Introduction to the First Book of Chronicles

We have worked our way through Job, a complex and possibly disturbing book. It is a philosophical and theological treatise on the role of God among His created humans, on justice, pain and evil. Now we will return to the history of Israel, looking at 1 Chonicles. 

Purpose

1 Chronicles repeats, in its own way, much of the material in 1 and 2 Samuel. But it has a different agenda. At times, to the modern reader, the author of the scroll of Chronicles (now 1 and 2 Chronicles) is obsessed with genealogies and temple rules. The author is writing to Jews returning from Babylon, preparing them for the Second Temple period, for a rebirth of the temple worship and the sacrificial system. As John Walton argues, Old Testament material like this is "written for us but not written to us."

(I note in passing thst John Walton, Old Testament scholar, was a professor at Moody Bible Institute for 20 years. I attended Moody for one year, when I was eighteen.  Walton is only two years older than me so obviously my student year was before his time teaching there.) 

As the culture of the ancient Near East is very important for an understanding of the Old Testament, I have taken to abbreviating "ancient Near East" as ANE.

The author of the scroll of Chronicles is not given to us but tradition has it that it is the same person as the author of the scroll of Ezra-Nehemiah. Indeed, one commentator identifies the author as Ezra. Certainly the style and philosophy of Chronicles is very similar to that of Ezra-Nehemiah. I will merely call the author of 1 and 2 Chronicles "the Chronicler."

Outline

The first nine chapters are genealogies that take us from Adam through David on to the return from Babylon. It is important, in reading those genealogies, that the Chronicler, the author of 1 and 2 Chronicles, does skip generations, as he lists the most important people in the lines. (It is worth repeating that the Hebrew phrases "son of" or "father of" allow generations to be skipped and so may be interpreted as "descendant of" or "ancestor of." Also, many of the ancient Hebrew texts differ slightly on the spelling of some of the lesser known people.)

By the end of chapter 9, the Chronicler has gotten us to Saul, the first king of Israel. Chapter 10 covers the death of Saul and the remaining 19 chapters of the book cover the reign of David. Throughout the reign of David, the Chronicler only covers David's successes, with one exception. The goal of that material is not to paint over David's failures but to set up the character of a true king.  The Chronicler refers to other historical documents, some now lost, but surely these included the scrolls of Samuel and Kings, where David's humanity and failure are on full display. Only one failure of David is mentioned, and that is his ill-planned census of Israel. That failure of David's is described because it explains the eventual location of the temple and recalls YHWH's instructions to build the temple in Jerusalem. Explaining the history of the temple and recalling the laws for worship is a significant agenda for the author. This emphasis distinguishes this book from the other scrolls of Jewish history. A comparison of 1 Chronicles with 1 and 2 Samuel makes it clear that any episode related to temple worship will appear in 1 Chronicles; it may or may not appear in the scroll of Samuel. (This difference continues into 2 Chronicles where the history of the northern kingdom is ignored, as it has little to do with worship in Jerusalem.)

The best overview of the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles is this short video by The Bible Project. Their videos are always excellent.

Resources and References

My practice is to read through the text from the New International Version (NIV), copied into the blog and italicized in blue.  The text is the focus of our study and so it is highlighted, broken into paragraphs. At the head of each blue paragraph of text I place a short title; after the text I place my thoughts or comments in black.  I begin this process with my own reactions and thoughts and then supplement these comments with gleanings from a commentary or two.

The real goal of this blog is to force myself and others to read every verse thoughtfully. I do hope that you, too, read the passages thoughtfully! Feel free to disagree -- or to react in other ways! (I place hyperlinks in pink, created so that one can click on a link and see the linked site open in another window... and go down a rabbit hole if you wish!)

For the study of 1 Chronicles, I have relied mainly on one commentary, the commentary by J. Barton Payne in volume 4 of The Expositor's Bible Commentary, published by Zondervan.

There are other resources online. 

1. There are online commentaries provided by EasyEnglishBible, a charity based in the United Kingdom. They have one online commentary on I Chronicles: God Rules History, by Ian Mackervoy
2. The Gospel Coalition has an online commentary here.

