1 & 2 Chronicles
The first question a Bible reader might ask is, "Why the books of Chronicles if we already have the books of Samuel and Kings?" First, the Chronicler leaves out a few things (assuming they were already recorded in the books of Samuel and Kings): The adultery of David, the rape of Tamar, Absalom's revenge and rebellion, the rebellion of Sheba, avenging the Gibeonites, and Abishai's rescue of David are all left out. On the other hand, the Chronicler adds the genealogies leading to David, David’s preparation for the building of the Temple, and the organization of the Levites, priests, musicians and gatekeepers, and the repentance of Manasseh. The books of Samuel and Kings tells us of the rise and fall of Israel. The books of Chronicles looks at the same time period but emphasizes the preservation of the line of David and the importance of the Levitical priesthood. Jewish tradition says that Ezra was the author, and the uniform style of the books suggests there was one author. It as probably written around 400 B.C. While they cover the same time period, Chronicles never quotes Samuel or Kings, and it uses some other sources.
Simple Outline
1 Chronicles 1-9: History of David and the Priestly Institutions
1 Chronicles 10: The Death of Saul
1 Chronicles 11-29: The Reign of David
2 Chronicles 1-9: The Reign of Solomon
2 Chronicles 10-36: The Reigns of the Rest of the Kings
Chapter Summaries for First Chronicles
01) Genealogies of Adam to Abraham; Ishmael; Keturah; Esau. He then adds the genealogy of Seir, which are the Edomites who lived next to the descendants of Esau.
02) Genealogies: Israel (Jacob); Judah to the family of Jesse (including David); David was a descendent of Hezron, and the Chronicler uses the genealogy of Hezron to point to Bezalel, who helped design the tabernacle. The Jerahmeelites were closely related to the tribe of Judah. Caleb and his descendants are mentioned because they were the founders of Bethlehem.
03) David had six sons by six wives, four sons by Bathsheba, and nine other sons. He had other sons from concubines and a daughter Tamar. The descendants of Solomon are listed. They would become the kings of Judah, the last being Zedekiah. Jeconiah’s descendants are listed because Zerubbabel would help restore the temple with Ezra. The sons of Zerubbabel are listed, however both Matthew 1.13 and Luke 3.27 trace the line of David to Jesus through other sons of Zerubbabel not mentioned here.
04) The genealogies of Judah and Simeon. Jabez gave a special prayer to God to be kept from evil and that he would not cause pain.
05) The genealogies of Rueben, Gad, and Manasseh - The tribes on the east side of the Jordan (Transjordan).
06) The genealogy of Levi focusing on the line of Kohath, Amram, Aaron, Eleazar and Phinehas. Special mention is given to Azariah, who served in the temple that Solomon built. Special mention to Jehozadak, who went into captivity under Nebuchadnezzar. He lists those who served as musicians starting in the tabernacle. He lists the lands and cities that were given to the Levites scattered throughout the tribes of Israel.
07) The genealogies of Issachar & Benjamin remember they had many men of valor. The genealogy of Naphtali is the shortest. Genealogies for Dan and Zebulun are missing. Perhaps records were missing. The genealogies of Manasseh and Ephraim (sons of Joseph) are given. Manasseh’s is a little different because it emphasizes women descendants. Ephraim is important because this was the tribe of Joshua. The genealogies of Asher remembers men of valor.
08) Now the genealogy of Benjamin is given in expanded form including King Saul. When compared to the descendants of Benjamin in Genesis and Numbers, you can see that the Hebrew word for “son” frequently means grandson or an even more remote descendant. When Israel was divided, part of the tribe of Benjamin along with the tribe of Simeon joined with the tribe of Judah to form the southern kingdom.
09) The author lists the first Israelites who returned following the exile to Babylon. Most of them served in the Temple. He repeats the genealogy of Saul as he begins to give the history of the kings of Israel beginning with Saul in the next chapter.
10) The author recounts the death of Saul. Samuel said the Philistines fastened his body to a wall in Beth Shan. The chronicler says they mounted his head in the temple of Dagon. They may have done both. Only the chronicler points out that Saul died because he broke faith with the Lord and consulted a medium.
