Chronicles Through the Centuries

Offers a history of the interpretation of Chronicles in theology, worship, music, literature and art from the ancient period to the present day, demonstrating its foundational importance within the Old Testament

• Explores important differences between the same topics and stories that occur in Chronicles and other biblical books such as Genesis and Kings, including the pious depiction of David, the clear correlation between moral behavior and divine reward, and the elevation of music in worship
• Examines the reception of Chronicles among its interpreters, including rabbis of the Talmud, Jerome, Martin Luther, Johann Sebastian Bach, Cotton Mather, and others,
• Features broad yet comprehensive coverage that considers Jewish and Christian, ancient and modern, and secular and pop cultural interpretations
• Organizes discussions by verse to illuminate each one’s changing meaning across the ages

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

Part 1: The Genealogies 13

1. The Genealogies 15

Part 2: The Reign of David 41

2. David’s Reign from Election to Dynastic Promise 45

3. David’s Reign from the Census to the Selection of the Temple Site 63

4. David’s Reign from His Preparations for the Temple to His Death 82

Part 3: The Reigns of Solomon and the Kings of Judah 103

5. The Reigns of Solomon, Rehoboam, Abijah, and Asa 107

6. The Reigns of Jehoshaphat, Joash, Uzziah, and Ahaz 129

7. The Reigns of Hezekiah, Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah 148

8. The Reign of Manasseh 166

Coda A 187

Coda B 190

Glossary of Names and Terms 193

Abbreviations 201

Bibliography 203

Author Index 219

Scriptural Index 223

Subject Index 231

"French's work shows, through deep probes, that Chronicles changed history. For anyone interested in Chronicles, or looking for a model for how to write a captivating reception historical study, French's book deserves attention and enjoyment."
—Matthew Lynch, Westminster Theological Centre, The Journal of Theological Studies

Blaire A. French is an adjunct lecturer in Biblical Hebrew at the University of Virginia, USA. She holds a doctorate in Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity from the University of Virginia. She is the author of The Ticking Tenure Clock: An Academic Novel (1998) and The Presidential Press Conference: Its History and Role in the American Political System (1982).

"Amazing research presented with clarity and careful attention to detail. This history of interpretation of Chronicles provides insights into how readings of the book from early Jewish and Christian interpreters through the medieval period and then especially in early Modern Europe and Colonial America were connected to particular historical contexts. There is so much to learn, discover, and ponder in this vast array of primary sources as a result of this excellent and invaluable treatment by French."
—Steven Schweitzer, Bethany Theological Seminary, USA

"A superb contribution to a superb series. Blaire French guides us through centuries of interpretation to show how readers have gleaned very different messages from the pages of this often neglected biblical book."
—Jacob L. Wright, Professor of Hebrew Bible, Emory University, USA

Offering a history of the interpretation of Chronicles in theology, worship, music, literature, and art from the ancient period to the present day, Chronicles Through the Centuries brings to light the power of Chronicles in every age and demonstrates its significance as a biblical book. The work explores important topics within Chronicles that differ from the same narratives told in Genesis through Kings, such as the pious depiction of David, the clear correlation between moral behavior and divine recompense, and the elevation of music in worship. It examines Chronicles' reception among its interpreters, including rabbis of the Talmud, Jerome, Martin Luther, Johann Sebastian Bach, Cotton Mather, and Julius Wellhausen. It also delves into a broad range of interpretation, from Jewish and Christian to ancient and modern to secular and pop cultural. Comprehensive and insightful, Chronicles Through the Centuries reveals the enduring vitality and relevance of this biblical book from its creation to the present day.

Chronicles Through the Centuries is published within the Wiley Blackwell Bible Commentaries series. Further information about this innovative reception history series is available at www.bbibcomm.info