We begin the scroll of Chronicles tomorrow. It will be followed by the scroll of Ezra-Nehemiah.

Job 42, Resolution

YHWH has appeared and reacted to Job's questions and challenges. 

Job 42: 1-6, I spoke of things I did not understand

Then Job replied to the LORD:

"I know that you can do all things; 

no plan of yours can be thwarted.

[You asked,] `Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?'

  Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, 

things too wonderful for me to know.

["You said,] `Listen now, and I will speak;

I will question you, and you shall answer me.’

My ears had heard of you 

but now my eyes have seen you.

Therefore I despise myself 

and repent in dust and ashes."

Job responds to YHWH's mighty presence by admitting that God's knowledge, power and justice are far beyond him. He has no reply to God's presence.

This is, essentially, the first half of the answer to the question of the book of Job. Why do the good suffer? Because... YHWH has a plan and He has no need to share it with us. This is very unsettling. As a friend of mine once said, "What is God's answer to Job's questions? It is 'I am God.'" Like the name YHWH, God is the great I AM -- He Is, and we do not understand. (As a mere human, I feel that this is a long book for such an unsatisfactory answer!)

Job 42: 7-8, Correction and forgiveness for the three companions.

After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, 

"I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."

There is no accusation that Job has sinned. Indeed, God calls Job, his "servant" (ebed) and appears pleased with Job; indeed Job seems to have acted as God expected of His servant. Yes, Job has demanded answers and, for a long time, not received them, but his claims of innocence are not contested by God.  

The companions, on the other hand, have misrepresented God. Job will be allowed to make sacrifices for them. (This action is suggested earlier by Eliphaz in Job 22: 29-30.) This passage makes it clear that the advice of Job's friends was, at best, incomplete.

Job 42: 9, Repentance accepted

So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the LORD told them; and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.

Job's friends repent and are forgiven. (Nothing is said of Elihu. Has he disappeared? Nothing is said of Job's physical healing -- it is implied?)

Job 42: 10-11, Prosperity doubled

After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

And here is the second half of the answer to the book of Job -- although it took some time, much longer than a human might wish -- God did intend to eventually comfort and reward him. The rewards begin with Job's healing (implied) and gifts from friends and family. 

Nothing is said here of The Accuser; indeed the family members console Job over "all the trouble YHWH had brought upon him". As we saw in the first two chapters, Job's suffering was caused by YHWH allowing The Accuser to attack Job.

Job 42: 12-15,Wealth and family

The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.

 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. 

Job's children are replaced. Three daughters are named. Hartley (p. 543) says that the daughters' names mean, respectively, "turtle-dove", "a prized variety of cinnamon" and ""black rouge to highlight the eyes." The author mentions that (contrary to the ANE customs) the daughters also received an inheritance!

Job 42: 16-17, Full life

After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years. 

Job eventually lives 140 years (twice the classic 70 years) and gets to see his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He dies "old and full of years", the epitaph given to God's servants (eg. Genesis 25: 8.) The rewards and blessings given to Job are all described as physical gifts, part of his long life. Like much of the Old Testament, nothing is said of rewards (or punishments) after death. 

Conclusion

In the first two chapters of the book of Job, we see that YHWH allows Job to suffer, so as to make a point to The Accuser. Even with this heavenly insight, that reason must be only a partial explanation for Job's suffering. Just as the human companions argue that God has no need to respond to human questions (Job 22: 2) it should be clear that God need not answer the challenges of the supernatural beings He has created. Ultimately, the reader is left with the understanding that sometimes God allows human suffering because He has plans that He does not reveal. He is God. Period.

Eventually God's concern and imtimacy with Job lead to blessings and purpose. So God keeps in mind His servants, albeit on His timing, not theirs. (The author the New Testament book of Hebrews speaks to this in Hebrews 11.)

Job 41, Leviathan

God has described various aspects of His creation, powerful and beyond control. Job (with his companions) is challenged to demonstrate his ability to animate and restrain these creatures. The last creature described is the massive behemoth. In this chapter we are introduced to an impressive creature, named in Hebrew "Leviathan."

