The Book of Chronicles (Hebrew: דִּבְרֵי־הַיָּמִים Dīvrē-hayYāmīm) is a book in the Hebrew Bible, found as two books (1–2 Chronicles) in the Christian Old Testament. Chronicles is the final book of the Hebrew Bible, concluding the third section of the Jewish Tanakh, the Ketuvim ("Writings"). It contains a genealogy starting with Adam and a history of ancient Judah and Israel up to the Edict of Cyrus in 539 BC.
#1 - TITLE
The Hebrew title of the book is literally “the words of the days” or “the events of the monarchies” While the Hebrew title is characteristically taken from the first verse, here the title phrase is actually found in 1 Chronicles 27: 24.
The books are called “the things omitted” in the Greek Septuagint that is things passed over by the histories of Samuel and kings.
The English title “chronicles” is a shortened form of Jerome’s suggestion that the history be called “a chronicle of the whole divine history”
#2 - AUTHOURSHIP
The chronicles are an anonymous composition.
The stylistic and linguistic similarities with Ezra-Nehemiah have led many biblical scholars to conclude that a single “chronicler” was responsible for all four books. And Jewish tradition ascribes the book to Ezra, the scribe.
#3 - CONTENTS
The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles cover the same period of Jewish history described in 2 Samuel through 2 Kings, though from different perspective.
While the books of Kings relate the history of Israel from the standpoint of captivity in Babylon, chronicles presents the history of the Jews from the post-exilic standpoint of those who have returned from captivity to the land of promise.
The books of chronicles cover a wider space of time than any other work in scripture. The genealogies and narrative of 1 chronicles span the period from Adam to the end of the life of David. 2 chronicles recounts the downfall of the Davidic dynasty from Solomon to the exile.
#4 - MAJOR THEMES
The Chronicler’s vocabulary
The chronicler’s repeated use of standard expressions related to the attitude and intent of the heart of individual and corporate Israel indicate that he understood divine retribution as more than mere mechanical cause and effect concept of sowing and reaping.
First, the emphasis on repentance in chronicles reveals that the compiler knew the mercy of YHWH and his gracious capacity of turning from wrath in the face of genuine repentance by his people.
Second, the chronicler’s awareness of the need to balance “inner” and “outer” factors of true religion include his attention to rejoicing and serving god with pure heart.
#5 - OUTLINE
1 Chronicles
1 Chronicles 1-9: Genealogies of the tribes of Israel
1 Chronicles 10: Saul’s reign
1 Chronicles 11-29: David’s reign
2 Chronicles
2 Chronicles 1:1-9:31: Solomon’s reign
2 Chronicles 10:1-36:13: Kings of Judah
2 Chronicles 36:14-23: the captivity and Release