Joshua E. Williams and Calvin F. Pearson, 1-2 Chronicles (Kerux)

Williams, Joshua E., and Calvin F. Pearson. 1-2 Chronicles. A Commentary for Biblical Preaching and Teaching. Kerux Commentaries. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Ministry, 2024. 574 pp. Hb. $41.99 Link to Kregel Ministry

Joshua Williams is associate professor of Old Testament in the School of Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as assistant editor of the Southwestern Journal of Theology from 2007 to 2016. Calvin F. Pearson (PhD, University of Texas at Arlington) is a retired pastor who taught homiletics at Dallas Theological Seminary, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Clamp Divinity School at Anderson University, and Grace School of Theology. He previously contributed the preaching section for the Kerux volume on Jeremiah (with Duane Garrett, Kregel 2022, reviewed here).

Kregel’s Kerux commentary series blends exegetical commentary with extensive preaching help. This approach is evident in the new volume on 1-2 Chronicles, a book rarely preached in most churches. The authors divide the two books into thirty-five preaching units in three major categories). These preaching units are summarized at the beginning of the commentary (pages 13-31) and repeated in each chapter of the commentary. These summaries include an exegetical idea, theological focus, preaching idea, and preaching pointers for each unit.

In the brief twelve-page introduction, Williams acknowledges that the book is anonymous. Despite the tradition that Ezra was the author, he concludes that the evidence points to another author, usually referred to as “the Chronicler” (38). Chronicles is a complex piece of literature that uses Samuel, Kings, and several Psalms. However, in the body of the commentary, Williams is not interested in tracing out what the Chronicler’s sources may have been. He dates the book to the post-exilic period. Since the book shows no signs of Greek influence, it was likely completed in the late Persian period, possibly as late as 350 BC. Williams briefly outlines the historical setting (how Israel came to be in exile and their return). Several generations have passed since the temple was rebuilt, so the Chronicler wants to remind his readers that God did not abandon his covenant people in exile. He wants to remind the community that they still have a responsibility toward YHWH in worship (42). Therefore, 1-2 Chronicles is a “prophetic histography,” a theological history that points to the future and contains a call to action. Like the prophets, the book calls on its readers to worship YHWH properly and exclusively (43).

The commentary centers on four interrelated theological themes: covenant, cult (worship), kingdom, and community (a preacher’s alliteration?) Consistent with the rest of the Old Testament, Israel is in a covenant relationship with YHWH. The covenant promises blessing for the obedient and punishment for the disobedient. The Chronicler ultimately applies this theology of retribution to Israel after the exile. YHWH remembered his covenant and called his people to rebuild his temple in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the exclusive place to worship YHWH alone, and Moses is the law that sets the standard for evaluating that worship. The king’s primary task is to unify Israel’s worship in the Jerusalem Temple (46). Kings are evaluated by how they treat the temple. So, what sort of a community is Israel now after the exile? The Chronicler addresses this post-exilic identity crisis by showing that all of Israel was and still is God’s covenant people, even the northern tribes.

William’s exposition of the Hebrew text is clear and concise. Given the size of 1-2 chronicles, he necessarily treats paragraphs. He deals with Hebrew technical matters in sidebars or “translation analysis.” Hebrew appears untransliterated. The commentary body is very readable and demonstrates exegetical skill, yet it is still focused on preaching and teaching the text in a church context. Certainly, Williams has utilized the best commentaries, but the main body of the commentary is uncluttered by references to secondary literature.

Pearson’s preaching strategies are rich in illustrations, although they are not as contemporary as other volumes in this series. (there are no Lord of the Rings or MCU analogies!) His goal is to put things in New Testament terms, bridging the gap between the text of chronicles and contemporary culture. The preaching sections conclude with a suggested sermon outline and a few discussion questions that should be helpful for preachers and teachers.

Most of 1-2 Chronicles is narrative and lends itself to the pulpit. But how does someone preach from 1 Chronicles 1-9? Most pastors would not attempt to preach the genealogies, starting a series on Chronicles with chapter 10. This is perhaps a wise strategy. Williams does not attempt a complete exegesis of the genealogies (it is unnecessary for the most part). Instead, he makes a few general comments and addresses any anomalies. For example, why are there no genealogies for the tribes of Zebulon or Dan? He suggests this may be due to the misidentification of Dan’s genealogy as Benjamin’s in 7:1-12. Benjamin has a lengthy genealogy in 8:1-39. However, there is no textual evidence for this.

The theological focus of the genealogies is that the Lord rules over all the nations and Israel (73). Pearson suggests a preaching strategy from this: “What defines you is God’s choice and expectation” (75). He suggests we need to hear the genealogies, as did the returning exiles: The crisis of the exile did not define Israel. Pearson suggests that only selected verses need to be read. In fact, a few short narratives in the genealogies illustrate the themes of Chronicles. Unsurprisingly, the “Prayer of Jabez” is one of these units (1 Chron 4:9-10). Very practically, he suggests practicing pronouncing names before preaching. He says that if you stumble over a name, it makes that person seem less useful.

This is an excellent strategy for teaching through the first nine chapters of 1-2 Chronicles. What I did not find helpful are the three-quarter-column reproductions of the twelve patriarchs by Spanish artist Francisco de Zurbarán. These are good if you are interested in seventeenth-century clothing styles but add nothing to understanding the genealogies in 1 Chronicle 1-9. The space would have been better for a summary chart or additional detailed exegesis.

A commentary on 1-2 Chronicles can focus on differences from Samuel-Kings, whether historical or theological. Williams does not do this. His focus is solely on Chronicles. He does not use Samuel-kings to fill out the story and is not interested in how Chronicles used sources (or even if there are sources). For example, who tests David when he takes the census in 2 Samuel 25 and 1 Chronicles 21:1– 22:1? Is it God or Satan? The difference may be theologically significant (see Ralph Klein’s Chronicles commentary in the Herminia series). Although he briefly comments on the differences in the census numbers, Williams does not compare the two stories to explain developments in early Jewish theology. The story is part of the Chronicler’s theme of proper worship centered on the Temple in Jerusalem since the story ultimately explains the location of Solomon’s Temple.

Conclusion: Few pastors or teachers have a good 1-2 Chronicles commentary on their shelf, and few will devote a sermon series or Sunday School class to these neglected books. Williams and Pearson succeed in illuminating the biblical text and providing insights that will enhance the presentation of these books.

For a more detailed exegetical commentary from a conservative perspective, see my review of Eugene Merrill’s contribution to the Kregel Exegetical Library. If you are interested in a detailed academic introduction to Chronicles and the study of the genealogies in chapters 1-9, see Gary Knoppers, I Chronicles 1-9 in the Anchor Bible series (Yale, 2004).

NB: I used YHWH for the name of God since Williams uses it in this commentary. Thanks to Kregel for kindly providing me with a review copy of this book. This did not influence my thoughts regarding the work.

Other volumes reviewed in this series: