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Book of 2 Chronicles

Chapters

Author and Date
See 1 Chronicles

Theme and Message
The Chronicler has used the Pentateuchal history as a model for his account of the reigns of David and Solomon.
Similarly, the Pentateuchal record of the building of the tabernacle affects his account of the building of the temple:

  • 1.The building of the tabernacle was entrusted to Bezalel and Oholiab ( -- ), and they provide the Chronicler's model for the relationship of Solomon and Huram-Abi (). It is significant that the only references to Bezalel outside the book of Exodus are in Chronicles ().
  • 2. Solomon is the new Bezalel:
    • (1) Both Solomon and Bezalel are designated by name for their tasks by God; they are the only workers on their projects to be chosen by name ().
    • (2) Both are from the tribe of Judah ().
    • (3) Both receive the Spirit to endow them with wisdom (), and Solomon's vision at Gibeon () dominates the preface to the account of the temple construction ().
    • (4) Both build a bronze altar for the sanctuary () -- significantly, the bronze altar is not mentioned in the summary list of Huram-Abi's work ().
    • (5) Both make the sanctuary furnishings ().
  • 3. Similarly, Huram-Abi becomes the new Oholiab:
    • (1) In the account of the temple building in Kings, Huram-Abi is not mentioned until after the story of the main construction of temple and palace has been told (); in Chronicles he is introduced as being involved in the building work from the beginning, just as Oholiab worked on the tabernacle from the beginning ().
    • (2) Kings speaks only of Huram-Abi's skill in casting bronze (); in Chronicles, however, his list of skills is the same as Oholiab's ().
    • (3) Kings reports that the mother of Huram-Abi was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali (); Chronicles, however, states that she was a widow from the tribe of Dan (), thus giving Huram-Abi the same ancestry as Oholiab (). See note on .
  • 4. The plans for both tabernacle and temple are given by God (; see see also -- not mentioned in Samuel and Kings).
  • 5. The spoils of war are used as building materials for both tabernacle and temple (; see -- not mentioned in Samuel and Kings).
  • 6.The people contribute willingly and generously for both structures (; see -- not mentioned in Samuel and Kings).
  • 7.The glory cloud appears at the dedication of both structures ().
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