Job 41: 1-6, Leviathan

"Can you pull in the leviathan with a fishhook 

or tie down his tongue with a rope?

Can you put a cord through his nose 

or pierce his jaw with a hook?

Will he keep begging you for mercy? 

Will he speak to you with gentle words?

Will he make an agreement with you 

for you to take him as your slave for life?

Can you make a pet of him like a bird 

or put him on a leash for your girls?

Will traders barter for him?

 Will they divide him up among the merchants?

Leviathan answers to no one. If you go after leviathan, it will not be leviathan that begs for mercy! There is humor (verse 5) in the suggestion that leviathan might be treated as a pet bird or put on a leash to frolic with Job's daughters! In Psalm 104: 26, it mighty leviathan who frolics in the seas.

Job 41: 7-11, Leviathan is not one you can subdue!

Can you fill his hide with harpoons 

or his head with fishing spears?

If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the struggle 

and never do it again!

Any hope of subduing him is false; 

the mere sight of him is overpowering.

No one is fierce enough to rouse him. 

Who then is able to stand against me?

Who has a claim against me that I must pay?

Everything under heaven belongs to me.

Leviathan seems impervious to spears and harpoons. Reach out a hand out to him and see what happens! Year ago. at an exhibit outside Darwin, Australia, I had an opportunity to see saltwater crocodiles in action. These are mighty, horrifying beasts, quick and powerful, eager to snap and pull you under. The description in this chapter, including the verses that follow, certainly seem to fit that creature.

Job 41: 12-17, Such strength and grace!

"I will not fail to speak of his limbs, 

his strength and his graceful form.

Who can strip off his outer coat? 

Who would approach him with a bridle?

Who dares open the doors of his mouth, 

ringed about with his fearsome teeth?

His back has rows of shields tightly sealed together;

each is so close to the next that no air can pass between.

They are joined fast to one another; 

they cling together and cannot be parted.

Leviathan has a large long snout with fearsome teeth and a back of scales like chainmail. 

Job 41: 18-22, Eyes like red dawn

His snorting throws out flashes of light; 

his eyes are like the rays of dawn.

Firebrands stream from his mouth; 

sparks of fire shoot out.

Smoke pours from his nostrils 

as from a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.

His breath sets coals ablaze, 

and flames dart from his mouth.

Strength resides in his neck; 

dismay goes before him.

The saltwater crocodile in action would certainly suggest these dramatic images.  Is Leviathan an earthly creature, described here in beautiful poetry? Or is this an image of a mythical or supernature creature.

Job 41: 23-32

 The folds of his flesh are tightly joined; 

they are firm and immovable.

His chest is hard as rock, 

hard as a lower millstone.

When he rises up, the mighty are terrified; 

they retreat before his thrashing.

The sword that reaches him has no effect, 

nor does the spear or the dart or the javelin.

Iron he treats like straw 

and bronze like rotten wood.

Arrows do not make him flee; 

slingstones are like chaff to him.

A club seems to him but a piece of straw; 

he laughs at the rattling of the lance.

His undersides are jagged potsherds, 

leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.

He makes the depths churn like a boiling caldron 

and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment.

Behind him he leaves a glistening wake; 

one would think the deep had white hair.

I've seen a saltwater crocodile thrash! Even at a protected distance, it was terrifying. A thrashing crocodile churns the water as if it were boiling, leaving white streamers in the muddy water as he disappears. Surely he can break clubs, maybe even iron spears!

Job 41: 33-34, A creature without fear

Nothing on earth is his equal-- 

a creature without fear.

He looks down on all that are haughty; 

he is king over all that are proud."

Only modern mankind, with his rifles and urban development, is a threat to the crocodile.

