In English Bibles, the books of 1–2 Chronicles are grouped with the historical books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1–2 Samuel, and 1–2 Kings. The reason is that the content of 1–2 Chronicles overlaps with the books of Samuel and Kings. The books of 1–2 Chronicles present the story of the Israelite monarchy, both in the days when it was united over all twelve tribes and afterward when it was divided into two kingdoms.
While the books of Chronicles follow the story of Israel’s united monarchy under David and Solomon presented in Samuel and Kings, the accounts of their reigns in Chronicles are substantially different. The chronicler (the name given to whoever fashioned the history presented in 1–2 Chronicles) systematically censors the material of 1–2 Samuel.
Perhaps the best example of this censoring is the fact that David’s lurid affair with Bathsheba and his subsequent arrangement of her husband Uriah’s death (2 Samuel 11). The incident occurred in connection with David’s military campaigns against Ammon and Syria (2 Sam. 10–11:1). While the chronicler details those campaigns, he says nothing about David’s evil (1 Chron. 19–20). These omissions reflect a pattern whereby David and Solomon are portrayed only positively.
It’s easy for us to read this as pure propaganda. In one sense, it is. But we must recall that the Old Testament in its final form does in fact include 1–2 Samuel and 1–2 Kings, so the Bible doesn’t whitewash the sins of David and Solomon. Readers would not be deceived. Understanding what the chronicler does requires understanding his goal and context.
Scholars are unanimous that 1–2 Chronicles were written after the exile. In the Hebrew Bible’s arrangement, these are the last two books. Both the northern and southern kingdoms had committed idolatry, worshipping other gods, flaunting God’s law. The northern kingdom had forsaken David’s dynasty, something God had also specifically instituted. These corporate rebellions had been the cause of God’s wrath and the exile.
God’s restoration of the kingdom of Judah after seventy years in exile was a second chance. The chronicler rewrote the nation’s history with an eye toward reminding his readers of what had led to the debacle: forsaking David and his heir, Solomon, and worshipping other gods. The forgiven nation must be loyal to David’s dynasty. There was no room for rebellion. The nation must honor God’s chosen line as it worshipped God alone. Toward motivating that loyalty, the chronicler’s account presents David and Solomon at their best—the glory days of the nation—to make people want that good life once more.