The two Books of Chronicles form a supplement to Samuel II and Kings, repeating in substance the history of events from the death of king Saul to the Babylonian captivity. In Chronicles however, there are both additions to and omissions from the story; it is told more briefly and in less detail than in the Books of Samuel and Kings.
The first nine chapters of the First Book of Chronicles consist of a catalogue of the official genealogies of the children of Israel, beginning with Creation.
After the genealogies, Chronicles I describes again Israel’s defeat by the Philistines at mount Gilboa, the death of Saul, the anointing of David as king over all Israel, the capture of Zion and of Jerusalem, the bringing in of the Ark into Zion, the wars of David.
Peculiar to Chronicles I is a detailed account of David’s instructions and preparations for the building of the Temple and his directions for its rituals. It is upon the completion of these preparations that he utters his great prayer of thanksgiving, quoted here in part:
Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. . . .
Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all. . . .
Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.
But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.29:10–15
O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee.29:18