Is leviathan here the mighty saltwater crocodile? Or a mythical, supernatural creature? Commentators differ. Although the last two chapters seem to be describing awesome physical creatures, the metaphors and hints of death suggest a dark, possibly secondary meaning. Hartley notes that the book of Job describes various ancient monsters: leviathan ("sea monster" in Job 3: 8), tannin, ("monster of the deep", Job 7:12) and Rahab (Job 9: 13, Job 26: 12.) In this regard, the Bible Project has a podcast series on the Chaos Dragon. The authors of the Bible Project point out that these objects (including nachash, "serpent", Genesis 3: 1) might be "mythical creatures", that is, creatures that in the culture of the ancient Near East, represent supernatural forces.  Isaiah 27: 1, speaks to a future day when YHWH will destroy leviathan. Hartley notes apocalyptic Jewish literature that describes Behemoth and Leviathan as "primordial cosmic forces in conflict with God" (footnote, p. 522.) From that viewpoint, this last chapter or two may be suggesting that YHWH has added supernatural forces to the list of things that He easily controls. (See also Psalm 74: 13-17.)

Whether "leviathan" is the mighty saltwater crocodile or a supernature dragon of chaos (Revelation 12), it is YHWH, not Job, who has control of this fearsome creature.

Job 40, Justice and Behemoth

YHWH has appeared in a storm and challenged Job as to his understanding of creation, of the stars, weather, oceans and wild animals. Can Job challenge God on any of these things?

Job 40: 1-4, Who contends?

The LORD said to Job:

"Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? 

Let him who accuses God answer him!"

Then Job answered the LORD:

"I am unworthy--how can I reply to you? 

I put my hand over my mouth.

I spoke once, but I have no answer-- 

twice, but I will say no more."

Job is challenged to answer YHWH. Job has insisted on his on innocence and demanded justice. YHWH has laid out numerous examples of His power over all creation and Job admits that he has no reply to this. Job admits that he has no standing in an audience with the Creator. 

In Job 13: 22, Job gave a courtroom challenge: "You speak first and I will respond or I will speak first and you respond." But now that YHWH has spoken, Job admits he has no answer.

Job 40: 6-7, Brace yourself again

Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm:

"Brace yourself like a man; 

I will question you, and you shall answer me.

YHWH then continues with a follow-up speech, along the previous lines of Creation, but touching on justice. Job has been asking for justice; YHWH's response is that Job has no clue to what is involved.

Job 40: 8-14, The justice of God

"Would you discredit my justice? 

Would you condemn me to justify yourself?

Do you have an arm like God's, 

and can your voice thunder like his?

 Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor, 

and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.

Unleash the fury of your wrath, 

look at every proud man and bring him low,

look at every proud man and humble him, 

crush the wicked where they stand.

Bury them all in the dust together; 

shroud their faces in the grave.

Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you.

Justice and power are linked. Job's view of justice is challenged here. Since Job does not see God's power and majesty, he does not see all the proud and wicked.

Job 40: 15-24, Behemoth

"Look at the behemoth, which I made along with you 

and which feeds on grass like an ox.

What strength he has in his loins, 

what power in the muscles of his belly!

His tail sways like a cedar;

 the sinews of his thighs are close-knit.

His bones are tubes of bronze, 

his limbs like rods of iron.

He ranks first among the works of God, 

yet his Maker can approach him with his sword.

The hills bring him their produce, 

and all the wild animals play nearby.

Under the lotus plants he lies, 

hidden among the reeds in the marsh.

The lotuses conceal him in their shadow; 

the poplars by the stream surround him.

When the river rages, he is not alarmed; 

he is secure, though the Jordan should surge against his mouth.

Can anyone capture him by the eyes,

or trap him and pierce his nose?

As Job considers justice and power, YHWH brings before him the image of the powerful "behemoth". As described here, this animal is likely the hippopotamus moving among the lotuses of a river. Scientists say that in ancient times the hippopotamus was common along the Nile and even in the Levant. Hartley suggests that the name "Jordan" here symbolizes "any river with a strong current."

This mighty creature "ranks first among the works of God" (verse 19) yet God has complete control of this creature. Although Behemoth is "first among the works of God", there is one more creature to be described.  It is the awesome Leviathan, which dominates chapter 41....

