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    1, 2 Chronicles: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture
    1, 2 Chronicles: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture
    1, 2 Chronicles: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture
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    1, 2 Chronicles: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture

    By J. A. Thompson

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    THE NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY is for the minister or Bible student who wants to understand and expound the Scriptures. Notable features include:* commentary based on THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION;* the NIV text printed in the body of the commentary;* sound scholarly methodology that reflects capable research in the original languages;* interpretation that emphasizes the theological unity of each book and of Scripture as a whole;* readable and applicable exposition.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBH Publishing Group
    Release dateDec 2, 1994
    ISBN9781433675553
    1, 2 Chronicles: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture

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      1, 2 Chronicles - J. A. Thompson

      General Editor

      E. RAY CLENDENEN

      Associate General Editor, OT

      KENNETH A. MATHEWS

      Associate General Editor, NT

      DAVID S. DOCKERY

      Consulting Editors

      Old Testament

      DUANE A. GARRETT

      L. RUSS BUSH

      LARRY L. WALKER

      New Testament

      RICHARD R. MELICK, JR.

      PAIGE PATTERSON

      CURTIS VAUGHAN

      Manuscript Editors

      LINDA L. SCOTT

      MARC A. JOLLEY

      © Copyright 1994 • B&H Publishing Group

      All rights reserved

      ISBN 10: 0-8054-0109-1

      ISBN 13: 978-08054-0109-7

      Dewey Decimal Classification: 222.6

      Subject Heading: BIBLE. O.T. CHRONICLES

      Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 94-36020

      Printed in the United Slates of America

      14 13 12 11 10 09 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3

      Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NlV), oopyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Quotations marked` NEB are from The New English Bible, Copyright © The Delegates of the Oxford University Press and the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, 1961, 1970. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked GNB are from the Good News Bible, the Bible in Today's English Version. Old Testament: Copyright © American Bible Society 1976; New Testament: Copyright © American Bible Society 1966, 1971, 1976. Used by permission. Quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible. © Thee Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission.

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Thompson, J. A. (John Arthur), 1913-2002

      1,2 Chronicles / J. A. Thompson.

      p. cm. - (Tite new American commentary ; v. 9)

      Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

      I. Bible. O.T Chronicles-Commentaries. I. Bible. O.T.

      Chronicles. English. New International. 1994. II. Title.

      III. Title: 1,2 Chronicles. IV. Series.

      BS1345.3.T48 1994

      222'.6077 -dcc20

      To my beloved wife, constant companion, loyal and loving

      friend over our long life together

      Editors' Preface

      God's Word does not change. God's world, however, changes in every generation. These changes, in addition to new findings by scholars and a new variety of challenges to the gospel message, call for the church in each generation to interpret and apply God's Word for God's people. Thus, THE NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY is introduced to bridge the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This new series has been designed primarily to enable pastors, teachers, and students to read the Bible with clarity and proclaim it with power.

      In one sense THE NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY is not new, for it represents the continuation of a heritage rich in biblical and theological exposition. The title of this forty-volume set points to the continuity of this series with an important commentary project published at the end of the nineteenth century called AN AMERICAN COMMENTARY, edited by Alvah Hovey. The older series included, among other significant contributions, the outstanding volume on Matthew by John A. Broadus, from whom the publisher of the new series, Broadman Press, partly derives its name. The former series was authored and edited by scholars committed to the infallibility of Scripture, making it a solid foundation for the present project. In line with this heritage, all NAC authors affirm the divine inspiration, inerrancy, complete truthfulness, and full authority of the Bible. The perspective of the NAC is unapologetically confessional and rooted in the evangelical tradition.

      Since a commentary is a fundamental tool for the expositor or teacher who seeks to interpret and apply Scripture in the church or classroom, the NAC focuses on communicating the theological structure and content of each biblical book. The writers seek to illuminate both the historical meaning and contemporary significance of Holy Scripture.