11) David was recognized as king of Israel. He took the city of Jebus, which became Jerusalem, with the help of Joab. “Millo” comes from the word “to fill,” and probably refers to an area that was filled in and leveled. The chronicler lists the mighty men of David beginning with Joab and his brother Abishai. All of them are remembered for their battles and number of enemies they killed.
12) The author continues to list the might men of David.
13) David attempted to bring the Ark up from Kiriath Jearim, but Uzzah touched it and was struck down. David left it with Obed Edom, a foreigner, yet God blessed him.
14) Hiram of Tyre began building David a house. The Philistines came after David. He defeated them and drove them back at Baal Perazim.
15) David built houses for himself and a tent for the ark in the City of David. Only the Levites were to handle the ark. The author lists the descendants of Aaron. David called for Zadok and Abiathar, the priests and the Levites to bring the ark to the tent. David appointed Levites to be singers and musicians. (J.S. Bach notes this verse in his Bible.) The author lists the musicians. The ark was moved from the house of Obed-Edom. David was clothed in white linen with an ephod. [Note: The ephod was a plaque that hung over the chest symbolizing the tribes of Israel. It was required for the high priest, but others, such as the boy Samuel, wore an ephod in much the same way that we might wear a cross today. David’s white linen and ephod are similar to a pastor’s alb and cross.]
16) The ark was placed in the tabernacle. Sacrifices were offered. Food was given to the people. David presented a psalm which included verses from Psalms 105, 96, and 106. It praises God for His covenant to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob to become a nation and, more importantly, to declare His glory among the nations. He is the only true God. All people should seek Him and praise Him. Even the sea, the fields and the woods rejoice before the Lord. He is the God of our salvation. David left the Levites to minister before the ark regularly.
17) David proposed to build a house for the Lord, but Nathan told him the Lord would build his house, that is, his kingdom. One of his sons would establish and eternal throne. The Chronicler does not mention Solomon’s sin as in 2 Samuel 7:14. David wondered why the Lord brought him so far.
18) David subdued the Philistines, the Moabites, the Syrians, and the Edomites. This extended Israel’s boarders to the farthest point in history. Some of the bounty was used to build the temple.
19) The Chronicler omits the Bathsheba affair (2 Sam 11-12). David sent comforters to Ammon when their king died. But they humiliated them thinking they were spies. Amon hired help from Syria. David defeated both in battle.
20) David subdued Rabbah and the Ammonites. David’s men killed the giants of Philisitia, who were related to Goliath.
21) Samuel 24.1 says that the Lord incited David. The Lord must have allowed Satan to incite David. The numbers were a little different between Chronicles and Samuel, but so was the method of counting. Joab did not count Levi (Tabernacle workers) or Benjamin (custodian of the Tabernacle at Gibeon). David is offered three forms of punishment: Three years famine, three months defeat by enemies; three days of plague. He chose the latter because it was in God’s hands. As the plague began, David prayed that the punishment would fall on him and his house. The Lord relented, and commanded him to build and altar on Ornan’s threshing floor. The image of the Lord with a drawn sword over Jerusalem reminds us of Abraham’s drown knife over Isaac in the land of Moriah. The Chronicler will identify the future site of the temple as Mt. Moriah and Oran’s threshing floor (2 Chronicles 3.1).
22) David gathered the aliens to build the house of God. He prepared the materials. He charged Solomon to build it because he had been a man of war, but Solomon would be a man of rest. God promised that his throne would be eternal. David prayed that Solomon would have wisdom and understanding. He urged the leaders of Israel to seek the Lord.
23) Chapters 23-27 focus on David’s preparation for the building of the temple. They include lists of personnel and officials. When David was old, he made Solomon king. He gathered the leaders of Israel with the priests and Levites. He counted them and recognized their families. The sons of Moses were of the tribe of Levi. David appears as a successor to Moses as he organized the Levites.
24) David divided the sons of Aaron into twenty four groups so they could serve in the Tabernacle two weeks per year (lunar calendar of 48 weeks).
