In short
It’s about the covenant with David’s line of succession.
Why it is important
This is originally a single book, and Chronicles is traditionally the last book in the TaNaK, or Hebrew order to the Old Testament books.
My point in saying that is that it FEELS like the last book as well. It is a masterpiece of historical narrative telling not just facts, but THE story of the remnant of God’s faithful people.
Because of the content, scholars generally conclude that Chronicles was researched and compiled by a single person, long after most other Old Testament books were written. If you enjoy well-researched history (like Doris Kearns Goodwin or David McCullough), you would appreciate Chronicles.
Main characters
- David
- Solomon (David’s son)
- All the kings of Judah (which were all descendants of Solomon)
What is in this book
Three main sections:
- Genealogies (1Ch 1-9)
- David (1Ch 10-29) and Solomon (2Ch 1-9)
- Kings of Judah (2Ch 10-36)
The book ends with the footnote that Judah went into exile but did return home (with a nod to Ezra 1:1-3).
What is NOT in this book
- Kings of Israel – meaning the kings of the northern tribes that seceded. They may pop up incidentally in a story about Judah, but are not given primary focus.
- Much about Saul. He gets a mention, but not 20-odd chapters like 1 Samuel gives him.
- Bad things about David. Those stories are not included.
We tend to think of Chronicles as the unabridged version of Samuel and Kings. But there is a real art to the book that is generally unappreciated.
Theology and doctrine
God has a plan. He promised a messianic king from the line of David, and this book focuses on that hope.
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