      In its attempt to make a unique contribution to the Christian community, the NAC focuses on two concerns. First, the commentary emphasizes how each section of a book fits together so that the reader becomes aware of the theological unity of each book and of Scripture as a whole. The writers, however, remain aware of the Bible's inherently rich variety. Second, the NAC is produced with the conviction that the Bible primarily belongs to the church. We believe that scholarship and the academy provide an indispensable foundation for biblical understanding and the service of Christ, but the editors and authors of this series have attempted to communicate the findings of their research in a manner that will build up the whole body of Christ. Thus, the commentary concentrates on theological exegesis, while providing practical, applicable exposition.

      THE NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY'S theological focus enables the reader to see the parts as well as the whole of Scripture. The biblical books vary in content, context, literary type, and style. In addition to this rich variety, the editors and authors recognize that the doctrinal emphasis and use of the biblical books differs in various places, contexts, and cultures among God's people. These factors, as well as other concerns, have led the editors to give freedom to the writers to wrestle with the issues raised by the scholarly community surrounding each book and to determine the appropriate shape and length of the introductory materials. Moreover, each writer has developed the structure of the commentary in a way best suited for expounding the basic structure and the meaning of the biblical books for our day. Generally, discussions relating to contemporary scholarship and technical points of grammar and syntax appear in the footnotes and not in the text of the commentary. This format allows pastors and interested laypersons, scholars and teachers, and serious college and seminary students to profit from the commentary at various levels. This approach has been employed because we believe that all Christians have the privilege and responsibility to read and seek to understand the Bible for themselves.

      Consistent with the desire to produce a readable, up-to-date commentary, the editors selected the New International Version as the standard translation for the commentary series. The selection was made primarily because of the NIV's faithfulness to the original languages and its beautiful and readable style. The authors, however, have been given the liberty to differ at places from the NIV as they develop their own translations from the Greek and Hebrew texts.

      The NAC reflects the vision and leadership of those who provide oversight for Broadman Press, who in 1987 called for a new commentary series that would evidence a commitment to the inerrancy of Scripture and a faithfulness to the classic Christian tradition. While the commentary adopts an American name, it should be noted some writers represent countries outside the United States, giving the commentary an international perspective. The diverse group of writers includes scholars, teachers, and administrators from almost twenty different colleges and seminaries, as well as pastors, missionaries, and a layperson.

      The editors and writers hope that THE NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY will be helpful and instructive for pastors and teachers, scholars and students, for men and women in the churches who study and teach God's Word in various settings. We trust that for editors, authors, and readers alike, the commentary will be used to build up the church, encourage obedience, and bring renewal to God's people. Above all, we pray that the NAC will bring glory and honor to our Lord, who has graciously redeemed us and faithfully revealed himself to us in his Holy Word.

      SOLI DEO GLORIA

      The Editors

      Author's Preface

      When I received an invitation in June 1988 to participate in The New American Commentary by writing a commentary on 1, 2 Chronicles, I responded to the invitation very happily. It seemed to be a good opportunity for an Australian to become involved in an American Enterprise. I was happy also to be invited to participate in an Old Testament commentary since this has been my area of research and teaching in theological colleges and in a secular university over many years, where I have taught Old Testament, Hebrew, and Aramaic for much of my teaching life. Another attraction to become involved in such a project was that I would be participating in a joint enterprise with fellow Baptists from other parts of the world, I myself being from Melbourne in the Southern Hemisphere. Further, I have identified myself very happily and with deep conviction with a conservative and evangelical theological stance. For me, the Bible is the Word of God bringing to humankind the mind of God on all sorts of issues and constituting a challenge to human thought and life, calling its readers to an understanding of how God would have them live in the contemporary world.

      The Books of Chronicles present the commentator with their own particular problems. For instance, the question of the historicity of these sections of Chronicles that are not dependent on Samuel-Kings is often raised, and questions are asked about the historical value of other sources the Chronicler may have used. The questions of the original author's intention in producing the work and of his main theological perspectives present their own challenges. Also, what was the author's own preferred vocabulary in developing his main themes? In addition, a number of important technical questions need to be explored; the reason for the chronological tables, the literary forms, the unity of the work, its authorship, and date. These and other issues will need to be investigated.

