Chronicles, First and Second
Chronicles – Bible Overview
Meaning of Name: Journals or Records
Date of Events: c. 1000 - 586 B.C.
Theme:
1. To remember, explain, confess
2. Covenant/Deuteronomic history
Subthemes:
1. Divine control, miraculous intervention, hope in remembering
2. Centrality of the temple
3. Historical importance of David
Outline: (Defined by the Reigns of Kings)
1. Genealogy, 1 Chronicles 1-9
2. Reign of David, 1 Chronicles 10-29
3. Reign of Solomon, 2 Chronicles 1-9
4. Kings of Judah, then Exile, 2 Chronicles 10-36
Memorable Chapters
1 Chronicles 17, God’s covenant with David
2 Chronicles 1, Solomon’s prayer for wisdom
2 Chronicles 2-6, Solomon builds, furnishes, and dedicates the temple
2 Chronicles 7, God’s covenant with Solomon
2 Chronicles 9, The Queen of Sheba’s visit with Solomon
2 Chronicles 18, Ahab’s false prophets
2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat’s prayer and miraculous deliverance
2 Chronicles 29, Hezekiah’s reforms
2 Chronicles 32, Hezekiah’s deliverance, miraculous healing, and indiscretion
2 Chronicles 34, Josiah’s reforms and finding the book
2 Chronicles 36, Judah’s fall, captivity, and decree of restoration
Key Verses
1 Chronicles 4:10, the prayer of Jabez
1 Chronicles 6:10, served as priest in Solomon’s temple
1 Chronicles 10:14, Saul died for his transgression
1 Chronicles 12:32, men who understood the times
1 Chronicles 28:20, David’s commission to Solomon
2 Chronicles 7:14, the remedy for national sin
2 Chronicles 20:15-17, the battle is not yours, but God’s
2 Chronicles 20:20, the importance of believing God and God’s prophets
2 Chronicles 32:7-8, Hezekiah speaks courage and the people trust
Key Words
*Priests: Zadok and Abiathar (1 Chron 15:11), Benaiah and Jahaziel (1 Chron 16:16), Zadok and Abimelech (1 Chron 18:16), Eleazar and Ithamar (1 Chron 24:2), Zadok and Ahimelech (1 Chron 24:31), Jehoiada (2 Chron 22:11), Azariah (2 Chron 26:20), Hilkiah (2 Chron 34:9).
*Slept: They all slept with their fathers at they end of their lives, first Solomon in 2 Chronicles 9:31.
Key Numbers
2 Chronicles 9:13 (also in 1 Kings 10:14), 666
Quotes and Echoes
*Chronicles starts with the ascendancy of David and re-tells the stories from that point, covering the time of 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings
*Solomon’s books written during his reign: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
*Other Old Testament books written during the time of the kings: Joel, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Lamentations
*Matthew 6:29; Luke 12:27, Solomon in all his glory
*Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31, One greater than Solomon is here
*Acts 7:44-47, David hunted for, and Solomon built, a house for God
*Hebrews 11:13 (compare 1 Chronicles 29:15), we are strangers, sojourners here
Other Books Mentioned
*1 Chronicles 29:29, Book of Samuel the Seer, Book of Nathan the Prophet, book of Gad the Seer
*2 Chronicles 9:29, Book of Nathan the prophet, Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, Visions of Iddo the Seer
Questions
1. In your imagination, what are the counterparts today to the temple and the priests?
2. What does the book of Chronicles tell you about God? And about you?
Copyright 2017 Wilma J. Zalabak