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1 Chronicles 1 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
It was a bittersweet time for Israel. The Jews had just returned from 70 years of captivity but their situation was significantly different from when they left. There was no king and little security for Jerusalem. They had to rebuild the wall (Nehemiah) and the temple (Zerubbabel). They really struggled to see any blessings outside of them being able to return to their land.
It was a far cry from the time of David and Solomon. However, they were back, and that’s what was important. The opening chapter selectively highlights Israel’s genealogy from Adam to the return from Babylon. Although they had few blessings outside of returning to their land, the verses here were penned in order to remind the Jews of God’s promises to them throughout their history.
There has been a lot of talk regarding the repetitive nature of Chronicles. Some people avoid the book because it overlaps the stories found in Kings and Samuel. But a deeper dive reveals that this book was included in Scripture because it offers a different angle than the books previously mentioned.
Though Kings and Samuel deal with realism of their downfalls, Chronicles looks to the idealistic future. It is meant to encourage the Jews who are returning from captivity.