      Sometimes the commentary will take up important philological, syntactical, and exegetical concerns. Most of these will be taken up in footnotes. Frequently, comparison will be made with other works that deal with similar material. The Books of Samuel and Kings are important in this respect. In making such comparisons, the distinctive emphasis of the writer of 1, 2 Chronicles will become much clearer. Because of the nature of this particular commentary series, references to important bibliography, whether books or articles, are kept to a minimum, although a certain number seemed to be essential. Most of these are in English. But these will have their own footnotes that will enable the readers of this commentary on Chronicles to expand their horizons. However, no important issue will be avoided altogether. Since the target readership is the pastor and student rather than the technical scholar, there will be gaps in the treatment from the viewpoint of some readers.

      I am grateful to those who have helped in the production of this commentary. First of all, I thank the producers of The New American Commentary, especially Kenneth Mathews, David Dockery, and Tom Clark, with whom I first had contact, and the rest of the staff at Broadman & Holman who provided help and encouragement.

      My typist, Mrs. Bronwyn Donald, has been a great help in deciphering my difficult manuscript and in helping me to draw together the various strands that go to making a unified whole out of a number of parts.

      My wife, Marion, has been the good woman who stands behind my literary work. This she has done with preliminary typing and has given constant encouragement as the work proceeded. I am grateful to God that despite periods of illness, including a stroke and a prostate operation, this commentary has been brought to completion.

      My hope is that this commentary will convey to the modern readers of the text of 1, 2 Chronicles the thought of its original writer as he sought to make clear to us the mind of God in the areas of his concern. For its modern exponent, the present writer, the task of these years has been a glad offering to the Lord himself for his mercy towards me, his servant. My prayer is that the work will help others as much as it has helped me.

      J. A. Thompson

      Melbourne, Australia

      Abbreviations

      Bible Books

      Apocrypha

      Maps

      Map: The Persian Empire

      20

      Introduction Outline

      Name and Place in the Canon

      The Text of Chronicles

      The Chronicler's Sources

      The Literary Forms in Chronicles

      Genealogies

      Lists

      Speeches, Sermons, and Prayers

      Prophetic Utterances of Minor Prophets

      The Levitical Sermons

      Psalms and Poetry

      The Authorship and Unity of Chronicles

      The Relation of Chronicles to Ezra-Nehemiah

      The Unity of Chronicles

      The Historical Situation of the Chronicler

      The Date of Chronicles

      Important Theological Themes

      All Israel

      The Temple and Worship

      The Concept of Kingship

      Retribution and Repentance

      The Response of the People

      The Chronicler and Messianism

      The Repetition of Historical Patterns

      The Chronicler as an Exegete of Scripture and the Past

      The Chronicler's Theological Vocabulary

      Vocabulary of Apostasy

      Vocabulary of Obedience

      Vocabulary of Divine Response

      21

      1. Name and Place in the Canon

      In the Christian canon of Scripture, Chronicles has been divided into two books. In the Hebrew Bible it is called words [or events] of the days, although in the Hebrew canon the two books were counted as one. The division into two books was made when the Hebrew text was translated into Greek in pre-Christian times. One reason for this may have been that in Hebrew only the consonants are written (the vowels are implied) whereas in Greek both consonants and vowels are written. Hence in Greek there are approximately double the number of characters to be recorded. As a result the Greek Chronicles came to be spread over two scrolls.

      In the Hebrew Bible these two books normally stand at the end of the third division of the Bible known as the Writings. Jesus' words in Matt 23:35 referring to the death of the priest Zechariah suggest that by New Testament times these books were considered as Scripture and stood at, or near, the end of the collection (cf. 2 Chr 24:20–22).¹ But the English Bible followed the Greek LXX (which named these books the things left over) and attached them to the historical books after Samuel and Kings. This is unfortunate because the church has tended to see 1 and 2 Chronicles as a sort of appendix to Samuel-Kings, a supplement containing a collection of priestly observations, and has ignored the unique contents and message of 1 and 2 Chronicles.

      If Chronicles is treated as a whole, there is a major break after the genealogies at 1 Chronicles 9. Another major break comes after 2 Chronicles 9, which records the death of Solomon. The stories of David and Solomon should not be split. Solomon's work was complementary to that of David.