25) David selected twenty four divisions of twelve each to “prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals.” Both students and teachers were instructed in the songs of the LORD.
26) The chronicler lists the gatekeepers. Also called “doorkeepers,” I think these were men who watched over the coming and going and probably maintained/cleaned the tabernacle/Temple. David said he would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psalm 84.10). He also lists the Levites in charge of the treasuries.
27) The chronicler lists the twelve captains of the army which served once a month each year. He lists the tribal leaders. He mentions the census ordered by David, and that it was not completed (1 Chr 21.6) . He lists twelve additional administrators.
28) David called the future temple “the footstool of God.” He gave the plans of the temple, which God revealed to him, to Solomon with encouragement. He must seek God’s commandments and not be afraid until he has finished the world of building.
29) David and the people willingly gave gold, silver, bronze, etc. for the building of the temple. He acknowledged that all these things really came from God. David prayed that the people might always have faith. Solomon was anointed king again. He had been anointed earlier when Adonijah attempted a coup. David had reigned for forty years.
Chapter Summaries for Second Chronicles
01) Solomon went to Gibeon, to the tabernacle, and prayed before the bronze altar. (David had taken the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.) God was pleased that he asked for wisdom and not for riches, honor, and the death of his enemies. God gave him wisdom and riches and honor.
02) Solomon took a census and found 153,000 resident aliens. He assigned them to the building of the temple. He traded grain, oil, and wine with Hiram of Tyre for timber. Solomon stressed that God cannot be contained in a building. The building is a place for His people to worship Him.
03) The Temple was built where the LORD had appeared to David, the threshing floor of Ornan, which was also Mt. Moriah. The chronicler describes the Temple as though one were entering the front and passing through to the Holy of Holies. Details of 1 Kings 6 are omitted.
04) Solomon made the altar, bath, lamp stands, and tables for the Temple.
05) Solomon brought up the Ark of the Covenant, and put it in the Holy of Holies. This was the feast of the seventh month, which would have been Tabernacles. Solomon described the singers and musicians singing, “For He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” At this point the Temple was filled with the glory of the LORD.
06) Solomon emphasized that the LORD chose Jerusalem for the temple and the son of David to build it. As in 1 Kings 8, Solomon describes several ways in which the people of Israel will worship in the temple with repentance, for forgiveness, resulting in God’s blessings.
07) After the prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice. The glory of the LORD was so intense the priests could not enter the temple. Again, they said, “For He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” After Solomon finished the king’s house, which took another thirteen years, God appeared a second time to Solomon and reinforced the importance of obeying God’s commands and repenting when they sinned. He also promised to uproot them from the land if they worshiped other gods.
08) Solomon built cities with forced labor from the previous inhabitants. He brought the daughter of Pharaoh. He completed the house of the LORD. He went to the seacoast at Ezion Geber, and using Hiram’s ships, his servants travelled to Ophir to get gold.
09) The Queen of Sheba came to see Solomon, and she was amazed at his wisdom and accomplishments. He built a large throne and four thousands stalls for horses. He made silver common and cedar trees abundant. He reigned for forty years and died. Rehoboam, his son, reigned in his place.
10) Rehoboam went to Shechem, and the people of Israel and Jeroboam (a former servant of Solomon who had rebelled) asked that they might be relieved of some of Solomon’s “heavy yoke.” Rehoboam refused, and the civil war between the ten tribes to the north against the two to the south (Judah & Benjamin) began.
11) God prevented Rehoboam from attacking Jeroboam because God had caused the division (see 1 Kings 12). Jeroboam rejected the Levites, so they came to Judah along with others who disapproved of Jeroboam’s false religion. Rehoboam took wives and concubines, and he had twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
12) Rehoboam forsook the law. Shishak, king of Egypt, came and took away the treasures of the temple. Rehoboam humbled himself, and the LORD did not destroy Judah. Rehoboam reigned seventeen years, and he fought with Jeroboam his whole life.
13) Abijah began to rule in Judah. Jeroboam tried to ambush him, but he was defeated. 500,00 men of Israel died. The LORD struck Jeroboam, and he died.
