Sermon and Worship Resources

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2 Chron 13:1–14:1

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Abijah: Whereas the history of King Abijah (who ruled approximately 912–911/910 B.C.) occupies only seven and a half verses in the Deuteronomistic source text (1 Kgs. 15:1–8a), the Chronicler’s version is much more extensive (twenty-two and a half verses). The reason for this expansion is that the Chronicler completely altered the portrayal of this king. In Kings, Abijah is described as somebody w...

2. Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead

2 Chron 18:28–19:3

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead: 18:28–19:3 Rather than include the Deuteronomistic section on the very dramatic end to Ahab’s life (1 Kgs. 22:36–38), the Chronicler added in 2 Chronicles 19:1–3 his own conclusion, which describes Jehoshaphat’s safe return to Jerusalem as well as the prophecy of Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani. This prophetic voice rebukes the king for his support of Ahab’s army (sh...

3. Ahaz King of Judah

2 Chronicles 28:1-27

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Ahaz: If the previous narrative about Jotham had created some hope for the reader of Chronicles that the kingship of Judah would survive, the present narrative about Ahaz (ca. 743/742–727/726 B.C.) would destroy that hope again! It marks one of the most negative portrayals of a king in Chronicles. Whereas many of the previous royal narratives (e.g., Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, and Uzziah) re...

4. Ahaziah King of Judah

2 Chronicles 22:1-9

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Ahaziah: The fatal relationship of the Judahite kingdom with the northern royal house continued during the reign of Ahaziah, who ruled approximately 841/840 B.C. The Chronicler’s version of this king’s reign is an abridged version of the Deuteronomistic source text in 2 Kings 8:24b–9:28. Significant changes have been made, creating some logical problems for the reader. First, Kings and Chronicles ...

5. Amaziah King of Judah

2 Chronicles 25:1-28

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Amaziah: After the house of David was saved from extinction in the previous royal narrative, Amaziah continues the Davidic line as king after the death of his father, Joash. His reign (ca. 796–767 B.C.) lasted for twenty-nine years. The ambiguity in the Chronicler’s presentation of many of Judah’s kings—for example Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Joash—continues in the next episode. The Chronicler’s version...

6. Amon King of Judah

2 Chronicles 33:21-25

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Amon: This is the shortest royal narrative in Chronicles. It is based on the (not much longer) account in 2 Kings 21:19–26. Amon ruled over Judah in approximately 643/642–641/640 B.C. 33:21 The Chronicler omits the king’s mother’s name, which is given in Kings. This follows the pattern of the Chronicler’s version of the Manasseh narrative. 33:22–23 King Amon is evaluated negatively in these verses...

7. Army Divisions

1 Chronicles 27:1-15

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Army Divisions, Officers & Overseers: 27:1–15 First Chronicles 27:1 seems to introduce the lists in 27:2–15 as well as 27:16–22, although the reference to month by month duty applies only to the first list. First Chronicles 27:2–15 presents the commanders of the twelve monthly army divisions who served the king. 27:16–22 First Chronicles 27:16–22 lists the officers over the tribes of Israel. Since...

8. Asa King of Judah

2 Chronicles 14:2-15

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Asa: The Chronicler dedicates the next narrative episode to the reign of King Asa of Judah (ca. 911/910–900 B.C.). As in the Abijah narrative, the Chronicler introduces a significant portion of his own material, creatively restructuring the Asa narrative in the source text (1 Kgs. 15:9–24) within a coherent theological framework. The Deuteronomistic version communicates a positive image of Asa as ...

9. Asa's Last Years

2 Chronicles 16:1-14

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Asa's Last Years: 16:1–6 This section about King Asa (16:1–10) introduces a new period in his history. In the very next year of Asa’s reign (the thirty-sixth year) things drastically changed: Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah (16:1). In self-defense, Asa immediately sought alliance with Ben-Hadad king of Aram (16:2), sending to Ben-Hadad as inducements silver and gold out of . . . the LO...

10. Asa's Reform

2 Chronicles 15:1-19

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Asa's Reform: 15:1–15 Prophetic figures are often introduced in the Chronicler’s narratives to act as theological interpreters of events. The same strategy is followed in 15:1–7, where Azariah son of Oded is introduced as somebody on whom the Spirit of God came (a typical formula to indicate prophetic status). The Chronicler’s typical terminology occurs here repeatedly. The prophet’s basic message...

11. Asher

1 Chronicles 7:30-40

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Descendants of Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher: In 1.4 and 1.5 the Chronicler included the southern and eastern (Transjordanian) tribes in his genealogical constructions. There, although the Chronicler’s focus is very much on Judah, Levi, and Benjamin in his overall construction, he also included Simeon, Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh in his genealogies, probably to strengthe...

