Get Ready
Yes, Chronicles definitely repeats much of the content of Samuel and Kings; but this writer had a definite and different purpose than merely recounting Israel’s history. The author wanted to rebuild the people’s understanding of the role and responsibility God had for them on their return to Jerusalem.
Author
As with the books of Samuel and Kings, we do not know who wrote Chronicles. Also like Samuel and Kings, the book of Chronicles was a single work in the original Hebrew, and it was first divided in the Septuagint translation into Greek.
Many scholars see Ezra as the author. He was the leader, with Nehemiah, of the Jewish refugees who returned to Jerusalem in 460-457 BCE to rebuild the city. He is also the probable author of Ezra and Nehemiah, the books which follow Chronicles in subject as well as Biblical order.
Whoever the writer was, he or she used several other works as sources – writings of Samuel, Nathan the prophet, Gad the seer (of David), the prophet Ahijah, and the “Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah” (which is no longer in existence).
Context
Chronicles appears to have been written – or edited into its final form after the return of the exiled Israelites to Jerusalem. After two generations in Babylonian captivity, the refugees needed to be re-educated about their history and their role in God’s plan for his creation and his chosen people.
Structure
Chronicles was written as a single book and divided into two books in the Septuagint. Each book has two sections.
- 1 Chronicles begins at the beginning – with Adam and basically lists his descendants to King David. The writer focuses especially on the priestly families in this genealogy.
- The second part of this book covers King David’s unification and reign over Israel. Although much of this material is a repeat of information in 2 Samuel, the writer does not mention David’s sin with Bathsheba.
- 2 Chronicles begins with Solomon’s reign, especially the construction of the temple and its dedication.
- The second section covers the history of Judah from Solomon’s death to the end of the kingdom and captivity. This record is selective (see the following section on Major Themes) and ignores the kings of Israel, the northern kingdom. The book ends with Cyrus’ proclamation allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem.
Interestingly, the last two verses of 2 Chronicles are repeated as the opening of Ezra, the book which follows – strengthening the view that he is the author of both books.
Major Themes
The overarching message of Chronicles is the identity of the returning Jews and their role as God’s chosen people. The writer focuses on three primary themes.
- The Jews are the direct descendants of God’s creation of Adam, and especially the descendants of Abraham, the first person of God’s promise, and David, to whom God gave the promise of continued reign.
- David was God’s chosen ruler for Israel because he followed God’s commandments, and his descendants are the legitimate leaders of the nation and keepers of God’s covenant.
- Maintaining the covenant is the Jews’ central purpose – following the law and maintaining worship and sacrifice in the temple are the two key practices.
The writer underscores these themes by concentrating on the rulers who do follow God’s commandments and excluding the many kings of Judah who either permitted or actively encouraged idol worship. And even though the author does focus on David and Solomon, he does not mention David’s sins with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, or Solomon’s support of his many wives’ idol worship.
Evidently the writer and the new Jewish leaders are convinced that idol worship was the primary cause of the kingdom’s downfall and the resulting harsh captivity. They want to make sure the people do not make that mistake again. (It is a bitter irony that by Jesus’ time the Jewish leaders insisted on a strict and unthinking adherence to the law as they interpreted it with practically no acknowledgment of the God who gave the law – in effect they had turned the law into their idol.)
Get into the Word
1. How is this book similar to the four books that precede it? What is different than the previous four? What do we know about the author? Where did the writer get the information in Chronicles?
2. When was the book written? What seems to be one of the drivers for writing this book? Why would this be important to the author? To the Jewish people?
3. What are the major sections of this work? Why was it divided into two books? Why do you suppose the author decided to include these major subjects?
Bible Trivia
Chronicles probably has the most unusual beginning of any book in the Bible. It is a list of names with no introduction or explanation. It turns out the list is the genealogy of the Israelites, but the writer doesn’t tell us that.
4. What parts of Israel’s story does the author omit? How does the book end? What is significant about the ending?
5. What is the writers primary message in Chronicles? What themes does the author rely on to convey this important message? What key practices does the writer emphasis? Why do you suppose he focuses on these?
6. Even though the book focuses on David and Solomon, they made some major mistakes – how does the author deal with these sins?
7. What is the sin the writer wants the people to absolutely avoid? Why does the author feel this way? What is the ironic outcome of insisting on absolute and unthinking obedience to the law for over 400 years?
Bible Trivia
Psalms is not the only book to showcase King David’s poetry. Check his hymn of thanksgiving when the ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem in 1 Chronicles 16.
