Lectionary Calendar
Monday, March 18th, 2024
the Fifth Week of Lent
There are 13 days til Easter!
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Bible Commentaries
2 Chronicles

Dr. Constable's Expository NotesConstable's Expository Notes

- 2 Chronicles

by Thomas Constable

Introduction

For an explanation of the title, writer, date, scope, purpose, and distinctive characteristics of this book, see my comments in my notes on 1 Chronicles. Second Chronicles continues the historical narrative begun in 1 Chronicles.

OUTLINE

(Continued from notes on 1 Chronicles)

III.    The reign of Solomon chs. 1-9

A.    Solomon’s wisdom and prosperity ch. 1

B.    The building of the temple 2Ch_2:1 to 2Ch_5:1

1.    Preparations for building the temple ch. 2

2.    The temple proper 2Ch_3:1-9

3.    The temple furnishings 2Ch_3:10 to 2Ch_5:1

C.    The dedication of the temple 2Ch_5:2 to 2Ch_7:10

1.    The installation of the ark 2Ch_5:2-14

2.    Solomon’s address 2Ch_6:1-11

3.    Solomon’s prayer 2Ch_6:12-42

4.    The celebration of the people 2Ch_7:1-10

D.    God’s blessings and curses 2Ch_7:11-22

E.    Solomon’s successes chs. 8-9

1.    Solomon’s political success 2Ch_8:1-11

2.    Solomon’s religious success 2Ch_8:12-16

3.    Solomon’s economic success 8L17-9:28

4.    Solomon’s death 2Ch_9:29-31

IV.    The reigns of Solomon’s successors chs. 10-36

A.    Rehoboam chs. 10-12

1.    The division of the nation ch. 10

2.    Rehoboam’s kingdom ch. 11

3.    The invasion by Egypt ch. 12

B.    Abijah 2Ch_13:1 to 2Ch_14:1

C.    Asa 2Ch_14:2 to 2Ch_16:14

1.    Asa’s Wis_14:2-15

2.    Asa’s reform ch. 15

3.    Asa’s failure ch. 16

 

D.    Jehoshaphat chs. 17-20

1.    Summary of Jehoshaphat’s reign 2Ch_17:1-6

2.    The strength of Jehoshaphat’s kingdom 2Ch_17:7-19

3.    Jehoshaphat and Ahab ch. 18

4.    Jehoshaphat’s appointment of judges ch. 19

5.    Victory over the Moabite-Ammonite alliance 2Ch_20:1-30

6.    Jehoshaphat’s failures 2Ch_20:31-37

E.    Jehoram ch. 21

F.    Ahaziah ch. 22

G.    Athaliah ch. 23

H.    Joash ch. 24

I.    Amaziah ch. 25

J.    Uzziah ch. 26

K.    Jotham ch. 27

L.    Ahaz ch. 28

M.    Hezekiah chs. 29-32

1.    The cleansing and rededication of the temple ch. 29

2.    Hezekiah’s Passover 2Ch_30:1 to 2Ch_31:1

3.    Re-establishment of proper worship 2Ch_31:2-21

4.    The invasion by Sennacherib 2Ch_32:1-23

5.    Hezekiah’s humility and greatness 2Ch_32:24-33

N.    Manasseh 2Ch_33:1-20

O.    Amon 2Ch_33:21-25

P.    Josiah chs. 34-35

1.    Josiah’s reforms ch. 34

2.    Josiah’s Passover 2Ch_35:1-19

3.    Josiah’s death 2Ch_35:20-27

Q.    The last four kings 2Ch_36:1-21

1.    Jehoahaz 2Ch_36:1-4

2.    Jehoiakim 2Ch_36:5-8

3.    Jehoiachin 2Ch_36:9-10

4.    Zedekiah 2Ch_36:11-21

R.    The edict of Cyrus 2Ch_36:22-23

Conclusion

The writer of Chronicles built his history around the records of David and Solomon’s reigns. He flanked these with a long introduction and a longer sequel that span history from Adam to Anani, who was apparently the eighth generation after Jehoiachin. The Chronicler, or perhaps a later editor, himself lived after Cyrus’ edict that dates to 538 B.C. Chronicles is really a long sermon intended to point all of its readers into the future and to give them hope.

