(4) Record of Distribution of Lands. These two purposes, which are closely allied, will serve to demonstrate the perfect congruity of all that is peculiar in the Chronicles. They account for the genealogical tables, the specifications of tribes and families with their situation, as also for a variety of references to the priests and Lcvites, to the preparations made by David for building the temple, the reformations which took place at dif ferent periods, the prosperity of such kings as feared Jehovah and walked in his ways, to the marvelous interpositions of Heaven on behalf of those who trusted in Him alone, to the idolatry of Israel and their consequent misfortunes.
The books of Chronicles as compared with those of Kings are more didactic than historical. The historical tendency is subordinated to the didactic. Indeed, the purely historic form appears to be pre served only in so far as it presented an appro priate medium for those religious and moral ob servations which the author was directed to ad duce. Samuel and Kings are more occupied with the relation of political occurrences; while the Chronicles furnish detailed accounts of eccle siastical institutions.
(5) Sources. A thorough examination of these books as compared with those of Samuel and Kings will satisfy the inquirer that the latter were known to Ezra and extensively used by him in the composition of Chronicles.
The earlier books themselves must have been compiled from annals. So far as the history con tained in them is concerned, it bears little evi dence of originality. It is true that the books of Samuel present no references to national records such as occur in Kings, hut their internal char acter and structure evince their derivation from annals contemporaneous with the events they re late.
But the books of Samuel and Kings are not the only source from which the Chronicles have been taken. Public documents formed the com mon groundwork of the three histories. The Pentateuch has also been used in their compila tion. A comparison of the first nine chapters of Chron. with the Nlosaic books will show the parallelism existing between them; and it should be especially noticed that I Chron. :43-54 agrees verbatim with Genesis xxxvi:31-43. Perhaps, how ever, this passage in both has been drawn from the same source.
It is evident that the Chronicles were compiled not only from former inspired writings, but, for the most part, from public records, registers, and genealogies belonging to the Jews. That national annals existed there can he no doubt. They are expressly mentioned. as in 1 Chron. xxvii They contained an account of the most important events in the history of the Hebrews, and were generally lodged in the tabernacle or temple.where they could he most conveniently consulted.
The histories of kings appear to have been usual ly written by prophets (t Chron. xxix : 2 Chron. ix:29; xii:15 ; xiii:22). I knee they con stantly refer to the divine rewards and punish ments characterizing the theocracy. These his torical writings of the prophets were, for the most part, inserted in the public annals, as is evident from 2 Chron. xx :34; xxxii :32 ; xii:t5; xxiv:27. Whether they were always so inserted is questionable, for they seem to be distinguished from the annals of the kingdom in 2 Chron. xxxiii :to.
From such sources Ezra extracted the accounts which he was prompted to write for the use of mankind in all ages. We cannot believe that his selection was indiscriminate or careless. His in spiration effectually secured him against every thing that was inaccurate or unsuitable to the pur poses for which he was supernaturally enlight ened. That he committed mistakes cannot for a
moment be admitted, else his history is impugned and its position in the canon inexplicable. His veracity, integrity, and scrupulous exactness must be held fast by every right-minded believer.
(6) The Character of Such Statements as are Peculiar to the Chronicles. From an inspection of t Chron. xvi:4-4i; t Chron. xxii-xxvi:28; xxviii; xxix; 2 Chron. xv:1-15; 2 Chron. xvii:7, etc.; xxvi:i6-2i ; • xxx; xxxi, it will be manifest that it was one design of Ezra to notice with particu larity the order of the divine worship as estab lished by David and Solomon, with various ref ormations in the theocracy that took place at dif ferent times. The Levitical priesthood, and the public service of God, are specially noticed and prominently brought into view. From 2 Chron. xiii.; xx :22, etc.; xix :2, etc.; xxv :7, etc., it is evi dent that God's miraculous interference on behalf of Judah, and his displeasure with idolatrous Israel, were also intended to be depicted. In ac cordance with the same object, pious kings evin cing appropriate zeal for the glory of Jehovah are commended, and their efforts marked with ap proval (comp. 2 Chron. xiv:6-r5; xvii :to, etc.: xx; xxvi :5, etc.; xxvii :4-6, etc.), while the ruin of idolatrous practices is forcibly adduced (2 Chron. xxi :to. tt, etc.; xxviii :5. etc.; xxxiii :it, etc.: xxv :14, etc.; xxxvi:6).
Conclusions. Such are the character istic peculiarities of these books; and we now ask the impartial reader to consid er if they be not worthy of the Holy Spirit under whose guidance the Chronicles were written. Are they not admirably in unison with the character of Ezra the high-priest and re former? What more natural, or more accordant with the solicitudes of this holy man, than to dwell upon such matters as relate to the wor ship of Jehovah, to the priests, and Levites? Sure ly he was appropriately directed to record the reformations effected by godly kings, and the dis astrous consequences of forsaking the true God, whose zeal was abundantly manifested in reform, and to whom idolatry was peculiarly offensive. And yet upon these very chapters and paragraphs charges the most flagrant have been founded. The author of them has been accused of hatred to Israel. predilection for the Levites, love of the marvelous, design to magnify pious kings and to heighten the mistakes of the kingdom of Israel. It is unnecessary to enter into any refutation of these monstrous accusations. They bear with them their own condemnation. They are the offspring of that Rationalism which resolves to see nothing but what it relishes. On every page of these his torical books are impressed genuineness and hon esty. The writer candidly refers to the sources whence his information was derived; and con temporary readers, placing implicit reliance on his statements, allowed the original documents to perish. relates many things disgraceful to Judah and its kings, while he evinces no desire to palliate or conceal sin. He even retains, as we have seen before, expressions incongruous with his own age, and therefore exactly copied from the ancient records. Surely a writer guilty of falsification would have been careful to alter these into exact correspondence with his own times. Transparent simplicity of character needs not such minutiae.