Passover and Exile

1-2 Kings mentions Passover in only one passage, describing the Passover of Josiah (2 Kings 23:21-23). 1-2 Chronicles places more emphasis on Passover. Hezekiel celebrates a massive Passover (2 Chronicles 30), as well as Josiah (2 Chronicles 35). In both cases, Passover is mentioned only near the . . . . Continue Reading »

Uzziah the proud

According to 2 Chronicles 26, Uzziah was a powerful and successful king, but his power went to his head and he became proud. The Hebrew word behind “become proud” is gabah , related to gibeah , “high place.” Uzziah’s attempt to offer incense in the temple treated the . . . . Continue Reading »

Making David King

1 Chronicles 12 is a little book of numbers, listing leaders of each tribes and the numbers of “mighty men of valor” that accompany them.  They assemble with their “weapons” (vessels) to make David King (v. 22).  It is reminiscent not only of the census of Numbers . . . . Continue Reading »

Stirred spirits

Near the beginning of 1 Chronicles, Yahweh stirs up the spirit of Pul of Assyria to invade and conquer Israel (5:26). Near the end, He stirs up the spirit of Cyrus of Persia to issue a decree sending the exiles home (2 Chronicles 36:22). Israel’s intervening history is framed by those two . . . . Continue Reading »

Korah’s resurrection

1 Chronicles 6:31-38 traces the genealogy of Levite singers backwards from those appointed by David to Jacob. There are some interesting names along the way. Heman the singer’s grandpappy was Samuel son of Elkanah, whom you may remember from 1 Samuel. Further back, Samuel’s great, great . . . . Continue Reading »

Genealogies in Chronicles

Gary Knoppers argues in a JBL article that, contrary to accepted scholarship, the Chronicler shows the signs of influence of Greek historiography. I find this kind of article tedious and this kind of evidence unconvincing, but along the way Knoppers makes some useful comments about the organization . . . . Continue Reading »