In view of what God promised David, there must be a great King coming. History shows that God blessed all of David’s descendants who followed Him faithfully-in proportion to their obedience. Consequently, the coming King’s reign must be greater than anything history has yet seen, since He will carry out God’s will completely.

The responsibility of every reader is to follow the example of David. He realized that he was the recipient of great grace. He responded to that grace by submitting to the authority of the Giver. He put the interests of his Benefactor before his own selfish ambitions and desires. This was his heart for God. God responded by blessing him and by making him a channel of blessing to God’s people and to the nations of the world.

"The great theological burden of Chronicles is the assertion that Yahweh, through covenant establishment with the Davidic dynasty, has offered to all peoples a model of His dominion and a means of their participation in it. David, the royal priest and son of God, was chosen both to reign over Israel, ’a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,’ and to typify that messianic sovereign of his descent whose dominion would be forever. Every effort is bent, therefore, to the task of centralizing this integrating theme. The genealogies provide for David by linking him to creation and the patriarchal promises; the campaigns and conquest of the king validate his election to his redemptive role; the establishment of an elaborate cultus witnesses to the priestly nature of that calling; and the promises of historical and eschatological restoration of the nation and its Davidic kingship attest to the permanency of God’s saving purposes. The people of the covenant might (and did) fail in Old Testament times, but Yahweh has reserved a day when, as He said, ’I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be’ (Amo_9:11). This is the message of Chronicles." [Note: Eugene H. Merrill, "A Theology of Chronicles," in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, p. 187.]

Bibliography

Ackroyd, Peter R. I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah. London: SCM Press, 1973.

Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed., New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.

Albright, William F. Archaeology and the Religion of Israel. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1946.

_____. The Archaeology of Palestine. 1949. Revised ed. Pelican Archaeology series. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, Eng.: Penguin Books, 1956.

Allen, Leslie C. 1, 2 Chronicles. Communicator’s Commentary series. Waco: Word Books, 1987.

_____. "Kerygmatic Units in 1 & 2 Chronicles." Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 41 (June 1988):21-36.

Archer, Gleason L., Jr. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Revised ed. Chicago: Moody Press, 1974.

Barnes, W. E. The Books of Chronicles. Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges series. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1899.

Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. 6 vols. London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1965.

Begg, Christopher T. "The Death of Josiah in Chronicles: Another View." Vetus Testamentum 37:1 (January 1987):1-8.

Braun, Roddy L. "The Message of Chronicles: Rally ’Round the Temple." Concordia Theological Monthly 42:8 (September 1971):502-14.

Bright, John A. A History of Israel. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1959.

Bullock, C. Hassell. "The Priestly Era in the Light of Prophetic Thought." In Israel’s Apostasy and Restoration: Essays in Honor of Roland K. Harrison, pp. 71-78. Edited by Avraham Gileadi. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988.

Bury, J. B.; S. A. Cook; and F. E. Adcock, eds. The Cambridge Ancient History. 12 vols. 2nd ed. reprinted. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1928.

Cohen, Shaye J. D. "Solomon and the Daughter of Pharaoh: Intermarriage, Conversion, and the Impurity of Women." Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society of Columbia University 16-17 (1984-85):23-37.

Crockett, William Day. A Harmony of the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1973.

Cross, Frank Moore, Jr. "A Reconstruction of the Judean Restoration." Interpretation 29:2 (1975):187-201.

Curtis, Edward Lewis, and Albert Alonzo Madsen. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Books of Chronicles. International Critical Commentary series. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1910.

Darby, John Nelson. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. 5 vols. Revised ed. New York: Loizeaux Brothers Publishers, 1942.

