13. BIBLICAL EPIC: 1 Chronicles Notes rown 1 Chron 1-9: 1 Adam, Seth, Noah, Shem, Eber, Abraham; Abraham's sons were Isaac and Ishmael; Isaac's sons were Esau and Israel. Kings ruled in Edom. 2 Judah's line led to Obed, Jesse and David. Caleb was son of Hezron; Jerahmeel was firstborn of Hezron. Caleb's line were the Kenites. 3 David had 6 sons at Hebron, 4 by Bathshua and 9 others. Solomon's line led to Jeconiah, and then to Elioenai. 4 Reaiah's sons were the Zorathites; God blessed Jabez; Shelah's sons worked for the king. Simeon's line went to Gedor to seek pasture. 5 Reuben lost his birthright; his sons lived in Gilead. The sons of Gad and Manasseh lived in Bashan until the captivity. 6 Levi's sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari. The musicians were Heman and Asaph. Aaron's sons made offerings and were given cities. 7 Issachar's sons were 87,000. Benjamin's sons were Bela, Beker and Jediael. Ephraim's line led to Joshua. Asher's sons were 26,000. 8 Benjamin fathered Bela, Ashbel, Aharah, Nohah and Rapha; Ner's line was Kish, Saul, Jonathan; Ulam’s sons were mighty men. 9 Jerusalem was resettled by Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh; there were priests and Levite gatekeepers. Kish fathered Saul. While anonymous, Jewish tradition assigns 1-2 Chronicles to Ezra in the 5th century BC. It was written after a remnant of Israel had returned from exile in Babylon. Although they had hoped to enter a time of blessing in anticipation of the Messiah, they were quickly disappointed. Chronicles was written to encourage them and to assure them that God’s purposes will never fail. It covers the whole history of Israel, focusing on the time from David’s reign to the return from exile. 1 Chronicles moves from Adam to David, largely covering the same ground as 1-2 Samuel. 2 Chronicles begins with Solomon and covers the same historical period as 1-2 Kings, though focusing exclusively on the southern kingdom of Judah. The central theme of Chronicles is the significance of the Davidic covenant as the enduring basis of Israel’s life and hope, seen in both the monarchy and temple worship. The fulfillment of this hope comes when Jesus, the Son of David, establishes His eternal reign, having fulfilled all that the temple worship pointed toward. We could summarize the book in this way: “Restore the people, raise up the king and renew the temple; then God will pour out His blessings.” • 1:1-9:44. A Genealogical Presentation of the Tribes of Israel. The genealogies of chapters 1-9 are intended to show the Chronicler’s own generation, now existing as a small province in the Persian Empire, that they are still God’s people Israel and retain their central place in God’s purposes for humanity. The identity and legitimacy of this people are traced in a line beginning with Adam (1:1) and extending through the tribes of Israel (chs. 2-8) down to the community of Judean exiles restored from captivity in Babylon (9:2-34). This community is depicted not as the sum total of the people but as the representative nucleus or focus to which “all Israel” may join in God’s work of restoration. The tribal genealogies have been carefully structured to show how the Chronicler conceived of Israel: From Adam to the Sons of Israel (1:1-2:2). This first genealogy largely summarizes the genealogies of the book of Genesis, from Adam, the first human (and first king), to the descendants of Esau. In between, the Chronicler provides snippets of ethnic and historical information that work to ultimately place Jacob/Israel in the midst of the nations. The line of descent culminates in the sons of Israel, the subject of the following genealogies. Judah (2:3-4:23). The Chronicler treats the tribe of Judah first and most extensively. This literary and theological preeminence of Judah relates to the Chronicler’s attention to the Davidic monarchy that shapes his presentation of Israel’s past history and future hope. The genealogy is shaped as an inclusio with David at the center. Simeon (4:24–43). The tribe of Simeon is considered next because its allotted territory lay within Judah’s borders. Over the course of time, Simeon was subsumed into Judah and ceased to be a distinct tribal entity. The Transjordanian Tribes (5:1-26). The Chronicler now turns his attention to the Transjordan tribes of Reuben, Gad, and (half of) Manasseh. Though by this time they had largely lost their own identities as a consequence of the Assyrian