The Bible In A Year 
I Chronicles through Nehemiah – week 1 of 5
November 12-17, 2018
Theme of the week: This week, as we begin exploring the books of 1 & 2 Chronicles, we will start with a reminder of what is will mean for the Israelites to remain faithfully in covenant with God.
The book of 1 Chronicles begins with a census and a description of the tribal allotment inhabited upon entering “the promised land.” It concludes this opening session with a report of who returned from exile. We will begin to read the book as it shifts gears to tell about the time of Saul, and read the beginning chapters of the book at the end of the 2 Chronicles.
Monday Leviticus chapter 26, 1 Chronicles chapter 9:35- 44 and also chapters 10, 11, 12 & 13, Psalms 54 & 86
Tuesday Psalm 133, 1 Chronicles chapters 14, 15, 16 & 17, Psalms 149 & 108
Wednesday 1 Chronicles chapters 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 & 23, Psalms 38 & 43
Thursday 1 Chronicles chapters 24, 25, 26, 27 & 28
Friday 1 Chronicles chapter 29, 2 Chronicles chapters 1, 2, 3 & 4
Saturday 2 Chronicles chapters 5, 6, 7 & 8, Psalms 122 & 48
The Bible In A Year
I Chronicles through Nehemiah – week 1 of 5
A Framework for Understanding
Chronicles
The books of 1st & 2nd Chronicles were composed a single piece. The anonymous author did not title the work. Future editors and transcribers have given it various names:
Early rabbis named it “seper dibre hayyamim” –meaning “the book of the events of the days.”
The name given in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew bible) is “Paralipomena” – meaning “the things left out.”
Both of these names may indicate that this is the book referred to several times in the books of 1st & 2nd Kings. Whenever a king would die the Book of Kings says: “and the rest his deeds, are they not recorded in the book of the Annals of the Kings?” However, upon careful reading of the Chronicles one can see that this book in not likely to be “the Annals of the Kings.” It actually is more of a summary of the activities, rather than an expansion with more details. Also, the Northern Kingdom is almost completely ignored in Chronicles, while the Kingdom of Judah, with the tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi, is examined in some detail.
The viewpoint of the writing indicates that the book was composed in the post-exilic period. Its style does not indicate a series of authors. It appears likely that one author edited together accounts of the kings, with stories spanning several centuries.
The structure of Chronicles places the reigns of David and Solomon at the very center of the story. The work of Saul and Samuel leads to the glorious period of King David. Solomon’s reign is also lifted up as part of the high-point of the nation of Israel. All the stories which follow Solomon, with few exceptions, are about the decline of the kingdom.