Davis, John J., and John C. Whitcomb. A History of Israel. Reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980.

de Vaux, Roland. Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions. Translated by John McHugh. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1961.

De Vries, Simon J. 1 and 2 Chronicles. The Forms of the Old Testament Literature series. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1989.

_____. "The Forms of Prophetic Address in Chronicles." Hebrew Annual Review 10 (1986):15-35.

Dillard, Raymond B. 2 Chronicles. Word Biblical Commentary series. Waco: Word Books, 1987.

_____. "The Chronicler’s Jehoshaphat." Trinity Journal 7NS:1 (Spring 1986):17-22.

_____. "The Chronicler’s Solomon." Westminster Theological Journal 43 (1981):289-300.

_____. "The Reign of Asa (2 Chronicles 14-16): An Example of the Chronicler’s Theological Method." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 23 (September 1980):207-18.

_____. "Reward and Punishment in Chronicles: The Theology of Immediate Retribution." Westminster Theological Journal 46 (1984):164-72.

Dyer, Charles H., and Eugene H. Merrill. The Old Testament Explorer. Nashville: Word Publishing, 2001. Reissued as Nelson’s Old Testament Survey. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001.

Elmslie, W. A. L. The Books of Chronicles. Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges series. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1916.

Eslinger, Lyle. "Josiah and the Torah Book: Comparison of 2Ki_22:1 to 2Ki_23:28 and 2Ch_34:1 to 2Ch_35:19." Hebrew Annual Review 10 (1986):37-62.

Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 4 vols. Reprint ed. Chicago: Moody Press, and New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1970.

Goldingay, John. "The Chronicler As a Theologian." Biblical Theology Bulletin 5:2 (June 1975):99-126.

Haran, Menahem. "Explaining the Identical Lines at the End of Chronicles and the Beginning of Ezra." Bible Review 2:3 (Fall 1986):18-20.

Harrison, R. K. Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1969.

Harton, George M. "Fulfillment of Deuteronomy 28-30 in History and in Eschatology." Th.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1981.

Hays, J. Daniel. "The Cushites: A Black Nation in the Bible." Bibliotheca Sacra 153:612 (October-December 1996):396-409.

Howard, David M., Jr. An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books. Chicago: Moody Press, 1993.

Hulse, E. V. "The Nature of Biblical Leprosy." Palestine Exploration Quarterly 107 (1975):87-105.

Japhet, Sara. "The Historical Reliability of Chronicles." Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 33 (October 1985):83-107.

_____. "The Supposed Common Authorship of Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah Investigated Anew." Vetus Testamentum 18 (1968):330-71.

Josephus, Flavius. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whiston. Antiquities of the Jews. London: T. Nelson and Sons, 1866.

Kaiser, Walter C., Jr. Toward an Old Testament Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978.

Kaufman, Asher S. "Where the Ancient Temple of Jerusalem Stood." Biblical Archaeology Review 9:2 (March-April 1983):40-59.

Keil, C. F. The Books of the Chronicles. Translated by Andrew Harper. Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., n.d.

Kitchen, K. A. The Bible In Its World. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1977.

_____. "The Old Testament in Its Context: 5 Judah, Exile and Return." Theological Students’ Fellowship Bulletin 63 (1972):1-5.

Knoppers, G. N. "Rehoboam in Chronicles: Villain or Victim?" Journal of Biblical Literature 109 (1990):423-40.

Lange, John Peter, ed. Commentary on the Holy Scriptures. 12 vols. Reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960. Vol. 4: Chronicles-Job, by Otto Zockler, Fr. W. Schultz, and Howard Crosby. Translated, enlarged, and edited by James G. Murphy, Charles A. Briggs, James Strong, and L. J. Evans.

Lemke, Werner E. "The Synoptic Problem in the Chronicler’s History." Harvard Theological Review 58 (1965):349-63.

Longman, Tremper, III and Raymond B. Dillard. An Introduction to the Old Testament. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006.

McConville, J. G. Chronicles. Daily Study Bible series. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1984.