Notes . . .
After the Persians defeated the Babylonian army and took over the empire Cyrus instituted the policy (later followed by Rome in its empire) of religious toleration. He (more likely his descendant, Artaxerxes) allowed the Israelites to return to Palestine. Ezra led the refugees and, with Nehemiah the priest, organized rebuilding the city and the temple.
Because of the extent of the Persian empire (basically from the Mediter-ranean Sea to central India) the Middle East was relatively peaceful. And because of the emperor’s protection the Israelites were able to complete their task and reinstitute temple worship and sacrifice.
21: David brings the Ark to Jerusalem —
1 Chronicles 15:1-16:6
Get Ready
Have you ever been involved in a project in which you did not follow directions and really messed things up? What did you do right after the fiasco? How long did you wait before starting the project again? What did you do differently the second time around?
The Word
15 David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 2 Then David commanded that no one but the Levites were to carry the ark of God, for the Lord had chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister to him forever. 3 David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4 Then David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: 5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with one hundred twenty of his kindred;
6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with two hundred twenty of his kindred; 7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with one hundred thirty of his kindred; 8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with two hundred of his kindred; 9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with eighty of his kindred; 10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with one hundred twelve of his kindred.
11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12 He said to them, “You are the heads of families of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your kindred, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.
13 Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God burst out against us, because we did not give it proper care.” 14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.
16 David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their kindred as the singers to play on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise loud sounds of joy. [Verses 17-24 is a list of singers and musicians to accompany the Ark]
25 So David and the elders of Israel, and the commanders of the thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. 26 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers; and David wore a linen ephod. 28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.
29 As the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing; and she despised him in her heart.
16 They brought in the ark of God, and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before God. 2 When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord; 3 and he distributed to every person in Israel man — and woman alike — to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.
4 He appointed certain of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets regularly, before the ark of the covenant of God. NRSV
Get into the Word:
1. What is David doing now that Jerusalem is his capitol? What does he want to bring to the city? Who does he use for this project. Who else is involved in this work?
2. What families does David recruit for the project? How many people are involved? Why do you think he wanted so many?
3. What preparation must the priests and Levites complete? What causes David to be so careful about following the directions regarding the ark? How did the Levites carry the ark?
4. What else did David provide for the project? Why do you suppose he added these people to the procession?
5. Where did the ark move from? How did the Levites acknowledge God’s help? What did David do during the procession? How was he dressed? Who else was dressed this way? How did one person react to David’s actions?
6. What happened when the ark got to Jerusalem? What did David do as part of the ceremony?
Get Personal:
What is your mental image of being involved in God’s plan? How do you balance respect for God with the joy of being one of his partners in building his kingdom?
Notes . . .
15.1. Houses — as king, David would have provided housing for his extended family [14.3]. He lived in a house of “cedar” [17.1] which signified luxury.
Tent — the ark of the Covenant had been housed in a tent (“tabernacle”) since its original construction during the exodus. David actually planned to build a permanent temple for the ark, but God had a different plan [17:3-15].
15.2. No one but the Levites — the first time David tried to move the ark he did not pay attention to God’s instructions [check Numbers 8:5-24] and a person died as a result of touching the ark to steady it [13:9-11]. This time he is careful to do things properly [check 15:11-15].
15:16. Loud sounds of joy — David correctly saw this project as a celebration of God’s power and gifts in unifying the kingdom under him.
15:27. Fine linen . . . ephod — David evidently dressed similarly to the priests.
Ephod — part of the priest’s ceremonial dress – evidently a linen “apron” of sorts worn over the linen robe [details at Exodus 28:6-14].
15:29. Michal. . . despised — Saul’s daughter probably misinterpreted David’s dancing as exhibitionist (she undoubtedly disliked the man who defeated her father).
16:1-3. Blessed — David treats moving the ark as the religious event that it was.
16:5. Asaph — a leader of the musicians and author of several of the Psalms (note that the writer thought the musicians were important enough that their names are included).
16:7-36. Hymn of Thanksgiving — [you are right: it is not included here, but you should read it on your own]. This is actually a compilation of three Psalms: 105 [vv. 8-22], 96 [vv. 23-33], and 106 [vv. 34-36]. Like contemporary authors, David used his creative efforts in different ways for different purposes.
Memory Verse:
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever,
[1 Chronicles 16:34].
Next Lesson:
2 Chronicles 34:8-33: Josiah discovers the book of the Law
