Year 9, Day 284: 1 Chronicles 11

Theological Commentary: Click Here

1 Chronicles 11 continues to demonstrate the agenda of the Chronicler in its message.  Chronicles is a book written with a specific purpose, and the manner in which the story is told serves that purpose well.  The Chronicler is telling the story in a vastly different manner than Samuel told the story.

First, look at the simple transition that the Chronicler gives regarding Saul being king to David being king.  It seems like the elders come to David and accept his leadership.  Gone are the stories that Samuel gives us about potential rebellion and splits among the Hebrew leadership.

Why would the Chronicler spin the story this way?  The Chronicler is writing during a return from exile.  People are coming back to a broken land and feel their brokenness all to real.  The fractures among the people caused by the exile are felt at almost every turn.  The Chronicler needs to inspire hope and unity in the people.  Therefore, the turmoil of the transition from Saul to David are glossed over completely.

The same is also true about the conquest of Jerusalem.  The Chronicler would have us believe that the fight for Jebus was quick and painless.  We know that this also isn’t true.  Jebus, or Jerusalem, was a well defended by its military force and its geography.  The fight was won by David, but it was no simple battle.

Again we see the purpose of the Chronicler in this over-simplification of the story.  Jerusalem is being rebuilt.  The people don’t need a story about the difficulty in taking Jerusalem.  The people need a story reminding them that God’s will made the impossible quite possible.  The people need to know that when God fights for them, they can be successful.

Finally, we look to the extensive report of David’s mighty men.  Compared to the stories that come before this section of the text, the Chronicler speaks volumes about these mighty men.  Why would the Chronicler use such detail?

In each of these stories, one of David’s mighty men has done something seemingly impossible.  David’s mighty men show how people can succeed when the world assumes failure is inevitable.  Remember that the Chronicler is speaking to a people who are returning from exile with little money, little resources, and little unity.  They need to be inspired about the impossible.  They need to know that people who came before them trusted God and God delivered.  They need to have faith that their sacrifice will be worth it.

<><