron. 18:18-22)
  • 2 Chron. 33:12-17 records a repentance on the part of Manasseh which the Book of Kings does not record or even hint at (cf. 2 Kings 21:10-17) - perhaps in an effort to explain the long reign of the evil Manasseh, the author invented an account of his repentance or perhaps Kings neglected to mention Manasseh's repentance
• Chronicles is receiving more attention now which can only help us better understand Hebrew Bible history and theology

Artwork is "Hezekiah Burning the Idols," a colored woodcut from Henry VIII's Great BIble, 1538. From the Bible Picture Library of Photo Art (c) Christian Computer Art, 1994-97