_____. Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Daily Study Bible series. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1985.

Merrill, Eugene H. 1, 2 Chronicles. Bible Study Commentary series. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, Lamplighter Books, 1988.

_____. "2 Chronicles." In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, pp. 619-50. Edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Wheaton: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1985.

_____. Kingdom of Priests. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1987.

_____. "A Theology of Chronicles." In A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, pp. 157-87. Edited by Roy B. Zuck. Chicago: Moody Press, 1991.

Monson, James M. The Land Between. Jerusalem: By the author, P.O. Box 1276, 1983.

Morgan, G. Campbell. Living Messages of the Books of the Bible. 2 vols. New York: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1912.

Myers, Jacob M. II Chronicles. Anchor Bible series. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday and Co., 1965.

The NET (New English Translation) Bible. First beta printing. Spokane, Wash.: Biblical Studies Press, 2001.

The New Bible Dictionary. 1962 ed. S.v. "Salt," by R. K. Harrison.

Newsome, James D., Jr. ed. A Synoptic Harmony of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1986.

Payne, J. Barton. "1, 2 Chronicles." In 1 Kings-Job. Vol. 4 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. 12 vols. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein and Richard D. Polcyn. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1988.

_____. "Second Chronicles." In The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, pp. 391-421. Edited by Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison. Chicago: Moody Press, 1962.

_____. The Theology of the Older Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962.

_____. "The Validity of the Numbers in Chronicles." Bibliotheca Sacra 136:542 (April-June 1979):109-28; 543 (July-September 1979):206-20.

Pfeiffer, Charles F., and Howard F. Vos. The Wycliffe Historical Geography of Bible Lands. Chicago: Moody Press, 1967.

Sailhamer, John. First and Second Chronicles. Everyman’s Bible Commentary series. Chicago: Moody Press, 1983.

Schwantes, Siegfried J. A Short History of the Ancient Near East. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1965.

Slotki, I.W. Chronicles. London: Soncino Press, 1952.

Spencer, F. Scott. "2Ch_28:5-15 and the Parable of the Good Samaritan." Westminster Theological Journal 46 (1984):317-49.

Student Map Manual. Jerusalem: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est., 1979.

Taylor, Jonathan G. "The Application of 2Ch_7:13-15." Bibliotheca Sacra 168:670 (April-June 2011):146-61.

Thompson, J. A. 1, 2 Chronicles. New American Commentary series. N.c.: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994.

Townsend, Jeffrey L. "The Purpose of 1 and 2 Chronicles." Bibliotheca Sacra 145:575 (July-September 1987):277-92.

von Rad, Gerhard. The Problem of the Hexateuch and Other Essays. London: SCM, 1984.

Waltke, Bruce K. "The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Text of the Old Testament." In New Perspectives on the Old Testament, pp. 212-39. Edited by J. Barton Payne. Waco: Word Books, 1970.

Wilcock, Michael. The Message of Chronciles. The Bible Speaks Today series. Leicester, Eng. and Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1987.

Williamson, H. G. M. 1 and 2 Chronicles. New Century Bible Commentary series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., and London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1982.

_____. "The Accession of Solomon in the Book of Chronicles." Vetus Testamentum 26 (1976):351-61.

_____. "The Death of Josiah and the Continuing Development of the Deuteronomic History." Vetus Testamentum 32:2 (April 1982):242-48.

_____. "Reliving the Death of Josiah: A Reply to C. T. Begg." Vetus Testamentum 37:1 (January 1987):9-15.

Wood, Leon. Israel’s United Monarchy. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979.

_____. The Prophets of Israel. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979.

_____. A Survey of Israel’s History. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970.

Yamauchi, Edwin M. "Ezra-Nehemiah." In 1 Kings-Job. Vol. 4 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. 12 Vols. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein and Richard D. Polcyn. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1988.

Young, Edward J. An Introduction to the Old Testament. Revised ed. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1960.

adsFree icon
Ads FreeProfile