Differences Between Chronicles and Kings

The importance of the Book of Chronicles has long been overlooked by the church. This is because the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) titled it “Paralipomena” (meaning “things omitted” or “supplements”), leading to the misconception that it was merely a supplement or appendix to 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. Furthermore, the book contains as many as fourteen chapters of genealogies (1 Chronicles 1-9, 23-27), which were considered dry and tedious. Additionally, it records many historical events that overlap with Samuel and Kings, making it seem redundant. However, Chronicles is the longest Old Testament book after Psalms and Isaiah, and its sheer length alone indicates its significance. During the Reformation, Martin Luther’s German translation adopted the name “Chronikon,” meaning “records of ages” or “chronicle,” which aligned with the meaning of its original Hebrew name. From then on, the Holy Spirit’s illumination was re-opened, allowing us to see that this is a book greatly needed by the New Testament church.

Let’s compare the differences between Chronicles and Kings:

1 Focus of the Narrative: The focus of Kings is on the evil deeds of the kings, whereas the focus of Chronicles is on their good deeds. Samuel and Kings, which are adjacent books in the Hebrew Old Testament, cover only 500 years. However, Chronicles starts much earlier, beginning with Adam, the earliest ancestor of humanity, and ends later. This is a primary difference.

2 Historical Context and Purpose: Samuel and Kings conclude during the period of exile, but Chronicles ends by speaking of the return to the land, saying, “Let us go up to Jerusalem.” This is the ending of Chronicles, indicating that the authors’ tasks were distinctly different, and they achieved their goals in different ways. Samuel and Kings had to explain to the people why they were taken into exile. However, by the time Chronicles was written, its readers already acknowledged their mistakes, so the book aimed to encourage them and send them back to Jerusalem for rebuilding.

3 Timing, Perspective, and Emphasis: Samuel and Kings were written relatively soon after the events they describe, while Chronicles was largely written much later. Samuel and Kings are primarily political histories, whereas Chronicles emphasizes the religious history of the same period. Samuel and Kings present a prophetic perspective, while Chronicles offers a priestly perspective, leading to significant differences in viewpoint. Kings focuses on the kings’ failures leading to disaster, but Chronicles emphasizes God’s faithfulness. The author of Chronicles downplays the kings’ flaws and highlights their virtues. Kings emphasizes morality, with “righteousness” as a key term—whether these kings were righteous. Chronicles, however, is more interested in rituals, the Temple, and sacrifices, placing its emphasis on faith.

Chronicles is essentially a sermon for the returning exiles. They were disheartened after returning, everything had to start from scratch, and simply making a living was difficult. They lived in poverty, and the rebuilding of the Temple progressed slowly, requiring the urging of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to continue the work. But the author also wanted to remind them to put God first, that their return was for the purpose of being God’s people, to restore their identity as God’s people.

We Christians also need to carry on the teaching of Chronicles. It is not dry history but holds a different message from Kings. It gives us hope for the future, helps us understand the purpose of our lives, and clarifies our true identity: we are God’s people living as foreigners in a strange land. Let us read Chronicles with new eyes and learn new lessons from it.

Edited and compiled from David Pawson’s “Unlocking the Old Testament” series of audio recordings.