invasions, they are still included as part of the author’s conception of “all Israel” (9:1). Levi (6:1-81). The length of Levi’s genealogy is second only to Judah’s and stands at the center of the section. God chose the tribe of Levi to mediate matters of sacrifice and worship and to teach His ways to His people. The Northern Tribes (7:1–40). Here the Chronicler provides genealogical snippets of the tribes that would become part of the northern kingdom. Even though their lands were lost, they remain a part of “all Israel.” Benjamin (8:1–40). Though some of Benjamin has already been considered (7:6-12), the Chronicler’s treatment of Benjamin concludes with the family line that culminated in and proceeded from Saul (vv. 33-39). The Resettlement of Jerusalem (9:1-34). The extension of the genealogy beyond the time of the exile shows that God’s promises are still in effect. Mention of key tribal units from both sides of the long-divided Israelite kingdom reinforces the message of unity and covenantal hope. Thus, while the survey reviews the past, it also works to produce hope in God at the present because of the covenantal possibilities for the future. The Genealogy of Saul (9:35-44). The genealogy of Saul is repeated to set up the account of his reign (ch. 10). 1 Chron 10: The Philistines fought Israel and Saul fell on his sword. The Israelites fled. Saul died for his unfaithfulness against the LORD. • 10:1-14. The Death of Saul and His Sons. The material in this section is taken mainly from 1 Sam 31:1-13. Saul’s reign is significant for the Chronicler only as a failure. It ends in disaster for Israel at the hands of the Philistines (v. 7), against whom Saul had originally been raised up as a military savior (1 Sam 9:16). Saul’s death, together with three of his sons, also marks the end of his royal house (v. 6): none of his descendants recorded in 8:33-40 will rule in his place over Israel. Saul’s humiliation after his death in the temple of Dagon contrasts with the triumph of the ark over Dagon in 1 Sam 5:1-4. While at one level, Saul killed himself (contradicting the claim of the Amalekite in 2 Sam 1:6-10), at the theological level, “the LORD put him to death” (v. 14) for his “breach of faith” (v. 13). Saul’s reign shows the high cost of covenantal unfaithfulness, described as not keeping the word of the LORD (v. 13). The main point of this chapter comes at the very end when the LORD “turned the kingdom over to David.” 1 Chron 11: The elders anointed David king. David's mighty men included the three who brought him water from Bethlehem. Abishai led the thirty. • 11:1-3. David Anointed King. After quickly dismissing the reign of Saul, the Chronicler begins his extended coverage of the reign of David (11:1-29:30), usually dated from 1010 to 970 BC. The account begins with David’s inauguration by “all Israel” (v. 1), bypassing the war with Ishbosheth and David’s seven-year reign in Hebron as king of Judah (2 Sam 2-4). The imagery of David as “shepherd” (v. 2) over Israel reflects the king’s role of protecting the flock (God’s people) and leading them in righteousness (Deut 17:14-20; cf. Ezek 34; John 10:1-18). • 11:4-9. David Takes Jerusalem. The conquest of Jerusalem (the last Canaanite stronghold) by “David and all Israel” (v. 4) is presented as the first act of his reign, providing him with a capital and stronghold, and the tribes with a focus of national unity. Jerusalem was geographically central to the 12 tribes as well as politically neutral. These factors minimized potential tribal jealousies, promoted national unity, and demonstrated God’s blessing upon David. With an eye to his own postexilic community, the Chronicler presents Jerusalem as the possession not just of Judah, but of “all Israel,” from the beginning. The Chronicler also emphasizes the theological reality that David’s military and political successes were an outworking of God’s blessing upon His chosen king (v. 9). • 11:10-47. David’s Mighty Men. This material is also found in 2 Sam 23:8-39, with additional material in vv. 41b-47. These details of David’s mighty men illustrate the kind of support David received both at the beginning and at later periods of his reign. Such support is not simply of human origin but is divinely ordained (v. 10). The account emphasizes that the faith of God’s people should rest in their powerful God, not in powerful men. The account covers both individual exploits and victories of larger armies.