1–4 Many modern readers have difficulty understanding the importance of the genealogies listed in the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles; but to the post-exilic Israelites, they were very important. These genealogies were not merely lists of names; they provided continuity between the pre-exilic Israelites and those who had recently returned from exile. The new post-exilic community needed to know who they were and where they had come from.
These genealogies reveal how God chose certain individuals to be instruments in His ongoing plan to redeem4 sinful humanity: Seth, Noah, Shem, ABRAHAM, Isaac, JACOB (Israel), MOSES, David. In these first nine chapters, the writer traces a line from Adam to David, and then on to David’s descendants in the post-exilic period.5 This line, of course,eventually would lead to Jesus Christ, God’s final and perfect Redeemer of mankind.
Through these genealogies, therefore, the writer wanted to demonstrate to the post-exilic Israelites that they had a crucial role in God’s purposes for mankind. They were still God’s chosen people—and they therefore needed to act like it!
The genealogies served a second and more immediate purpose. The period of the Exile was one of great disruption for the Israelite community; thousands had been killed or displaced. Records of land ownership and inheritance rights had been lost. In reestablishing the priesthood, it was essential to know who were true Levites and who were not; according to God’s LAW, only Levites could serve in the temple. The writer of Chronicles, as far as he was able, set out to clarify these matters.
Finally, these genealogies provided a framework for maintaining the ethnic and religious purity of the post-exilic community. The Israelites would always be in danger of being absorbed into other nations and thereby losing their identity as God’s people. Before the Exile, it was mainly their kings who provided this identity. Now they would have no king, no nation; they would simply be a province of the Persian Empire. Therefore it was all the more important that they maintain their ethnic and religious distinctiveness as the people of God.
In this first chapter, the writer covers the period from Adam to Israel (Jacob).6His primary source is the book of Genesis. In verses 1–4, the writer lists the names of the ten generations from Adam to Noah, ending with Noah’s three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, from whom all the earth’s people are descended (Genesis 5:3–32).
5–7 These verses list the descendants of Japheth, Noah’s oldest son (Genesis 10:2–5).
8–16 These verses list the descendants of Ham, Noah’s youngest son (Genesis 10:6–20).
17–27 These verses list the descendants of Shem, the son of Noah through whom would come Abraham and the nation of Israel (Genesis 10:21–31). Here the writer names God’s chosen line—the line of Shem—last of all, a custom he will continue to follow in this chapter.
The Family of Abraham (1:28–34)
28–31 The writer again places Isaac’s line—the chosen line—last, after Abraham’s sons by other wives. In these verses, the writer lists the descendants of Hagar’s son Ishmael (Genesis 25:12–16).
32–33 These verses list the descendants of Abraham’s concubine Keturah (Genesis 25:1–4).
34 Here Sarah’s son Isaac is listed, together with his two sons, Esau and Israel (Jacob).
Esau’s Sons (1:35–54)
35–37 Again the secondary line of Esau comes before the chosen line of Israel (Genesis 36:9–14).
38–42 In these verses, the writer lists the descendants of Seir (Genesis 36:20–30). Seir was already living in Edom before Esau settled there.7
43–54 These verses list the rulers of Edom (Genesis 36:31–43).
1Ch 1:1. Adam, Sheth, Enosh- Adam was the father of Sheth, and Sheth the father of Enosh, and so on to the sons of Noah. No mention is made of the posterity of Cain or Abel, nor of the other sons of Adam, because the sacred writer was only engaged to give a detail of the Patriarchs in the direct line from Adam to Noah. The history of the Bible was not designed as a history of the world, but a history of the church, and of the deduction of the sacred promise of the seed of the woman.
1Ch 1:17. And Lud, and Aram, and Uz- Lud and Aram. The sons of Uz, &c. Houbigant. See Gen 10:23.
REFLECTIONS.-Adam begins and Abraham closes this first genealogical line. The one, our common father after the flesh; the other, the common father of the faithful. By the guilt of Adam's sin, the universal curse descended on man: by Abraham's promised seed, the curse is removed; and all who believe on him are re-instated in the favour of God.
The line of Christ, for whose sake the rest are preserved, reaches in the four first verses as far as Shem; and from him, in the four last, to Abraham: the others are more lightly passed over. Japhet's posterity originally peopled Europe; Ham's, Africa, Canaan, and Philistia; Shem's posterity, Asia; and, probably, from the northern parts of Asia, America received its first inhabitants. Note; As we are originally of one stock, we should, undoubtedly love all mankind as brethren.
1Ch 1:32. Now the sons of Keturah, &c.- These sons of Keturah. Keturah, Abraham's concubine, bare Zimran, &c. Houb.
1Ch 1:36. Kenaz, and Timna, and Amalek- Kenaz. And Timna, the concubine of Ehiphaz, bare to him Amalek. Houbigant and Cappellus. See Gen 36:12.
