the First Week of Advent
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Dictionaries
Chronicles
People's Dictionary of the Bible
or Chronicles, books of. Among the ancient Jews these formed but one book, though they are now divided in Hebrew Bibles, as well as in our own, into two. They were called The Words of Days, i.e., Diaries or Journals. The Septuagint translators denominated them Paraleipomena, Things omitted; and from Jerome we have derived the name "Chronicles." They are an abridgment of the whole of the sacred history, more especially tracing the Hebrew nation from its origin, and detailing the principal events of the reigns of David and Solomon, and of the succeeding kings of Judah down to the return from Babylon. The writer goes over much the same ground as the author of the books of Kings, with whose work he was probably acquainted. He does not, however, merely produce a supplement, hut works out his narrative independently after his own manner. The composition of the books is ascribed to Ezra by Jewish and Christian tradition, and in language and style they resemble the book of Ezra. The date of Chronicles cannot be fixed earlier than the return from exile; and as the history ends with the decree of Cyrus, that may be assumed as the time of their composition.
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Chronicles'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/rpd/c/chronicles.html. 1893.