      2. The Text of Chronicles

      The original Hebrew text is always important in the study of an Old Testament book. For Chronicles we have the usual resources: parallel passages elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible notably in Samuel and Kings; the Greek translation, the LXX; other versions like the Latin and Syriac texts; and, recently, fragments of Chronicles in the Qumran scrolls. Most studies in the past have concentrated on those portions of Chronicles that are paralleled by sections in the Pentateuch or in Samuel-Kings, the so-called synoptic portions. Where Chronicles differs from its original source (Vorlage) in Samuel or Kings scholars assumed that the Chronicler, because of his theological viewpoint, modified the text.22

      But recent studies have shown that the Chronicler did not modify his sources at will. Rather, some of his sources arose from a different Hebrew tradition from that of the MT.² In addition to the Masoretic tradition preserved in the MT, there also existed a Palestinian tradition of the texts of the Pentateuch and Samuel-Kings. It is now clear from comparison of Chronicles with the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek translations of the Pentateuch that the text Chronicles used was more like these texts than the MT. Similarly, comparison of Chronicles with parallel passages in Samuel-Kings from 4QSama, 4QSamb, and 4QSamc, and the LXX show that the Chronicles text is more like these than the MT version of Samuel-Kings. The Palestinian text tradition can be identified in the Lucianic LXX, Chronicles, the Dead Sea Scrolls fragments, and the Jewish writer Josephus. In short, the Chronicler faithfully used the sources he had.³

      3. The Chronicler's Sources

      It seems clear, and it is generally agreed, that the Chronicler's primary source was the books of Samuel-Kings in the Palestinian tradition. It may appear that we are given a clear pointer to at least some other sources in various citations from official annals like The Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel (2 Chr 16:11) or references to prophetic records like those of Iddo the Seer (2 Chr 12:15). But the Chronicler almost always refers to his sources at the precise points where the author of Kings cites his sources. For example, compare 2 Chr 12:15 with 1 Kgs 14:29; 2 Chr 16:11 with 1 Kgs 15:23; 2 Chr 20:34 with 1 Kgs 22:45; and 2 Chr 25:26 with 2 Kgs 14:18.⁴

      Thus we need to use the citation formula with some care. In particular, reference to prophetic records may in fact be to Samuel-Kings and not to some other, independent sources. Evidently other sources were utilized by the Chronicler although we are somewhat uncertain about these. A significant source evidently was that in which the genealogical lists were preserved.⁵ Military and census type lists such as we find incorporated in 1 Chronicles 11–12 also existed. Soggin comments that in Chronicles we23 have a series of notes from a reliable source, perhaps even at first hand, which complement what we know only partially from the books of Samuel and Kings.⁶

      The fact that the Chronicler used Samuel-Kings as a source for his work does not mean that he slavishly followed it. Chronicles is not an exposition of Samuel-Kings, nor does it have the same structure. It is a separate work with an independent purpose.⁷

      Basing himself broadly on a variety of Old Testament traditions, the Chronicler, with considerable literary skill, drafted his history, building upon Samuel-Kings and interpreting, supplementing, and deleting as he felt compelled by his own theological perspectives. His intention was not to rewrite the history of Judah nor to gather what had not been covered by his predecessors, but it was to provide lessons for the people of his time drawn from the history of his people. The speeches of David in 1 Chronicles 22; 28–29, the speech of Abijah in 2 Chronicles 13, and the account of Uzziah's prosperity and punishment in 2 Chronicles 26 reflect a common point of view that we may identify as that of the Chronicler.

      He made use of a variety of exegetical techniques such as harmonization, typology, and explanation of difficult passages by appeal to other passages. He was not attempting, however, simply to expound his source material in its own right. He did not use all the source material available but made a selective use of Samuel and Kings. He was intent on presenting some theological perspectives from the written sources that were available. More of these were at hand than some modern writers allow in their tendency to propose later additions. The Chronicler saw patterns that were repeated at various points in Israel's history, for example, the pattern of the exile and restoration motif exemplified in 1 Chronicles 10, with the death of Saul leaving Israel totally defeated and in a state of exile from which only the faithfulness of a David could rescue them. Another discernible motif was that of all Israel (to be discussed later). In presenting these patterns, the Chronicler used without distinction biblical sources, other materials, and his own personal composition in the interests of a wider purpose.

