The Historical Books: 1 Chronicles–2 Maccabees

Abstract

The Historical Books1 Chronicles–2 Maccabees Christopher T. Begg, Fred W. Guyette, Richard A. Taylor, and Thomas Hieke 556. [Levites of Memory in Chronicles; Historical Levites in Late-Persian Yehud] Ehud Ben Zvi, "Levites of Memory in Chronicles: and Some Considerations about Historical Levites in Late-Persian Yehud," Chronicles and the Priestly Literature, 281-304 [see #914]. In his contribution, B.Z. presents his view according to which the Levites in Chronicles are the "complementary other" of the priests as imagined by the Chronicler, rather than [End Page 189] as the latter's conflicting counterpart in reality. Reviewing the biblical and postbiblical sources about the Levites, he argues that the Levites as sanctuary singers and gatekeepers were never as influential a group as were the priests. B.Z. likewise interprets the Chronicler's depiction of the Levites as an instance of the "normalization" of social memory for purposes of social cohesion on the part of a small group of social literati in late Persianperiod Jerusalem. In other words, the Chronicler's depiction of the Levites reflects the literati's conception of how the Levites should have been viewed in the monarchic period on the basis of the literati's authoritative textual repertoire (including the Pentateuch and Ezekiel). [Adapted from editors' introduction, p. 8—C.T.B.] 557. [Atonement, Sacred Space, and Ritual Time in the Chronicler's Reading of the P Pentateuchal Narrative] Benjamin D. Giffone, "Atonement, Sacred Space and Ritual Time: The Chronicler as Reader of Priestly Pentateuchal Narrative," Chronicles and the Priestly Literature, 221-43 [see #914]. G.'s contribution reads and interprets accounts in Chronicles in light of texts of P and Ezekiel. Thus, e.g., he explains the motif of atonement and the extension of the festival in the Chronicler's account of Hezekiah's Passover (2 Chronicles 29) in relation to Leviticus 8–10 with its continuation in Leviticus 16 as well as Ezekiel 43–45. Similarly, G. interprets the narrative of Uzziah's incense offering in 2 Chr 26:16-23 against the background of Leviticus 10 and Numbers 16, and suggests a solution for the potential overlap between the Day of Atonement and Solomon's dedication of the temple (2 Chronicles 5–8) by reference to the appearance of the glory of Yhwh featured in Ezekiel 40 and 45. G. concludes that, as an early interpreter of Torah, the Chronicler seems to have charted a path that sought to include both the Deuteronomistic and the Priestly traditions (broadly understood) and both Levites and the Zadokite priests in their own specific and necessary cultic roles. [Adapted from editors' introduction, p. 7—C.T.B.] 558. [Chronicles; P; Scribes in the Postexilic Temple] Lester L. Grabbe, "Scribes in the Post Exilic Temple: A Social Perspective," Chronicles and the Priestly Literature, 201-20 [see #914]. G.'s essay approaches the overarching issue of the consonance and dissonance between the Chronicler's work and the Priestly materials of the HB from the perspective of priestly scribal culture. After reviewing scribal models from Egypt and Mesopotamia, G. narrows his focus to the priestly scribes in Yehud. Here, G. draws on a model from Homeric studies of transcribing oral traditions that he views as applicable to the formation of biblical texts. He concludes that P was produced during the Persian period by priestly scribes, whereas Chronicles was written in the early Greek period, a century or two later than P, by an individual or individuals close to the priesthood. With regard to the relationship between the two corpora, G. argues that the Chronicler(s) used a variety of sources in an inclusive fashion, not only the P document, but also a version of Samuel–Kings, oral forms of priestly and temporal traditions, and a utopian vision of a theocratic paradise. [Adapted from editors' introduction, p. 7—C.T.B.] 559. [The Righteousness of the Levites in Chronicles and Ezekiel] Christine Mitchell, "The righteousness of the Levites in Chronicles and Ezekiel," Chronicles and the Priestly Literature, 337-47 [see #914]. In her article, M. compares the notion of "righteousness" in Ezekiel 44 and 2 Chronicles 29 and suggests that these...