Day 34, 1 Chronicles 11-23

I was under the impression that Chronicles was going to revisit but expand upon everything we've read thus far. Actually, the Chronicler mostly just revisits. Today's reading recaps David's reign, some of the sections echoing the second book of Samuel word for word! That's no fun!

After reading a few chapters and being disappointed I took it upon myself to figure out EXACTLY how Chronicles differs from the books of Samuel and Kings. Here is a handy list of what is included:

1. David's preparation for building the temple
2. David numbers and distributes the Levites
3. David arranges the singers, players and temple ritual
4. David prepares for temple officers
5. The war between Abijah and Jeroboam
6. The reform of Manasseh,
7. The Passover of Josiah
8. Extra genealogical materials 

That's IT! It's like reading a book, and then reading the cliffnotes for a book, but instead of the cliffnotes being different and helpful they're just THE EXACT SAME FREAKIN' THING. 

I don't believe there are two full books of this!

Anyway, with such scant material I'm at a loss to do much, but I will share four things that I found interesting in this recycled text. The first comes in chapter 11, when we find out how Joab gets his job as David's army commander. It is entirely conceivable -- in fact, even likely -- that this story was already told in 2 Samuel and I just missed it, but oh well. Basically, when David and the Israelites go to seize Jerusalem from the Jebusites, David promises a position of leadership to the first man to kill someone. The ever blood-thirsty Joab is his guy!

On the topic of violence, Chronicles omits David's slaying of Goliath. However, the author also removed the contradictory passage from 2 Samuel that credited Elhanan with the death; here, Elhanan kills Goliath's brother.

Chapter 21 recaps the forbidden census that David took, except this time he is incited to do it by SATAN! Wow! I think this is Satan's first appearance in the bible. Hope we'll see more of him.

As the list notes, the Chronicler pays a whole lot more attention to the Levites -- not that it's particularly interesting -- and also goes into greater detail about David's plans for the temple. Apparently the reason that Solomon was selected to build it instead of David was that David was a battle-scarred soldier, whereas Solomon's reign would represent peacetime. In chapter 22 David explains this all to the young prince, which is kind of cute. 

Tomorrow's reading will wrap up David's reign, meaning that soon we get to hear about all the other kings. Oh god. I just finished reading about them and now I have to read everything again. Wish me luck!