      The Chronicler was highly skilled in composition, being able to shape material within a shorter narrative unit to make it serve a wider purpose. Examples of this are the growing support shown for David before and at his coronation at Hebron (1 Chr 11–12) and patterning the transition of rule from David to Solomon after the transition from Moses to Joshua (1 Chr 22; 28–29).⁸ He was able to use his sources creatively and utilize them to teach24 the developing community of Israel important principles that had guided his nation in the past and were still relevant for Israel in the future.

      4. The Literary Forms in Chronicles

      Chronicles contains a wide variety of literary forms, but four deserve special mention: (1) genealogies, such as chaps. 1–8; (2) lists, such as 1 Chr 9:3–23; 11:10–17; 12; (3) speeches, sermons, and prayers, such as 1 Chronicles 22; 28–29; (4) a miscellaneous group of literary forms comprising extracts from Samuel-Kings. These forms were often related verbatim but sometimes with alterations, additions, and deletions that reflected the mind of the Chronicler himself as he sought in yet other ways to use his sources to give expression to his special theological concerns.

      (1) Genealogies

      The fact that the author of 1 and 2 Chronicles devoted nine chapters out of sixty-five to genealogies (1 Chr 1–9) makes clear that these were of great importance to him and bear significantly on his purpose in writing his work. This purpose needs to be understood by any commentator who would elucidate the nature of these volumes.

      We may define a genealogy as a written or oral expression of the descent of a person or persons from an ancestor or ancestors.⁹ They may display breadth (These were the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, 1 Chr 2:1) and depth (the sons of Solomon: Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, 1 Chr 3:10). This latter genealogy and others of its type that display depth alone are termed linear. Biblical genealogies, like the extrabiblical ones, are normally quite limited in depth, rarely extending beyond ten or twelve generations but often from four to six. In 1 Chronicles 2–9 we have an exception. Perhaps the writer sometimes joined separate genealogies.

      If a genealogy displays breadth as well as depth, it is termed segmented, or mixed. In Chronicles multiple descendants of an ancestor are frequently named, but not all the lives are pursued to later generations. Genealogies may proceed from parent to child (descending, as in 1 Chr 9:39–44) or from child to parent (ascending, as in 1 Chr 9:14–16).¹⁰

      The two types of genealogy, linear and segmented, serve different 25purposes. The linear genealogy seeks to legitimize an individual by relating him to an ancestor whose status is established. The segmented genealogy is designed to express relationships between the various branches of a family. These relationships may be of a domestic, political, or religious kind, areas that are multiple or interpenetrating. These kinship relationships are variously expressed. (1) The most common is, "The descendants of X, Y his son, Z his son, and so on (1 Chr 3:10–14). (2) A second way of expressing relationship is X begat [caused to bring forth] Y." Of the same general type is "X gave birth to Y," where the emphasis is on the mother. In the same group we should include the father of (1 Chr 2:49). (3) "X the son of Y" is ascending order. (4) "X, his son Y" is descending order (1 Chr 3:10–14; 7:25–27).

      These genealogies performed several functions. They were used to demonstrate existing relations between Israel and neighboring tribes with whom there was some degree of kinship. They also demonstrated relationships between Israel and isolated traditional elements by creating a coherent and inclusive genealogical system. At times they provided a continuity over periods of time not covered by material in the traditions. The genealogies also allowed for chronological speculation concerning world cycles. Some genealogies were military in content and purpose. They demonstrated the legitimacy of individuals in their office and provided individuals of rank with connections to a worthy family or individual in the past. Taken as a whole, they provided support for the all Israel concept so important to the Chronicler. Finally, they exhibited a sense of movement in Israel's history toward a divine goal. The course of history was shown to be governed by the providence of God.

      The genealogies of 1 Chronicles 1–9 are designed to demonstrate the relationships that existed between the various components of the people of Israel in the past and the people who claimed to be part of Israel at the time of the writer of Chronicles. Concepts such as your father's household (Gen 12:1), representing the extended family; the clan, roughly equivalent to our relatives; and the tribe, of which, originally, Israel contained twelve, were all important in Israel and feature in the genealogies. At times these family structures are well marked, as in the family of Achan in Josh 7:16–18.

