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Boyd’s Bible Dictionary
:
(“words of days,” annals). Thirteenth and fourteenth of O. T. Books. Originally one
book
called Paraleipoinena, “things omitted.” A supplement to Kings, compiled, no doubt, by
Ezra
. The history covers a period of 3500 years.
Concise Bible Dictionary
:
Like
the
Gospel
of
John
among
the Gospels
, so these books among the historical books of the
Old
Testament
have
a special character. John goes back to “the
beginning
,” when the
Eternal
Word was
with
God
: the Chronicles go back to the beginning of
man
’s history: “
Adam
,
Sheth
,
Enosh
,” in order to develop that history in the chosen line of promise and
grace
. The peculiarities of the Chronicles have been a
stumbling block
to
some
of the learned critics. It is evident from
1 Chronicles 6:15
15
And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the Lord carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. (1 Chronicles 6:15)
and
2 Chronicles 36:22-23
22
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
23
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up. (2 Chronicles 36:22‑23)
that
they
date after the
captivity
of
Judah
, the writer compiling the records of the chosen line according to grace—grace which restored them from their captivity. It may be asked, Why omit so
many
things found in the books of
Samuel
and the Kings? and why add events not in those early books?
There
is
design
in the differences, God being the
author
of them. One fact should help the elucidation, namely, that after the division of the
kingdom
, the history of
Judah
only
is given. Therefore more is said of
David
, and of his preparations and pattern
for
the
Temple
, and the history of David’s line is traced, with which the mercies of God for
Israel
were connected in the aspect of
grace
and of the
blessing
and ways of God with that people.
Like Deuteronomy, the Chronicles
rehearse
and show blessing to be consequent on obedience. The history in Samuel and Kings is far more general, and gives the history of the nation to whom the
testimony
of God was confided in the midst of
other
nations.
It is not known who wrote the Chronicles, but
this
is of
little
consequence, seeing that it does not touch the question of their
inspiration
, which is strongly marked by the peculiar character of their contents. It is thought that they were written by
Ezra
, and it will be seen that the end of 2 Chronicles agrees with the beginning of Ezra. The learned say that there are
also
internal resemblances which
make
it very probable that they are by the same writer. This has been objected to on the ground of the
genealogy
in
1 Chronicles 3:1-24
1
Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:
2
The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:
3
The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife.
4
These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years.
5
And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel:
6
Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet,
7
And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
8
And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.
9
These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.
10
And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son,
11
Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son,
12
Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son,
13
Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son,
14
Amon his son, Josiah his son.
15
And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.
16
And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son.
17
And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son,
18
Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.
19
And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister:
20
And Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushab-hesed, five.
21
And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah.
22
And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.
23
And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three.
24
And the sons of Elioenai were, Hodaiah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven. (1 Chronicles 3:1‑24)
: it is contended that the
number
of generations after
Zerubbabel
in
1 Chronicles 3:19
19
And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister: (1 Chronicles 3:19)
is so large that the writer must have lived in the days of
Alexander
the
Great
, and therefore could not have been contemporary with Ezra. But there is a
break
in the genealogy in the middle of
1 Chronicles 3:21
21
And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah. (1 Chronicles 3:21)
; “the sons of
Hananiah
;
Pelatiah
, and
Jesaiah
” closes one list; and
what
follows is a separate list, and may have run parallel with the other.
The Chronicles are by the Jews included in the
Hagiographa
, or “Sacred Books,” and are placed at the end of the
Hebrew
Bible
. “They were regarded as a summary of sacred history.”
Related Books and Articles:
Meditations on 1 Chronicles
By:
Henri L. Rossier
Lectures on the Books of Chronicles
By:
William Kelly
Meditations on 2 Chronicles
By:
Henri L. Rossier
Lectures on the Books of Chronicles
By:
William Kelly
Call: 1-630-543-1441
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
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