does not inspire confidence, but part may rest on old tradition; cp. the headnote to 1 Chr. xii. 1—22. Many of the references in ch. i.—ix. (e.g. vii. 24, viii. 12, etc.) to Judean townships, whether explicitly mentioned (e.g. 1 Chr. vi. 54 ff.), or lightly disguised in the genealogical tables (e.g. 1 Chr. ii. 18 ff., 50 ff), are valuable not only for information regarding the relationship of Jewish families and movements of southern peoples, Edomites and Arabians (see (1) above, and the note on 1 Chr. ii. 42), but also as evidence of the extent (small indeed!) of the territory occupied by the post-exilic Jewish community (cp. Hölscher, Palästina, pp. 18—23, 26—31). It is further plausibly suggested that notices of certain tribes of the Northern Kingdom (e.g. Ephraim and Manasseh) may be regarded as indications of the extension of Judaism in Samaria and Galilee about the Chronicler's period (see note on 2 Chr. xv. 9). The Chronicler was singularly interested in building operations (see, e.g. 2 Chr. xxvi. 9, xxxii. 30, xxxiii. 14) and some of his references to the building of fortified townships in Judea (2 Chr. xi. 5 ff., xiv. 6, xvi. 1—6, xvii. 12) and to the origin of buildings and gates in Jerusalem may be correct (see 2 Chr. xxvi. 5—10, note).
(3) As regards the letters and speeches which are ascribed by the Chronicler to various kings and prophets—e.g. David, Elijah, Azariah, etc.—these cannot be deemed authentic. For example, the great song of praise attributed to David in 1 Chr. xvi. 7 ff. is wholly composed of quotations from Psalms of late date. Such speeches or letters are examples of a device constantly and legitimately employed by ancient historians as a method of imparting vividness and spirit to their narrative. The letters and speeches represent simply what ought in the historian's opinion to have been written or spoken. The Greek historian, Thucydides, carefully states the practice: "I have," he writes, "put into the mouth of each speaker the sentiments proper to the occasion, expressed as I thought he would be likely to express them. . . ." (Thucy. i. 22)[1].
- ↑ The practice is not peculiar to Chronicles, and these remarks are generally true of the correspondence between Solomon and Hiram and