      Important in interpreting the genealogies is recognizing that they reflect not only blood relationships but geographical, social, economic, religious, and political realities as well. Not all these are expressed at one time. The relationship changes from time to time. That is, there is a fluidity in their mode of expression. Thus theoretically Israel consisted of twelve tribes in the canonical tradition. But there were variations. The tribe of Joseph became divided into Ephraim and Manasseh. Levi is at times not counted. Simeon was absorbed by Judah. Dan and Zebulun, although listed in 1 Chr 2:1–2,26 are virtually neglected in the rest of chaps. 1–9. At times additional names could be added and others deleted. A name may lose its functional importance or reflect changes in the structure of the lineage. Names may be integrated into a genealogy not formerly included. Examples of all these and others can be found in Chronicles and from time to time will be referred to in this commentary.

      The source of this genealogical information is not always clear to us. It is too simplistic a solution to propose that the Chronicler, or someone else, concocted a genealogy. Even in the twentieth century tribal peoples trace their family for many generations through oral memories. Also there were written records that could be consulted, although the Chronicler's sources have not always survived.

      (2) Lists

      Chronicles contains sufficient lists to group them together as a recognizable literary form. Among these was the list of the people of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh; leaders of fathers' houses; priests, Levites and gatekeepers; the list of those who resettled on their own lands after exile (1 Chr 9:3–23); the chiefs of David's mighty men (1 Chr 11:10–47); the warriors who joined David at Ziklag, at his stronghold in the desert; men of Manasseh who defected to David, and men who came to David at Hebron (1 Chr 12); and others. The sources from which these lists derived are quite unknown to us. Possibly they were preserved in temple lists, but they evidently were accessible to the Chronicler and served an important function in the Chronicler's overall purpose.

      (3) Speeches, Sermons, and Prayers

      At several points in Chronicles the speeches of kings and others are recorded, for example, speeches of David and Solomon and various utterances from the later kings of Judah. Some of these might easily be regarded as sermons. In other areas prayers are recorded, for example, Solomon's prayer of dedication before the altar of the temple in front of the whole assembly of Israel (2 Chr 6:14–42) and Jehoshaphat's prayer on the occasion of the attack by the troops of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir (2 Chr 20:6–12).

      (4) Prophetic Utterances of Minor Prophets

      A succession of prophets in Israel delivered God's word to the people at different times. We do not have a literary record of their utterances like the27 classical prophets in the Bible, but the Chronicler had access to their words. Among these were Nathan (1 Chr 17:1–14), Gad (1 Chr 21:9–19; and see esp. 29:29), Shemaiah (2 Chr 11:2–4), Azariah (2 Chr 15:2–7), and Hanani (2 Chr 16:7–9).

      (5) the Levitical Sermons

      Some scholars have isolated a particular literary form that has been called The Levitical Sermon, so named by G. von Rad. This is a prose form in which a confessional statement is made with a quotation from the canonical prophets in support¹¹ (2 Chr 15:2–7; 16:7–9; 19:6–7; 20:15–17, 20; 29:5–11). This literary form is widely accepted by scholars as a genuine form, but some have thought it to be a rather artificial idea.¹² A modern commentator like H. G. M. Williamson refers to it frequently.¹³

      (6) Psalms and Poetry

      While in general, poetry is not a literary feature of Chronicles, it is not entirely lacking. David's psalm of thanks in 1 Chr 16:7–36 is a notable example. The list of names in 1 Chr 25:4–5 has been identified as poetic in form (see commentary). Snatches of psalm verses also are here and there in these books.

      5. The Authorship and Unity of Chronicles

      In the study of the Books of Chronicles commentators frequently have postulated that behind this work lie the efforts and ingenuity of an individual we can call the Chronicler. While this is a reasonable position, a number of questions have arisen. What was the extent of the Chronicler's work? Was he responsible also for the whole or part of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah as well as Chronicles? In particular regard to the books of Chronicles themselves, to what extent are they a unity, or is there evidence of secondary material within the books of Chronicles? The decisions arrived at in regard to these issues will profoundly affect the interpretation of the material that lies before the commentator on the books of Chronicles.28

      (1) the Relation of Chronicles to Ezra-Nehemiah

      The view that the books of Chronicles are directly continued in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah and that the same author was responsible for them has been regarded as scholarly orthodoxy for well over a century. Indeed the view of the Talmud and church fathers was that Ezra was the author. S. R. Driver prepared a list of characteristic vocabulary that is prominent in Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah, suggesting that they were authored by one person.¹⁴

