It has been inquired wbetiier our present books of Samuel and Kings were among the sources whence the Chronicle writer drew his materials ? The question is answered in the affirmstlTe by De Wette, Morers, and Bleek ; by Hivemick and others in the negative. The first-named critic adduces three arguments in fkvor of the faypotiiesis that the parallel accouqts were derived from the earlier books, only one of which appears to us T^lid, viz., the certiadnty of the Chronist's having known the earlier books. After denying the force of all these arguments, Keil proceeds to adduce some pos- itive grounds against the hypothesis that the books of Kings and Samuel were used as sources. The consid- erations adduced by him, however, are singulariy want- ing in yalidity (Einleitung, p. 480-482, Frcf. 1858). If the compiler of Chronicles knew the canonical books, why should it be thought that he abstained from using them ? They would have ftcOitated bis work. The most convincing proof that he both knew and used tliem is ftimished by some forty parallels, which are often verbal. Thus, in 2 Chron. i, 14-17, there is a paragraph almost verbally coinciding with 1 Kings x, 26-29. Again, 1 Chron. xvii and 3cviii are in many plaees verbally parallel with 2 Sam. vii and viii. Com- pare also 1 Chron. xix, 1-xx, 1, with 2 Sam. x-xi ; 2 Chron. x, 1-xi, 4, with 1 Kings xii, 1-24 ; 2 Chron. xv, 16-18, with 1 Kings xv, 18-15 ; 2 Chron. xxv, 1-4, 17- 28, with 2 Kings xiv, 1-6, 8-20; 2 Chron. xxxiii, 1-9, with 2 Kings xxi, 1-9 ; 2 Chron. xxxiii, 21-25, with 2 Kings xxi, 19-26, etc. Nor can all these coincidences be explained by a common use of the older documents, for in many of the passages, evidently abridgments, the compression or selection is identical. See Sam- irsL (Books of).
On the other hand, many particulars, more especial- ly in the lives of David and Solomon, recorded in these books, are entirely passed over in the Chronicles, and in their stead are given notioes of the state of religion and of public worship.
(1.) TheprineipaiimiusUmtmtheCfhromckiaTe: The family scene between Michal and David (2 Sam. vi, 20-28) ; David*s kindness to Mephibosheth (^ Sam. ix) ; his adultly with Bathsheba (2 Sam. xi, 2-xii, 25); his son Amnon*s defilement of Tamar, and the rebel- lion of Absalom (2 Sam. xiv-xix); the revolt of She- ba(2 Sam. xx); the delivering up of SauPs sons to the Gibeonites (2 SauL xxi, 1-14) ; the war with the Phfl- istfaies (2 Sam. xxi, 15-17) ; David's psalm of thanks- giring, and last words (2 Sam. xxii-xxiii, 7) ; Adoni- jsh*8 attempted usurpation, and the anointing of Sol- omon (1 Kin^ i) ; David's last will (1 Kings ii, 1-9) ; Solomon's throne established by the punishment of his opponents (1 Kings ii, 18-46) ; his marriage with Pha^ raoh's daughter (1 Kings iii, 1) ; his wise decision (1 II.— T
Kings iii, 16-28); his ofieen, gloiy, and wisdom (1 Kings iv) ; his strange wives, and idolatry (1 Kings :d, 1-40). The entire omission of the history of the king- dom of Israel, except that it was carried away captive by the Assyrians, as a pumshment for its sins (1 Chron. v, 25, 26), is noteworthy (see above, { 5).
(2.) MaUerpmiiiar to the Ckromelet^-The list of the heroes who caiAe to David at Ziklag, and of the hosts who came to Hebron to make him Ung (1 Chron. xii) ; David's preparatbn for building the Temple (ch. xxii) ; the enumeration and order (ji the Levites and priests (ch. xxiii-xxvi) ; the order of the army and ito cap- tains (ch. xxvU) ; David's directions in public assem- bly shortly before his death (ch. xxviii, xxix) ; Reho- boam's fortifications, his deception of the priests and Levites who fled from the kingdom of Israel, his wives and children (2 Chron. xi, 5-24) ; Ab^'s war with Je- roboam (xiii, 8-20) ; the notice of Abijah''s wives and children (xiii, 21) ; Asa's works in fortifying his khig- dom and bis victory over Zerah the Cushite (xlv, 8-14); a prophecy of Azariah, which induced Asa to put down idolatry (xv, 1-15) ; the address of the prophet Hanani (xvi, 7-10); Jehoehaphat's endeavors to restore the worship ci Jdiovah, his power and riches (xvii, 2- xviii, 1); his instructions and ordinances as to judg- ment (ch. xix) ; his victory over the Ammonites and MoaUtes (xx, 1-80) ; his provision for bis sons, and their death by his son and successor, Jehoram (xxi, 2- 4) ; Jehoram's idolatry and punishment (xxi, 11-19) ; the death of the high-priest Jehcdada, and the apos- tasy of Joash (xxiv, 15-22) ; Amasiah's warlike prep- arations (xxv, 5-10); his idobtry (xxv, 14-16); Ua- siah's wars, victories, and forces (xxvi, 6-15); Jo- tham's war with the Anunonites (xxvii, 4:-6) ; Hese- kiah's reformation and passover (xxix, 8-xxxi, 21) ; his riches (xxxii, 17-80) ;. Manasseh's captiWty, re- lease, and reformation (xxxiii, 11-17).
(3,) MoMernu>refuU9relatedmC^romcki.''Tb»ViBi' of David's heroes (1 Chron. xii, 11-47), of which the names (ver. 42-47) are wanting in 2 Sam. xxiii, 8, etc. ; thf removal of the ark from Kirjath-jearim to Mount Zkm (1 Chron. xiii ; xv, 2-24 ; xvi, 4-48 ; comp. with 2 Sam. vi) ; the candlesticks, tables, and courts of the Temple (2 Chron. iv, 6-9 ; comp. with 1 Kings vii, 88, 89) ; the description of the brazen scaffold, on which Solomon kneh (2 Chron. vi, 12, 18, with 1 Khigs viii, 22); in Solomon's prayer, the passage 2 Chron. vi, 41, 42, from Psa. cxxxii, 7-9 ; the mention of the fire from heaven consuming the burnt-offering (2 Chron. vii, 1, ^ etc.) ; the enlargement of the divine promise (2 Chron. vii, 12, 16, with 1 Kings ix, 8) ; Shishak's hivasion of Judaoa ; the address of the prophet Shemaiah (2 Chron. xii, 2-8, with 1 Kings xiv, 28); Amaziah's victory over the Edomites (2 Chron. xxv, 11-16, with 2 Kings xiv, 7) ; Uzziah's leprosy ; its. cause (2 Chron. xxvi, 16-21, with 2 Kings xv, 5) ; the passover under Josiah (2 Chron. xxxv, 2-19, with 2 Kings xxii, 21, etc.).