14) Asa, the son of Abijah, ruled for ten quiet years after Abijah died. He removed the foreign gods and commanded Judah to worship the LORD. He had an army of 580,000. Zerah, the Ethiopian, came against him with a million men. Asa cried to the LORD and struck him.
15) Azariah warns Asa that if he forsakes the LORD, the LORD will forsake him. Israelites from other tribes joined Asa. They made an oath to seek the LORD with all their heart and to put to death all who would not. The high places were not removed from Israel.
16) Asa made a treaty with Syria to get Israel off his back. He became diseased in his feet and sought the physicians but not the LORD. He died as was buried in the City of David.
17) Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, reigns in Judah after his father. He sought the LORD and not the Baals. He sent teachers of the Law to the cities of Judah. The chronicler gives more attention to Jehoshaphat than we find in Kings.
18) Jehoshaphat made an alliance with King Ahab of Israel to go against the Assyrians. Four hundred prophets encouraged them. Micaiah said they would be destroyed. Ahab told Jehoshaphat to wear his royal robes into battle while he disguised himself. Despite the Assyrians chasing Jehoshaphat, God spared him. But an arrow shot at random killed Ahab.
19) Jehu scolded Jehoshaphat for his alliance with Ahab, but he recognized the good in him. Jehoshaphat went out among the people “and brought them back to the LORD God of their fathers.” He appointed judges with integrity to judge not for man but for the LORD.
From ESV Study Bible: “Jehoshaphat is thus a mixture of good and bad qualities, with a preponderance of good.”
20) The people of Ammon and Moab came up against Judah. But the people of Mount Seir came, and they all destroyed each other. Jehoshaphat took the spoils. Jehoshaphat made an alliance with Ahaziah, king of Israel, for which the LORD destroyed the ships of Israel.
21) Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, began to rule in Judah. He killed his brothers and other princes. He was married to the daughter of Ahab, and he practiced the sins of Ahab. Elijah sent a letter warning him. Philistines and Ethiopians carried away his possessions and family (save his youngest son). He also died of painful intestinal disease.
22) This chapter can be confusing. Ahaziah, son of Jehoram of Judah, reigned next in Judah. His mother, Athaliah, granddaughter of Omri, encouraged wickedness. Ahaziah went to war against Syria with Jehoram (also spelled Joram), son of Ahab and king of Israel. (Note: There were two Jehorams. Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat of Judah and Jehoram, son of Ahab of Israel, also spelled Joram.) Jerhoram, son of Ahab, was wounded. Ahaziah went to visit him.
Jehu, the commander of Jehoram, son of Ahab, was anointed by the LORD to destroy the house of Ahab. As Jehu was wiping out the house of Ahab, he also destroyed the house of Ahaziah of Judah.
Athaliah, mother of Ahaziah, reigned in his place. She killed all the royal heirs of Judah except Joash, one son of Ahaziah, who had been hidden in the house of God.
23) Jehoiada is called the “chief priest” in 24.6. He helped restore the throne of David. He lived 130 years (24.15). He had helped hide Joash with his wife Jehoshabeath and arranged for his anointing as king. They killed Athaliah. Jehoiada , the people, and the king made a covenant “that they should be the LORD’s people.”
24) Joash repaired the house of the LORD. But when Jehoiada died, leaders from Judah came to him, and he began to worship idols. Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada tried to dissuade them, but Joash ordered him to be stoned in the house of the LORD. A smaller army of the Syrians came, and the LORD delivered Israel to them. Joash was wounded. Then his own servants killed him.
25) This chapter is a little confusing. Amaziah reigned in the place of his father Joash. He executed the servants who killed his father. He hired 100K men from Israel. A man of God told him to let them go. They became angry. They raided the cities of Judah and Samaria. Amaziah began to worship the idols of Seir. God sent another prophet which Amaziah rejected. Amaziah picked a fight with Joash of Israel (another “Joash,” not Joash of Judah). Joash warned him not to do this. Israel defeated Judah at Beth Shemesh. He broke down part of the walls of Jerusalem and took gold and silver. Amaziah lived 15 years after the death of Joash of Israel. Amaziah turned from following the LORD. He was killed at Lachish.