      In recent years that view has been challenged by scholars such as S. Japhet¹⁵ and H. G. M. Williamson.¹⁶ Japhet noted four phenomena that were used to argue for common authorship: (1) the presence of the opening verses of Ezra at the end of Chronicles; (2) the fact that 1 Esdras begins with 2 Chronicles 35–36 and continues through Ezra; (3) common vocabulary, style, and syntax; and (4) uniform theological ideas expressed in the material and its selection. While it may be admitted that a number of themes and a good deal of common vocabulary, style, and syntax are common to Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah, important differences exist in theological themes, such as the doctrine of retribution and the assessment of Solomon. In the matter of vocabulary, style, and syntax much of this was simply characteristic of postexilic Hebrew as a whole. But a close study of the vocabulary lists of Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah reveals significant differences of usage between the two bodies of writing.¹⁷ The Ezra-Nehemiah work has problems of its own, but at no point are these dependent on the books of Chronicles, which, for its part, can be well understood as a work in its own right.¹⁸

      (2) the Unity of Chronicles

      A further question needs to be raised, namely, the question of internal unity. Various approaches to this question have been made. Some scholars have argued that Chronicles has been subjected to a measure of secondary29 editing. For example, 1 Chronicles 1–9 is held by some writers as entirely secondary to the original work. Others see in Chronicles essentially the work of a single author that has been subjected to a wide variety of later additions.¹⁹ Others have proposed three separate editions of the Chronicler's work that they have named Chronicles 1, Chronicles 2, Chronicles 3.²⁰ The commentary of Williamson to which we have referred presents a moderate view. He regards Chronicles as a substantial unity including 1 Chronicles 1–9. He rejects many of the secondary additions proposed by other writers. He does allow, however, some cases of secondary expansion of the Chronicler's work by a priestly reviewer as in 1 Chronicles 15–16 and 23–27 and a few other less extensive passages.²¹

      While some relatively slight redaction of the Chronicler's work may be allowed, a wholesale editing of the Chronicler's text is not warranted. Where it is allowed, it needs to be based on internal literary-critical considerations and not on speculative theories.

      We might add that the Chronicler structures his work very carefully. L. C. Allen has isolated three types of literary design. First, the Chronicler often used an inclusio pattern to define the limits of a text, as in 2 Chr 29:2 and 31:20. Second, he often used recurring motifs; and third, he often used contrasting motifs. All of these are evident in the Hebrew text.²²

      6. The Historical Situation of the Chronicler

      By the time the Chronicler wrote, much had happened in Israel's history. From the tribal days of the Judges, through the period of the establishment of the United Kingdom under David and Solomon (ca. 1000–931 B.C.), through the schism after Solomon's death and the period of the Divided Kingdom (931–722 B.C.), and on through the period of the kingdom of Judah (722–587 B.C.), the people of Israel had experienced many vicissitudes including two major political tragedies. The destruction of the Northern Kingdom as a separate political entity and the exile of many of its people²³ at the hands of the Assyrian ruler Sargon II (721–705 B.C.) or perhaps 30Shalmaneser V (726–722 B.C.) took place in the late summer or autumn of the year 722/721 B.C. After that, the Southern Kingdom, Judah, survived as the sole representative of the people of Israel until it too, after surviving 134 years, came to an end in July 587 and more of the people of old Israel went into exile.²⁴

      Politically the old Israel had ceased to exist. But in God's mind there was more to its story yet to unfold. The great empires of Assyria and Babylonia passed from the stage of history. During their period of ascendancy, numbers of God's people languished in a foreign land. Some, of course, never left their homeland. But in 539 B.C. Cyrus, ruler of Persia, overthrew Babylon. In the first year of his reign in Babylon, in 538 B.C., he issued a decree ordering the restoration of the Jewish community and its cult in Palestine (Ezra 1:2–4; 6:3–5). The exiles were free to return, and many did, although some stayed in Babylonia.

      When they returned, there were years of hardship and frustration ahead of them. The community was at first very small, perhaps only twenty thousand. It was to be a day of small things (Zech 4:10).²⁵ Jerusalem was still thinly populated seventy-five years

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