We return to Kings/Samuel: The Abridged Version. Since we've already read ALL OF THIS I'm afraid there isn't much of interest to report. Chapters 24, 25, and 26 outline the divisions of the priests, musicians, and "doorkeepers" respectively. The doorkeepers are apparently temple guards of some kind, and are grouped with clerks and magistrates. Mostly these chapters consist of long lists of names which are, as you can imagine, completely riveting.
Chapter 27 lists the notable army officials, commenting that no census exists of the Israelites under the age of twenty. Apparently, Joab tried to make one but it "brought down wrath on Israel" (1 Chronicles 27:24) and he had to stop. What a bummer! I love reading numbers and names!
1 Chronicles wraps up David's reign, and 2 Chronicles kicks off with Solomon; the whole crazy and fantastic story of Absalom vying for the crown is omitted, which is too bad. These early chapters concern Solomon's efforts to build the temple, along with a shortened description of how many cubits everything is. Solomon erects some pillars and names them Jachin and Boaz, which is pretty weird since they are inanimate objects. I wonder if the pillars talk to him when no one else is around, like in Calvin and Hobbes.
Is that funny or am I making too much of a stretch? Cut me some slack here! I have nothing to work with!
Chapters 5 and 6 concern the dedication of the temple, which is exactly like the first account of the dedication of the temple, except I think at some point the word "Levite" replaces the less specific term "priest." Good thing there is a whole 'nother book for this.
Oh well, at least now I'm getting a recap of all this stuff... I tend to fade in and out of attention while I'm reading this stuff, so I figure it will stick in my brain at least one of the times I read it!
ReplyDeleteThe best name I found in this reading was Happizzez. It's like Happiness but with z's!