1 Chronicles
First Chronicles was written after Judah began to return from their exile in Babylon. It re-tells their history, and assures them of God’s faithfulness to them.
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize
SUMMARY
Title
In Hebrew, the book is called Divrei HaYamim, which means “The Matters of the Days.”
In Greek, it is called Paralipoménōn (Παραλειπομένων), “things left on one side”.
Our title in English comes from the 5th century scholar Jerome. He referred to the book as a chronikon.
Author
The author is unknown, although many have thought that Ezra was the principal writer.
Date
The books of First Chronicles and Second Chronicles were originally one scroll.
The earliest evidence of the division of the book into two is in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, of about 200 BC.
They were written some time after 538 BC. That is, after Judah began to return from the Babylonian exile.
Purpose
The books focus primarily on the history of Judah.
First Chronicles begins with several genealogies, with special emphasis on David and Solomon.
The “chronicler” moves next to the history of the kingdom under David, stressing David’s deep interest in worship and his detailed plans for the construction of the temple—which would be built by his son Solomon.
First Chronicles was probably written to reassure the returned exiles of the LORD God’s faithfulness to them.
OUTLINE
GENEALOGIES
Patriarchal Genealogies
1 Chronicles 1:1-27. The genealogy from Adam to Abraham
1 Chronicles 1:28-54. The genealogy from Abraham to Jacob
Genealogy of Judah
1 Chronicles 2:1-55. The genealogy of Judah
Genealogy of David
1 Chronicles 3:1-24. The descendants of David
Genealogy of Judah
1 Chronicles 4:1-23. Other descendants of Judah
Genealogy of Simeon
1 Chronicles 4:24-43. Descendants of Simeon
Genealogy of the Tribes across the Jordan
1 Chronicles 5:1-10. Descendants of Reuben
1 Chronicles 5:13-17. Descendants of Gad
1 Chronicles 5:18-22. Exploits of the tribes east of the Jordan
1 Chronicles 5:23-26. Descendants of Manasseh
Genealogy of Levi
1 Chronicles 6:1-15. The priestly lineage of Levi
1 Chronicles 6:16-30. Other descendants of Levi
1 Chronicles 6:31-48. The temple musicians
1 Chronicles 6:49-53. Aaron’s descendants
1 Chronicles 6:54-81. Territory for the Levites
Genealogies of the Six Northern Tribes
1 Chronicles 7:1-5. The descendants of Issachar
1 Chronicles 7:6-12. The descendants of Benjamin
1 Chronicles 7:13. The descendants of Naphtali
1 Chronicles 7:14-19. The descendants of Manasseh
1 Chronicles 7:20-29. The descendants of Ephraim
1 Chronicles 7:30-40. The descendants of Asher
Genealogy of Saul
1 Chronicles 8:1-40. The genealogy of Benjamin
1 Chronicles 9:1-9. The genealogy of the exiles from Babylon: political leaders
1 Chronicles 9:10-13. The genealogy of the exiles from Babylon: priests
1 Chronicles 9:14-16. The genealogy of the exiles from Babylon: Levites
1 Chronicles 9:17-27. The genealogy of the exiles from Babylon: gatekeepers
1 Chronicles 9:28-34. The genealogy of the exiles from Babylon: sacristans
1 Chronicles 9:35-44. The genealogy of the exiles from Babylon: Saul
THE REIGN OF DAVID
Saul dies by Suicide
1 Chronicles 10:1-14. King Saul dies by suicide
David’s Mighty Men
1 Chronicles 11:1-3. David becomes king
1 Chronicles 11:4-9. David conquers Jerusalem
1 Chronicles 11:10-47. David’s mighty men
1 Chronicles 12:1-40. The mighty men join David
Transporting the Ark
1 Chronicles 13:1-14. David moves the Ark of the Covenant
David builds his Empire in Jerusalem
1 Chronicles 14:1-2. David builds an opulent palace for himself
1 Chronicles 14:3-7. David marries many women
1 Chronicles 14:8-17. David conquers the Philistines
1 Chronicles 15:1-29. David moves the Ark of the Covenant
1 Chronicles 16:1-6. David puts the Ark of the Covenant in a tent
1 Chronicles 16:7-36. David says a long prayer
1 Chronicles 16:37-43. Worship before the Ark of the Covenant
David desires a Temple
1 Chronicles 17:1-27. David wants to build a temple
David’s Foreign Affairs
1 Chronicles 18:1-13. David starts wars
1 Chronicles 18:14-17. David becomes a nepotist
1 Chronicles 19:1-19. War with the Ammonites
1 Chronicles 20:1-3. David enslaves Rabbah
1 Chronicles 20:4-8. Battles with Philistine giants
David takes a Census
1 Chronicles 21:1-6. David foolishly orders a census
1 Chronicles 21:7-30. Immense suffering due to David
David plans a Temple
1 Chronicles 22:1-19. David stockpiles materials for the temple
David’s Bureaucracy
1 Chronicles 23:1-32. David reassigns the 38,000 Levites
1 Chronicles 24:1-31. David reorganizes the priests
1 Chronicles 25:1-31. David reorganizes the music ministry
1 Chronicles 26:1-19. David reorganizes the ushers
1 Chronicles 26:20-32. David reorganizes the administrators
1 Chronicles 27:1-34. David appoints government officials
David’s Farewell Address
1 Chronicles 28:1-8. David’s instructions to Israel
1 Chronicles 28:9-21. David’s instructions to Solomon
Solomon Becomes King
1 Chronicles 29:1-30. The conclusion of David’s reign
MEMORIZE
1 Chronicles 19:13. Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do that which seems good to him.
1 Chronicles 22:19. Devote your hearts and souls to seeking the LORD your God. (NAB translation)
1 Chronicles 28:20b. Be strong and courageous, and do it. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed; for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not fail you, nor forsake you, until all the work for the service of the LORD’s house is finished.
Great verses to memorize from the entire Bible
1 CHRONICLES
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.