Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I The ‘addresses’ in the Books of Chronicles
- 1 Introduction to Part I
- 2 The addresses in Chronicles
- 3 Summary of the addresses
- Part II A comparison of the themes and characteristics of the addresses in the Books of Chronicles with some other post-exilic biblical material
- 8 Conclusion
- Notes
- Select bibliography
- Index of modern authors
- Subject index
- Index of biblical references
3 - Summary of the addresses
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I The ‘addresses’ in the Books of Chronicles
- 1 Introduction to Part I
- 2 The addresses in Chronicles
- 3 Summary of the addresses
- Part II A comparison of the themes and characteristics of the addresses in the Books of Chronicles with some other post-exilic biblical material
- 8 Conclusion
- Notes
- Select bibliography
- Index of modern authors
- Subject index
- Index of biblical references
Summary
The themes of the addresses
There are a few general themes which recur throughout these addresses, giving them a homogeneity in spite of their relatedness to their specific contexts and the varying speakers who utter them. Central is their declaration about the nature of God. He is the God who chooses whom he will in sovereign grace. David tells the leaders and people of Jerusalem:
Nevertheless, Yahweh, the God of Israel, chose me among all my father's family to be king over Israel for ever. He chose Judah as leader and, from the tribe of Judah, my father's family, and among my father's sons it was I he was pleased to make king over all Israel. (I 28:4)
It is the election of David and the Davidic dynasty which is central. There is none of the attention paid to the election of all Israel in the Sinaitic covenant that is found in the Deuteronomistic History, for all that the Sinaitic covenant has there been fused with the Davidic tradition, notably in three crucial passages (1 Kgs. 2:1–4, 8:15–21, 9:1–9).
This ‘choice’ extends also to Solomon. As David continues in addressing the elders:
And from all my sons (for Yahweh has given me many sons) he chose my son Solomon to sit on the throne of Yahweh's kingdom over Israel, (v. 5)
It extends also to the continuing Davidic line.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Preaching the TraditionHomily and Hermeneutics after the Exile, pp. 123 - 144Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1990