12. Athaliah and Joash

2 Chron 22:10–23:21

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Athaliah and Joash: We saw at the end of Ahaziah’s reign (22:1-9) that the house of David was seriously endangered. A power vacuum developed after the king’s death. All the king’s uncles (six of them) were killed by their brother, Jehoram, the previous king. And during Jehoram’s reign all male heirs (except Ahaziah) were killed in a battle against the Philistines and Arabs. Ahaziah, the sole survi...

13. Benjamin

1 Chronicles 7:6-12

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

14. Bringing Back the Ark

1 Chronicles 13:1-14

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem: The four chapters under discussion in this section are often taken as a unit traditionally referred to as the “ark narrative.” Although there are different scholarly views on the existence of such an ark narrative and its divisions (see Additional Note on 13:1–16:43), the contents of these chapters deal mainly with the bringing of the ark of the covenant to Jerus...

15. Caleb Son of Hezron

1 Chronicles 2:18-24

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

2:18–20 The lineage of Caleb in this subsection has no parallel in the Hebrew Bible (apart perhaps from 2:2, which has parallels in Exodus). Whether the Chronicler used an unknown source or whether this was his own creation, we cannot say for sure. (Another section on Caleb follows in 2:42–50a.) One figure who might be significant here is Bezalel. In three texts in Exodus (31:2; 35:30; 38:22) he ...

16. Contributions for Worship

2 Chronicles 31:2-21

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

31:2–10 This section, which deals with the freewill offerings given by the king (31:3), the inhabitants of Jerusalem (31:4), the Israelites (31:5), and the men of Israel and Judah (31:6), is absent from the source text and is another unique part in Chronicles. The priests and Levites (31:2, 4, 9) play a prominent role in the gathering and proper administering of these offerings. The attitude that ...

17. David Becomes King over Israel

1 Chronicles 11:1-3

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

All-Israel Anoints David at Hebron: Whereas the previous narrative about Saul formed the introduction to the Chronicler’s description of David’s kingship, the next section narrates David’s actual anointing and coronation as king and the consolidation of his military power. It is quite clear that the Chronicler wanted to get to this point in his historical description as swiftly as possible. For th...

18. David Conquers Jerusalem

1 Chronicles 11:4-9

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

19. David Defeats the Philistines

1 Chronicles 14:8-17

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

David's House and Family: 14:1–17 Before the Chronicler comes to the renewed attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem (starting in 1 Chron. 15:1), there is a detour in the narrative. I have already discussed the difficulty involved in fitting 1 Chronicles 14 into the narrative logic of the Chronicler’s broader construction. Although there might be good (compositional-historical) reasons to transpose ...

20. David Numbers the Fighting Men

1 Chronicles 21:1-22:1

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

A Place for the Temple: We have seen thus far that the ark of the covenant was brought to Jerusalem (1 Chron. 13–16); that Yahweh denied David’s request to build a “house” for him but made him an eternal promise that he, Yahweh, would build a “house” for David (1 Chron. 17); and that Yahweh subjugated the neighboring nations to David’s rule through a series of wars (1 Chron. 18–20). Through all th...

21. David's House and Family

1 Chronicles 14:1-7

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

22. David's Mighty Men

1 Chronicles 11:10-47

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

23. David's Officials

1 Chronicles 18:14-17

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

David’s Wars: In 17:10 the Chronicler made a small change to the verb of his source text. The result was a promise of Yahweh that he would subdue David’s enemies. The narratives that follow in the next three chapters provide proof that Yahweh did indeed fulfill this promise. These chapters emphasize that it is not David’s valor or his political aspirations that drove these military victories. It i...

24. David's Plans for the Temple

1 Chronicles 28:1-21

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

Final Arrangements for Building the Temple and Transfer of the Kingdom to Solomon: After the major insertion into the Chronicler’s narrative dealing with David’s preparations for handing over power to his son and for building the temple, the writer now returns to the narrative line interrupted at the end of 1 Chronicles 22. There we read David’s speeches to Solomon and some officials. A theme that...

25. David's Prayer

1 Chronicles 17:16-27

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

A House for Yahweh and for David: The Chronicler’s narrative now moves to the all-important oracle of Nathan in which divine promises to David are made and in which the issue of temple building is addressed. The Chronicler took his material from 2 Samuel 7, where this oracle is also presented (see Additional Note on 17:1–2). This section opens with a back reference to the interlude in 1 Chronicles...

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