REFLECTIONS.-Before the sacred historian passes on to the line of the Messiah, he dwells a moment on the descendants of Abraham after the flesh. Ishmael, according to Gen 17:20., becomes the father of twelve princes. Midian, of the sons of Keturah, is most taken notice of, because with his descendants the people of God had especial contests. Esau's posterity, and their dignity, are particularly remarked. While the children of promise were suffering in Egypt, the children of the rejected Esau were reigning in Edom. The sons of wickedness have often in this world the chief portion; God has prepared a better country for the heirs of salvation.
With this begins the study of those historical books of the Old Testament written shortly after the return from the Babylonian captivity, the remainder of the series including 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.
“Chronicles” means “diaries” or “journal,” and the books recapitulate sacred history from the time of Adam, in which the earlier books of the Old Testament are drawn upon and occasionally supplemented. The Holy Spirit, who is the real Author, has a right to do this when the occasion calls for it.
The closest relation exists between the Chronicles and Kings. The last- named were written, it is thought, by Jeremiah, and the first-named by a priest or Levite. Kings must have been compiled shortly after the people went into exile, Chronicles after their return. Kings deal more with the inner spiritual condition of things, Chronicles with the external modes of worship.
There are differences in the two records here and there. Not only are genealogies differently grouped, but names and places are changed, speeches of persons are presented from dissimilar aspects, religious festivals have more than one description given them, and things of that kind; but there is no contradiction not explainable by the changes incident to time, the later writer’s point of view, the object in mind, negligent transcribing and the like.
Why Chronicles were written is difficult to say, but there must have been some good reason for going over the ground again, “some new aspect of the history to signalize, and some new lesson to convey to the people of
God on returning from the captivity.” What these things may be must appear as we proceed.
SUBDIVISIONS
The first nine chapters contain the genealogies of the patriarchs, the twelve tribes, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem till the beginning of the kingdom, the purpose being to connect David, the great forerunner of the Messiah, as well as the priests and Levites of his time with the antediluvian patriarchs. They have been subdivided as follows:
The Patriarchs from Adam to Jacob and Esau, with the descendants of the latter till the era of the Edomite Kings (chap. 1). At first these names may not seem of importance to us, but we remember that the Holy Spirit caused them to be written and that is enough. And when we know how to awaken them from their sleep, they do not remain so dead as they at first appear, but revive the most important traditions of the ancient nations and families, like the petrifactions and mountain strata of the earth, which rightly questioned, tell the history of long vanished ages.
The Sons of Jacob, or the Generations of Judah till David, with David’s Posterity till Elioenai and His Seven Sons (1Ch 2:1 to 1Ch 4:23). In this we discover a biographic gem in the story of Jabez and his prayer (1Ch 4:9-10) of whom we are told nothing further. Verse 10 has homiletic value in the three things for which Jabez prayed and which he received prosperity, power, and protection.
Another homiletic suggestion is in the words, “There they dwelt with the king for his work” (v. 23). These potters “that dwelt among plants and hedges,” may have been artistic craftsmen adjacent to the royal gardens at Jerusalem, not merely in the reign of one king but all of them. Remains of these potteries have been found in recent times.
The Descendants of Simeon and the Tribes East of the Jordan till the Assyrian Captivity (1Ch 4:24 to 1Ch 5:26). This division is interesting, as it records two conquests or migrations of the Simeonites (1Ch 4:38-43), and corroborates what we learned earlier about the small size of this tribe (compare 1 Chron. 5:27 with Numbers 1-4 and Jos 19:1-9). In the same way compare the reference to Reuben, Joseph and Judah, 1Ch 5:1-2, with the earlier account in Genesis 49. Nor should we permit such an inspired comment as chapter 5:20 to escape us.
The Levites and Their Locations (1Ch 6:1-81).
This division may be broken up, thus: The sons of Levi (1Ch 6:1-3); the priests down to the captivity (v. 4-15); the families of Gershom, Merari and Kohath (1Ch 6:16-48); the office of Aaron and his line unto Ahimaaz (v. 49-53); the cities of the priests and the Levites (1Ch 6:54-81).
The Remaining Tribes (1 Chronicles 7-8).
These tribes include Issachar (1Ch 7:1-5); Benjamin (1Ch 7:6-12) Naphtali (1Ch 7:13); Manasseh (1Ch 7:14-19); Ephraim (1Ch 7:20-29); Asher (1Ch 7:30-40); the chief men of Benjamin (1Ch 8:1-32); the house of Saul (1Ch 8:33-40). Dan and Zebulun are omitted, but why, no one knows. In the case of Dan, perhaps, it is judicial punishment because of their early and almost total fall into idolatry. They are omitted again in the list of Revelation 8. Zebulun’s omission is more difficult to explain. It was a small tribe, especially just before and after the exile, but it was the tribe whose territory included Nazareth where Jesus dwelt.
The Inhabitants of Jerusalem till the Times of the Kings (1 Chronicles 9).
QUESTIONS
1. Name the post-exilian historical books.
2. Give the scope and general contents of the books of Chronicles.
3. Contrast Kings and Chronicles as to their history and character.
4. What are some of the points of difference between Kings and Chronicles, and how are they explained?
5. Give the contents of 1 Chronicles 1-9 in outline.
6. What can you recall of the history of Jabez?
7. Which two tribes are altogether omitted from these genealogies?