Job 39, Ox, Ostrich and Eagle

YHWH has appeared out of a storm to speak to Job and his companions.  Beginning with the incredible power of the weather, God has moved on to speak about the animal kingdom, beginning with lions and ravens at the end of the last chapter. With each example, Job is asked if he has any say over the creation and development of these animals. These are rhetorical questions; there is an implied negative answer which Job does not dispute.

Job 39: 1- 4, Do you know the mountain goats?

"Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? 

Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?

Do you count the months till they bear? 

Do you know the time they give birth?

They crouch down and bring forth their young; 

their labor pains are ended.

Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds; 

they leave and do not return.

The powerful lion was mentioned in the last chapter. Here we have the fragile mountain goats and their young. Hartley identifies this animal as most likely the Nubian ibex. Job is asked if he has any control over these animals, who give birth without human intervention and go their way.

Job 39: 5-8, Consider the feral donkeys

"Who let the wild donkey go free? 

Who untied his ropes?

I gave him the wasteland as his home, 

the salt flats as his habitat.

He laughs at the commotion in the town; 

he does not hear a driver's shout.

He ranges the hills for his pasture 

and searches for any green thing.

The onager (or wild ass) used to range throughout the Middle East. Now classified as "Near Threatened", various species still live in deserts in western and central Asia. They are almost as fast as a horse and well adapted to the deserts and grasslands.

Job 39: 9-12, Consider the wild ox

"Will the wild ox consent to serve you? 

Will he stay by your manger at night?

 Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness? 

Will he till the valleys behind you?

Will you rely on him for his great strength? 

Will you leave your heavy work to him?

Can you trust him to bring in your grain 

and gather it to your threshing floor?

The wild ox or auroch is now extinct but species still lived in Asia and Europe during the Iron Age and were described by various cultures, including the Romans and were symbols of power and strength. They are thought to be the ancestors of domestic cattle.

Job 39: 13-18, See the silly ostrich!

"The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, 

but they cannot compare with the pinions and feathers of the stork.

She lays her eggs on the ground 

and lets them warm in the sand,

unmindful that a foot may crush them, 

that some wild animal may trample them.

She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers; 

she cares not that her labor was in vain,

for God did not endow her with wisdom 

or give her a share of good sense.

Yet when she spreads her feathers to run, 

she laughs at horse and rider.

The flightless ostrich  has long been viewed as a strange, awkward bird. It is common to Africa and at one time species lived in Asia. When predators approach a female with eggs buried in the sand, she runs away, drawing the predators after them. They apparently can run faster than 40 miles per hour.

Job 39: 19-25, Consider the horse

"Do you give the horse his strength 

or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?

Do you make him leap like a locust, 

striking terror with his proud snorting?

He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength, 

and charges into the fray.

He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; 

he does not shy away from the sword.

The quiver rattles against his side, 

along with the flashing spear and lance.

In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground; 

he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.

At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, `Aha!' 

He catches the scent of  battle from afar, 

the shout of commanders and the battle cry.

An, of course, one should look at the magnificent horse. YHWH describes this elegant proud animal to Job and asks if Job had anything to do with the strength and attitude of the horse. In the final stanzas, the role of the horse in battle is described.

Job 39: 26-30, Consider the birds of prey

"Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom

 and spread his wings toward the south?

Does the eagle soar at your command 

and build his nest on high?

He dwells on a cliff and stays there at night; 

a rocky crag is his stronghold.

From there he seeks out his food; 

his eyes detect it from afar.

His young ones feast on blood, 

and where the slain are, there is he."

Finally, Job is to look at the birds of prey, the hawk and the eagle, who soar high above, living in cliffs, spying rodents far below them.  Is it Job's wisdom that guides these magnificent creatures? Surely not. 

The last line in this passage may be a proverb, as large birds (eagles or vultures) feast on carrion. (A similar proverb about vultures occurs in Matthew 24: 28.)

As wisdom and knowledge are linked to power, so this chapter has a secondary effect of challenging humans to understand the universe in which they live. As I read, I digress to enjoying the explorations of nature (astronomy, meteorology, biology) that I and my colleagues have dedicated lives to studying.