The Date of the Book of Chronicles: Biblical Text, Elephantine Papyri and El Ibrahimiah 'S Aramaic Grave Inscription

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Chapter Two

The Date of the Book of Chronicles: Biblical Text, Elephantine Papyri and El Ibrahimiah 's Aramaic Grave Inscription

I Biblical Text and Scholarship: Positions and Perspectives

§1. The Challenge and the Complexity

Although the book of Chronicles mainly deals with the history of the D;i vidic dynasty and the First Temple, there is no doubt that it was composed in the Second Temple period, and is therefore categorized among the late biblical-historical writings. The linguistic evidence supports this fact: the language of the book is late biblical Hebrew, with Aramaic influence, and contains Persian words. 1 They all affect the vocabulary, syntax, orthography, and style of Chronicles, which is similar to those of the late biblical books such as Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther and even Daniel. 2 There are citations in the book of Chronicles from prophets such as First Zechariah and Malachi who prophesied in the Persian period (both dated in the late sixth century BCE; cf.2 Chr 15,5 with Zech 8,10;2 Chr 16,9 with Zech 4,10;2 Chr 30,9 with Mal 1,9).' Furthermore,persons and events from the Persian epoch are men-

1 For Persian words see, for example, rr:i (1 Chr 21,27); i~i!:l (1 Chr 26,18 [2x]); 7r:i:i (1 Chr 28, 11 cf. Esth 3,9; 4,7); CJ.,:l::lii~ (= darics, 1 Chr 29,7). 2 On this point, see L. Zunz, "Dibre-Hajamim oder die Biicher der Chronik," Die gottesdienstlichen Vortriige der ]uden historisch entwickelt. Bin Beitrag zur Altertumskunde und biblischer Kritik zur Literatur- und Religionsgeschichte (Berlin: A. Ascher, 1832; 2nd edn. Frankfurt a.M.: Kauffmann, 1892), pp. 13-36 esp. 32-34; Kropat, Die Syntax des Autors der Chronik; E.L. Curtis and A.A. Madsen, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Books ef Chronicles (ICC; Edinburgh:T. &T. Clark, 1910), p. XXI;WA.L. Elmslie, The Books of Chronicles (CBSC; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1916), p. xxxi; R. Polzin, Late Biblical Hebrew: Toward an Historical Typology ef Biblical Hebrew Prose (HSM 12; Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1976), pp. 27-75;A. Hurvitz, Transition Period in Biblical Hebrew: A Study in Post-Exilic Hebrew and its Implications for Dating of Psalms 0erusalem: Bialik Institute, 1972), pp. 15-16 (Hebrew); idem, "The Hebrew Language in the Persian Period," in H. Tadmor (ed.), The World History of the Jewish People: The Restoration - the Persian Period 0erusalem:Am Oved & Alexander Peli, 1983), pp. 210- 223, 306-309 esp. 214-215 (Hebrew);A. Rofe, Introduction to the Historical Literature of the Hebrew Bible 0erusalem: Carmel Publishing House, 2001), pp. 57-59 (Hebrew). 3 See Kalimi, Reshaping ef Ancient Israelite History, p. 253, (idem, Zur Geschichtsschrei bung des Chronisten, p. 218; idem, Historical Writing and Literary Devices, pp. 243-244).

41 tioned in the book. For example, 1 Chr 3, 19-24 concerns the descendants of David, who extend into the Persian period (see below), the list ofJerusalem's residents that comes from the time of Nehemiah (1 Chr 9,2-17 // Neh 11,3-19),4 and the decree of Cyrus the Great, King of Persia (538 BCE; 2 Chr 36,22-23).5 There are also some signs of anachronism from the Persian period. For instance, 1 Chr 29, 7 ascribes the Persian coin darics (minted not earlier than 515 BCE) to the Israelites' contributions in the building of the Temple at the late time of King David (end of 11 th to the first quarter of the 10th century BCE). 6 Controversial, however, is the question when within the Second Temple era was the book of Chronicles composed? Clear evidence concerning the date of composition and authorship is lacking in Chronicles, as is the case with many biblical books. Neither in the book itself nor in other biblical or extra-biblical sources is a definite indication revealed. 7 In the Beraita the Rabbis teach that the authors of Chronicles were Ezra the scribe and Nehemiah:

"Ezra wrote the book that bears his name and the genealogies of the book of Chronicles up to his own time.This confirms the opinion ofRab, since Rab Judah has said in the name of Rab: Ezra did not leave Babylon to go up [to the Land oflsrael] until he had written his own genealogy. Who then completed it [the book of Chronicles]? - Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah" (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Bathra 15a).

Some modern scholars, such as Keil and Kaulen in the nineteenth century, as well as Albright and Young in the twentieth, have adopted this viewpoint partially and have identified the Chronicler with Ezra.' This choice lacks

4 On this issue see in detail, below, chapter 4, pp. 90-92. 5 Concerning Cyrus' decree and its place in the book of Chronicles, see below, chapter 9, pp. 145-155. 6 This verse - as a part of the entire passage 1 Chr 29,1-19 - is not secondary as assumed by Mosis, Theologie des chronistischen Geschichtswerkes,pp.105-106 note 76 esp.106. See also, below, p. 45 note 16. 7 See, below in this chapter, sections II and III (pp. 54-59). 8 See Keil, The Books ef the Chronicles, p. 27 (on note 1, Keil mentions also other scholars, such as G.H.A. Ewald, E. Bertheau and C.F.A. Dillmann who hold the same opinion); Kaulen is cited by E. Konig, Einleitung in das Alte Testament mit Einschluss dt:r Apokryphen und der Pseudepigraphen A/ten Testaments (Bonn: E. Weber, 1893), p. 285. W.F. Albright, "The Date and Personality of the Chronicler;' ]BL 40 (1921), pp. 104-124 esp. 119-120; idem, "The Biblical Period," in L. Finkelstein (ed.), The Jews: Their History, Culture and Religion (3rd edn.; New York: Harper & Row, 1960), vol. 1, pp. 3-69 esp. 54-55; EJ. Young, An Introduction to the Old Testament (revised edition; London:Tyndale Press, 1964), p. 389. Accordingly, it is completely inaccurate to conclude as S. Japhet (I & II Chronicles: A Commentary [OTL; Louisville, KT: Westminster / John Knox Press, 1993], p. 24): "Among modern scholars, only Albright returned to the traditional view, again suggesting the identification of'the Chronicler' with Ezra".