The First and Second Books of the Chronicles

In approximately 540–535 B.C., the Medes and Persians defeated Babylon and became the major power in the Middle East and Asia. Shortly after coming to power, Cyrus, king of Persia, invited the Jews to return to their homelands after over fifty years in Babylonian captivity. The books of 1–2 Chronicles were written sometime after the return of the Jews. Originally, 1–2 Chronicles were one book, but later translators separated them into two.

Getting Ready to Study 1–2 Chronicles

The writers of Chronicles sought to retell the history of the Jews during the time of the kings, so Chronicles covers the same time period as 1–2 Samuel and 1–2 Kings. In fact, some of Chronicles seems to simply quote from those books. Occasionally, however, Chronicles emphasizes different points. For example, Chronicles includes much more detail about temple articles and temple events since at the time Chronicles was written the Jews had a temple but no kings.

Because so much of Chronicles contains information you have already studied, this study guide does not discuss each chapter. You will only receive reading helps for 2 Chronicles 15 and 20 since they contain stories not found in 1–2 Kings. For other selected parts of 1–2 Chronicles, you will only complete activities.

• 1 Chronicles 22:5–19: Preparing to Build the Temple

• 1 Chronicles 29:29: “The Acts of David the King”

• 2 Chronicles 3:1: Solomon Begins to Build the Temple

• 2 Chronicles 7:1–12: The Glory of the Lord

• 2 Chronicles 11:13–17: The Levites Return

• 2 Chronicles 15: Asa Obeys a Prophet’s Counsel

• 2 Chronicles 20: Asa’s Son Jehoshaphat

• 2 Chronicles 26:14–21: Uzziah Becomes a Leper

• 2 Chronicles 29:1–11: “Be Not Now Negligent”

• 2 Chronicles 36:11–16: Wickedness in Jerusalem