Chronicles

This is the ninth in a series of biblical summaries from David Dorsey's book: The Literary Structure of the Old Testament.  This is the fifth in the sub-series of historical books, covering the Book of (1 and 2) Chronicles.

a   beginning: genealogies from Adam to the Babylonian exile and return (1 Chron. 1:1-9:44)
          b   establishment of David's kingdom (1 Chron. 10:1-22:1)
                      c   David assembles all Israel to make preparations for Solomon's building of the
                           temple (1 Chron. 22:2-29:30)
                                d   CENTER: Solomon, the temple builder (2 Chron. 1:1-9:31)
                      c'  division of Israel; Judean kings from Rehoboam to good King Jehoshaphat
                           (2 Chron. 10:1-20:37)
          b'  seven kings: Jehoram to Ahaz (2 Chron. 21:1-28:27)
a'  end: Judah's final kings: good King Hezekiah to the Babylonian exile, and a note about the return
     (2 Chron. 29:1-36:23)

The 'a' pattern are linked together around Israel and Judah's going into Babylonian exile and returning.  The first section is a genealogy, beginning with Adam and concluding with those who returned to Israel and Judah as a result of Cyrus' edict.  The section section also features those who returned from Babylonian captivity as a result of Cyrus' edict.  All this suggests the link between the beginning and the end, bringing the account full circle.

The 'b' pattern links the establishment of David's kingdom to the later cycle of Judah's kings.  In the first section, David is promised that his house and throne would be established forever, while in the later section, David's line is nearly extinguished three times, but is sustained because of God's promise to David.  The same nations that David has conquests against in the first section - Philistia, Moab, Syria, Edom, and Ammon - are the same nations that Judah's kings have continued warfare against in the later section.  Finally, there is a theme of wrongful intrusion into the priestly/levitical duties which is introduced once in the first section while David is transporting the ark to Jerusalem, and then in the later section, there are three analogous intrusions.  All this suggests Israel/Judah's vulnerability to other nations on account of disobedience, while being sustained by God's promise alone.

The 'c' pattern is tentative, but may suggest a parallel between the unity of Israel in the first section and the disintegration of Israel's unity in the second section.  In the first section, Israel's action takes place almost entirely in harmonious assemblies of "all" Israel, while the later section introduces the division between Israel and Judah, and the continued disintegration and strife between Israel and Judah.  All this suggests the tragic result of disobedience and its cumulative, divisive effect among God's people.

The 'd' section is the center.  It features Solomon as the builder of the temple, and places the temple in a position of great prominence as to how God deals with his people.  This suggests that the great lesson of the promise and peril presented in Chronicles centers upon those returning from exile resolving to do right by God's temple, priests, and Levites.