26) Uzziah, son of Amaziah, became king of Judah at age 16. As long as he sought the LORD, he prospered. The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah. When his heart as lifted up, he burned incense on the altar of incense. Azariah, the chief priest, rebuked him. Leprosy broke out on his forehead, and they thrust him out, and he hurried to get out. He was a leper until his death and lived in isolation. Jotham, his son, reigned in his place.
27) Jotham did what was right, but the people acted corruptly. He fought the Ammonites, defeated them, and they brought him tribute. He reigned sixteen years, and Ahaz, his son, reigned in his place.
28) Ahaz burned his children in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom. The LORD delivered him into the hand of Syria and Israel. Israel took 200K of Judah. But the prophet Oded told them to let them return. Ahaz sought help from Assyria, gave them treasures, but they did not help. When he died, they did not bury him with the kings of Israel. Hezekiah, his son, reigned in his place.
29) Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. He cleansed the temple and restarted worship with sin offerings and thank offerings. All the assembly worshiped with singers and instrumentalists.
30) Hezekiah’s Passover celebration is not mentioned in 2 Kings. It was a little irregular because it was delayed a month due to the lack of consecrated priests. He sent letters via runners to Israel to celebrate the Passover. Some of them mocked the runners. They lacked priests who were cleansed. Many of the people were not cleansed, but H. prayed for them since they were seeking the LORD, and the LORD “healed the people.” There was great joy and celebration.
31) After the Passover celebration, the people went back home and tore down all the images of false worship. Hezekiah reestablished the priests and Levites so they could carry out the temple sacrifices. He gave from his own treasure for this and established the tithe (10%) from the people to support this ministry. Levites were appointed to oversee the distribution of these gifts to the priests and Levites. The Chronicler points out that Hezekiah prospered as he supported the service of the house of God and sought God with all his heart.
32) Sennacherib, king of Assyria invaded Judah. Hezekiah made defensive preparations. Sennacherib tried to persuade Jerusalem not to follow Hezekiah or the LORD. Hezekiah prayed, and an angel cut down the army of Sennacherib. Hezekiah became sick, and prayed. (In 2 Kgs 20.1-19 God gave the sign of the movement of the shadow.) God delivered him. Hezekiah died a prosperous man.
33) Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, began to reign at twelve years of age. He did evil returning to the worship of Baal and sacrificing his sons. Judah did more evil than the nations before them. Manasseh was captured and taken to Babylon. He repented and tried to return Judah to the LORD. But the people continued in their idolatry. Amon, Manasseh’s son reigned two years. He continued in the evil of his father and was killed by his servants.
34) Josiah, son of Amon, became king at the age of eight and did what was right. He purged Judah of idolatry. He burned the bones of the Baal priests on their altars. While repairing the temple, they found the Book of the Law (perhaps just Deuteronomy). Josiah inquired of the LORD. Hulda, the prophetess, said the curses in the book would come, but not in Josiah’s day. Josiah gathered all the people and read the Book of the Covenant. He made a covenant to keep the words of the book.
35) Josiah called for the celebration of the Passover. He returned the ark to the temple. It may have been removed by Manasseh or Amon. It was a great Passover and included all of Judah and Israel. Necho, king of Egypt went to war with Babylon. Apparently Josiah decided to help Babylon by confronting Necho. The chronicler tells us that Necho’s warning not to do this were the words of the LORD. Josiah was killed in the Valley of Megiddo.
36) Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, became king in Jerusalem. He reigned three months when Necho took him to Egypt and made his brother Eliakim king. He changed his name to Jehoiakim. He did evil, and Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, captured him. Jehoiachin, his son, reigned in his place. He was eight years old and reigned three months. He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and Nebuchadnezzar took him to Babylon and made Zedekiah, Jehoiakim’s brother, king. He reigned eleven years and did evil. He would not listen to the prophets. He was carried away to Babylon, and Jerusalem was destroyed. The land was desolate for seventy years until the LORD stirred Cyrus, king of Persia, to rebuild the temple.