the Fourth Week of Advent
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Bible Commentaries
Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary Poor Man's Commentary
Genealogies From Adam to Abraham and His Descendants.Chapter 2
Genealogies of Israel, Judah, and David's Line.Chapter 3
David's Sons and Royal Line to the Exile.Chapter 4
Tribes of Judah and Simeon; Jabez's Prayer.Chapter 5
Reuben, Gad, Half-Manasseh's Descendants; Captivity.Chapter 6
Levi's Descendants; Priesthood, Temple Musicians.Chapter 7
Tribes of Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Others Listed.Chapter 8
Tribe of Benjamin's Genealogy; Saul's Family.Chapter 9
Genealogies of Jerusalem's Inhabitants; Priestly Duties.Chapter 10
Saul's Death at Mount Gilboa.Chapter 11
David Anointed King; Jerusalem Captured.Chapter 12
David's Mighty Men and Supporters Listed.Chapter 13
Ark Brought From Kiriath-Jearim to Jerusalem.Chapter 14
David's Family Grows; Victory Over Philistines.Chapter 15
Ark Brought to Jerusalem; Rejoicing and Sacrifices.Chapter 16
David's Song of Thanksgiving; Appoints Levites.Chapter 17
God's Covenant With David and His Dynasty.Chapter 18
David's Military Victories and Officials.Chapter 19
David Defeats Ammonites and Arameans.Chapter 20
More Battles With Philistines; Goliath's Relatives.Chapter 21
David's Census; Plague Strikes Israel.Chapter 22
David Prepares for Temple Construction.Chapter 23
David Organizes the Levites for Temple Service.Chapter 24
Priestly Divisions Assigned by David.Chapter 25
Musicians and Singers for Temple Worship.Chapter 26
Gatekeepers, Treasurers, and Officials Listed.Chapter 27
David's Army Divisions and Officials Listed.Chapter 28
David's Instructions for Solomon; Temple Plans.Chapter 29
Contributions for the Temple; David's Prayer.
- 1 Chronicles
by Robert Hawker
THE FIRST BOOK OF
THE CHRONICLES
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
THE penman of this Book of God is generally supposed to have been Ezra, the scribe. And if so, it must have been written after the return of Israel from the Babylonish captivity; at a period of somewhat more than 500 years before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The records here made are very extensive, leading back the Reader to the time of Adam, and treasuring up the several heads of families, in a direct line from our first parent unto David and his descendants, by way of ascertaining the lineage of Jesus; and carrying on the history of the church long after the captivity, including upon the whole, a period of about 3600 years.
This part of the sacred writings, seems to have been written with an eye to the preservation, in the minds of the people of God, of the promised seed of the woman, in whom all blessings were to be centered. The Holy Ghost hath been graciously pleased also to record in this book, several interesting particulars referring to the church, which had either been omitted in former histories, or but in part noticed. As the Gospel of the beloved apostle, John, which was supplementary to the other memoirs of the blessed Jesus, contains many most precious things of Christ, which the other Evangelists had not noticed: so the Chronicles may be considered supplementary to the foregoing records of the church; and, over and above, several precious observations are set down, which the former writers had but slightly regarded, or wholly passed by.
But what I would most earnestly press upon the Reader's mind, as I have indeed in every book of God we have already gone through the review of, is the looking out for Jesus. It may happen, from such distant periods of the church as the opening of the Chronicles refers to, we may not be able to make such full discoveries, as the history nearer to Gospel-times may furnish: yet this, methinks, should be only made an occasion for greater and closer investigation, that we may not overlook the Lord Jesus in any part of his word, conscious that He is in and through the whole. Reader! let me charge it upon your heart, and may the Holy Ghost sweetly influence the same earnestness in my own, that our minds may be led out to seek for Jesus in every page and every chapter of this, as well as all the other books of God. And, as we are commanded by our Lord himself, to search the scriptures, because they testify of him; let us never overlook a single passage. The book of Chronicles will be found, not simply the record of endless genealogies, but a faithful account of generations, wholly with an eye to Him, who was made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. Blessed Author of this divine treasury! give both to Writer and Reader, as they prosecute the holy volume, increasing views of Him, to whom the whole Bible ministers; that, in whatever part we traverse, being graciously guided by thy blessed illumination, we may be sweetly instructed in his knowledge; and truly possess and enjoy that life eternal, which consisteth in knowing God the Father, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. Amen.
