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1 CHRONICLES chapters 1 through 18 – Study Guide.
1 and 2 Chronicles were originally one book in the Hebrew Bible. These books are believed to have been written (at least a large portion) by Ezra somewhere between 450 and 425 BC. Considerable research was involved in the writing and in our reading we will note various sources cited. Jews who desired to do so were allowed to come back to Palestine from Babylonian exile in 436 BC.
As one writer states regarding those for whom Chronicles was written: It was “…intended for the Jewish community which had settled back in the area around Jerusalem, with a rebuilt temple and priests of Aaron’s line” (Wilcock).
The returning Jews were apparently not conversant with their national heritage. The Chronicles were written to inform them about their relationship with God and the beginning of the line of David and his descendants. The returning Jews need to know that they need to respect God and obey His commandments. There is a strong emphasis in these two books on the reigns of David and of Solomon, of whom an idealized picture is painted, negative elements generally being omitted. In leaving out much of the “warts-and-all” picture we have seen in Samuel/Kings, the author is not being dishonest, he is simply being selective.
We should not be surprised that in Chronicles there is much repetition of material we have covered in our previous readings.
1:1 to 9:44 – The genealogies, from creation (Adam) to restoration returnees. The returned Jewish people are shown continuity with the past.
1:1-54 – Ancestral lines in the patriarchal period.
2:1-55 – The descendants of Israel.
3:1-24 – The descendants of David.
4:1-23 – The family of Judah.
4:24-43 – The family of Simeon.
5:1-10 – The family of Reuben.
5:11-22 – The family of Gad.
5:23-26 – The half-tribe of Manasseh.
6:1-80 – The family of Levi.
7:1-5 – The family of Issachar.
7:6-12 – The family of Benjamin. This genealogy continues in chapter 8. Some scholars think there is a textual error here and that this is really the genealogy of Zebulun, the confusion stemming from the closeness of the two names in the Hebrew language..
7:13 – The family of Naphtali.
7:14-19 – The family of Manasseh.
7:20-29 – The family of Ephraim.
7:30-40 – The family of Asher.
8:1-40 – The family of Benjamin.
9:1-34 – Returnees who lived in Jerusalem. Note that there were returnees not only from the southern kingdom of Judah but also from the northern kingdom of Israel (v. 1, 3).
9:35-44 – The family of Saul.
10:1-14 – King Saul’s closing days and death.
11:1-9 – The capture of Jerusalem by David.
11:10-47 – David’s mighty warriors.
12:1-40 – David’s supporters in his difficult days.
13:1-14 – The tragedy in incorrectly moving the ark of the covenant. The error was corrected later (15:11-15).
14:1-7 – David’s house, wives and children.
14:8-17 – David’s defeats of the Philistines.
15:1-16:6 – Bringing the ark into Jerusalem.
15:16-24 – The appointment of singers and musicians. David had considerable interest in the musical arrangements for the temple ceremonies.
16:7-43 – A psalm of gratitude. Verses 8-22 are found in Psalm 105:1-15. Verses 23-34, see Psalm 96:1-13.
16:39, 40 – Note that at this time the tabernacle was at Gibeon and worship was conducted there as well as in Jerusalem. There was a tent set up in Jerusalem to contain the ark (16:1).
17:1-15 – David’s desire to build the temple and the prophet Nathan’s mistake. God’s correction regarding building the temple, but a covenant that God would build him a house and a kingdom, initially referring to Solomon but ultimately fulfilled in Jesus (Luke 1:32,33) .
17:16-27 – David’s prayer.
18:1-13 – An account of David’s victories.
18:14-17 – The officials in David’s court.
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