Chronicles, two books of the Bible, originally a single work in the Hebrew canon (the final book of that canon), called First and Second Chronicles in the Authorized Version, and called First and Second Paralipomenon in the Septuagint and in the Vulgate. Their author is referred to simply as the Chronicler. The books are a history of the Jewish kingdom under David and Solomon and, after the division of the kingdom, of the southern kingdom of Judah, including the Babylonian captivity. The work commences with a collection of genealogies from Adam until the time of Saul and ends with the decree (538 b.c.) of the Persian king Cyrus restoring the Jews. Thus the historical material parallels (and supplements) part of the narrative of First and Second Samuel and First and Second Kings, but from the point of view of one who adheres strictly to the house of David and to the worship in the Temple. Though David and his house failed to mediate the blessings of living under God's rule, the hope is that the restoration of the Jews after the exile and the rebuilding of the Temple will mean both the restoration of Davidic religion and the guarantee of divine blessing. Like Kings, these books quote their sources constantly. Originally Chronicles may have formed one book with Ezra and Nehemiah.
See H. G. M. Williamson, 1 and 2 Chronicles (1982); R. Braun, 1 Chronicles (1986); R. B. Dillard, 2 Chronicles (1987).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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