1 and 2 Chronicles

Simon Sherwin, Frederick Mabie, John H. Walton

• Publisher: Zondervan Academic
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN: 9780310527626
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

Many today find the Old Testament a closed book. The cultural issues seem insurmountable and we are easily baffled by that which seems obscure. Furthermore, without knowledge of the ancient culture we can easily impose our own culture on the text, potentially distorting it. This series invites you to enter the Old Testament with a company of guides, experts that will give new insights into these cherished writings. Features include • Over 2000 photographs, drawings, maps, diagrams and charts provide a visual feast that breathes fresh life into the text. • Passage-by-passage commentary presents archaeological findings, historical explanations, geographic insights, notes on manners and customs, and more. • Analysis into the literature of the ancient Near East will open your eyes to new depths of understanding both familiar and unfamiliar passages. • Written by an international team of 30 specialists, all top scholars in background studies.

1 Chronicles

by Simon Sherwin

Mountains of Gilboa with Valley of Jezreel in foreground

Todd Bolen/www.BiblePlaces.com

Introduction

By Frederick J. Mabie and Simon Sherwin

Historical Setting

The problem that confronts any reader interested in understanding the background to any work of historiography is “Which background?” Should one be concerned with the original context of the events that are related, or should one rather concentrate on the circumstances and situation, as far as they can be recovered, that form the backdrop to the author’s choice and presentation of the material recorded? When all is said and done, both are necessary: the former, because archaeological discoveries and the wide pool of comparative literature available from the ancient Near East as a whole greatly increase one’s comprehension of the way in which events unfold, or of practices (religious or cultural) that have hitherto been unknown; the latter, because it is only through understanding the circumstances that gave rise to the composition of the book1 that we can begin to appreciate why it was written, the need it addresses, and, consequently, the underlying message it conveys.

The historical setting of the book of Chronicles (1 and 2 Chronicles) is postexilic Judea. But proposals for the specific time of the writing vary widely, and the date remains open to debate. The attention given to priestly duties and temple worship suggests a date after the dedication of the Second Temple (after 516 B.C.) while the extent of the tracing of the family line of Zerubbabel (cf. 1 Chron. 3:19–24) would imply a date later than the mid or low 400s B.C. (that is, after the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah).2 On the opposite extreme, the text and content of Chronicles do not reflect a Greek context, implying the text is earlier than 333 B.C.3 Taken together, these details suggest a likely time of writing for Chronicles in the range of 430–340 B.C., with some preference for the earlier side of this range (ca. 430–400 B.C.).

Persian (Achaemenid) Rulers
Ruler	Reign (B.C.)	Significant events of this time frame
Cyrus	560/539–530	Founded Persian empire; decree in 539/8 allows conquered peoples (including Jews) to return home (timeframe of Daniel, Sheshbazzar; Second Temple foundation completed ca. 536)
Theological Setting of Chronicles: The Decree of Cyrus (539/8)
Cambyses	530–522	Conquered Egypt in 525
Darius I	522–486	Increased stability and strength; unsuccessful attempt at conquering Greece (time frame of Haggai and Zechariah; Second Temple completed and dedicated under the leadership of Zerubbabel, ca. 516/5)
Xerxes I (Ahasuerus)	486–465	Destroyed Babylon in 482; unsuccessful Greek invasion; murdered in 465 (time frame of Esther)
Artaxerxes I	465–424	Faced six-year Egyptian rebellion; peace treaty with Greece (time frame of Ezra and Nehemiah)
Historical Setting (Date of Writing/Completion) of Chronicles: Mid-Late 400s B.C. or Later
Darius II	423–404	Gained control of Asia Minor after Peloponnesian War
Artaxerxes II	404–358	Egypt regains independence; significant revolt in the western part of the empire
Artaxerxes III	358–338	Reconquered Egypt
Arses	338–336	A short, turbulent reign; assassinated
Darius III	336–333	Decline of the Persian empire; falls to Alexander the Great in 333

These details aside, the text itself of 1 and 2 Chronicles extends from Adam (1 Chron. 1:1) through the Persian ruler Cyrus (2 Chron. 36:22–23), while the genealogies of 1 Chronicles 1–9 (cf. the family line of Zerubbabel) extend beyond the time frame of 2 Chronicles 36 and into the postexilic setting. That is, the message of Chronicles is first told genealogically and then narratively.4 Thus, while the time frame of the writing of 2 Chronicles is clearly postexilic, it must be stressed that the time frame of the text theologically is exilic.5 In other words, while the text was written (or at least completed) in the postexilic time frame, the book of Chronicles nevertheless ends on the eve of the postexilic setting.6 This contrast can be appreciated from the overview of Persian leaders of the postexilic time frame in the chart on “Persian (Achaemenid) Rulers.”

The political situation during the period in which Chronicles was written was not static. The attitude of the Persian overlords toward those living in the province of Yehud fluctuated, as did the degree of antagonism shown by their immediate neighbors. It is helpful, therefore, to provide a brief sketch of the history of this period in order to place the book into its proper context.

When Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. and established Persian rule in the ancient world, he set in motion a series of events important for the Jews. His proclamation recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:23 and Ezra 1:2–4, which gave permission for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, resulted in a series of returns from exile by deportees and the descendants of deportees. Although Cyrus is regarded by the Jews as a benefactor,7 as well they might, it should be noted that his “beneficence” was not directed solely toward the Jews, but formed part of a wider foreign policy. The Cyrus Cylinder, for example, mentions a number of deities and peoples whom he restored to their own places.8

The thinking behind this, no doubt, was to foster goodwill among the subjects of his kingdom. This was especially desirable in the case of the province of Yehud, since it lay on the fringe of the empire and acted as a buffer between an Egypt that had not yet been subjugated and the rest of the realm. Through the Decree of Cyrus (cf. comments on 2 Chron. 36:22–23), those exiled to Babylonia were given the opportunity to return home and rebuild what was left of Judea (Ezra 2:1–35; Neh. 7:5–73).9 Some of the known Judean leadership figures in the fledgling Yehud are noted in the accompanying chart.10

For some of these exiles, of course, returning to Yehud meant traveling to the land of their ancestors for the first time. The significance of this should not be minimized. Having settled in Babylonia for fifty years or more, to leave that all behind and go to an uncertain prospect would have taken some doing, even more so for those whose only knowledge of their destination was secondhand.

Persian Sponsored Governors of Postexilic Judea (Yehud)
Name	Time frame of governorship
Sheshbazzar	538–520 B.C.
Zerubbabel	520–? B.C.
Elnathan	Late sixth century B.C.
Nehemiah	445–433 B.C.
Bagohi/Bagavahya/Bagoas	408 B.C.
Yehezeqiah	4^th century B.C.

It is no wonder, then, that only a minority returned; the rest opted to remain where they were. Indeed, we should remember when discussing the historical setting of Chronicles that during the Persian period (and later), there was a significant Jewish community outside the land of Israel—in Babylonia, Elam, Persia, Egypt, and even Asia Minor.11 Jews apparently traveled to other places from Babylonia in the course of trade or as mercenaries in the Babylonian and later the Persian army.12 Once there, Jews held a variety of occupations and social states in the lands in which they were found; some (e.g., Nehemiah) even rose to high positions within the Persian administration.

It is clear from the book of Nehemiah and from the archive of letters dating to the fifth century B.C. from Elephantine...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• How to Use This eBook
• Acknowledgments
• Methodology: An Introductory Essay
• General Bibliography
• Abbreviations
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Picture Index
• The New International Version Appendix