Who Wrote 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles?

Old Testament scholars generally speak of two major strands of historical narrative—the Deuteronomistic History (hereafter DH—Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings) and the Chronicler’s History (hereafter CH—1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah). In broad terms the former is a history of Israel from a perspective that reflects preexilic and exilic views, and the latter from a generally postexilic perspective. For instance, the DH traces the history of Israel in the light of her faithfulness, or lack thereof, to the law, the Mosaic covenant. The failure of the nation as a whole to live by that covenant led to the exile as a judgment for serial idolatry. The CH understands the exile as a judgment on Israel for her failure to “seek the Lord,” and for “forsaking the Lord” (see below under “Purpose and Themes”). These are not mutually exclusive concepts, but a matter of perspective. While this contrast is helpful in identifying different themes and emphases (especially where the two histories overlap) there are serious questions about the notion of a single “Deuteronomistic historian” and the identity of “the chronicler.”

Jewish tradition, followed by a number of later scholars and commentators, attributes authorship of the books of Chronicles to Ezra the priest and scribe (Ezr 7:1-6), author of the book by the same name (and likely the author of Nehemiah). The strongest argument for this tradition is that the last verses of 2 Chronicles (2Ch 36:22-23) contain wording identical to that of the opening words of Ezra’s book (Ezr 1:1-3). Furthermore, internal analysis of the books of the Chronicles makes it clear that there was a single author who used a variety of sources, a person who was intimately familiar with the temple and the services in the temple (cf. 1Ch 23, 24; 2Ch 2–5). There is a consistency of literary style and vocabulary, as the commentary will show, and a consistent theological perspective (cf. Payne, J. Barton, “1, 2 Chronicles,” in vol. 4 EBC, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein. [Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1988], 305). This person was in a unique position to understand the need for such a book as Chronicles and also had the ability to write it.

While Ezra seems to fit all of these criteria, scholarship (evangelical and otherwise) is still divided on the question of his authorship of these books. The author of Chronicles appears to have had some ideas that were dissimilar to those of Ezra. The Chronicler (as it has become custom to refer to the author of these books) seems to have had a more open view with respect to mixed marriages (Jews and non-Jews) than does Ezra (see Neh 13:26; but not a word in protest appears about Solomon’s wives from the Chronicler; 2Ch 8:11). Ezra, Nehemiah, and those who returned from the captivity often found themselves at odds with those who had remained in the land through the captivity (epitomized later in the conflict between the Samaritans and the Jews). Yet the Chronicler has given no evidence of such a conflict.

Indeed, the Chronicler seems to have intentionally included in his community any and all who could trace their heritage to the Israel of the United Monarchy. While his focus was on the Davidic dynasty and the southern kingdom of Judah, he regularly included, and had, in contrast to the author of Kings, a generally positive attitude toward the northern kingdom. The tribes of the northern kingdom are often included when he uses the expression “all Israel”; for instance, in the acknowledgment of the legitimacy of the Davidic king (1Ch 11:3) and the primacy of the temple in Jerusalem as the locus for true worship (1Ch 13:5; 28:1; cf. 2Ch 30:11, 18-19). These differences tend to militate against identifying Ezra as the Chronicler.

It seems best simply to affirm that the author of the Chronicles was likely a Levite, or at least one who served in the temple services, who sought by his extensive but selective history to bring encouragement and unity to the postexilic Jewish community.