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2 Kings ⇐ ⇒ 2 Chronicles
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More commentaries on 1 Chronicles:
Whole Old Testament Commentaries,
Whole Bible Commentaries
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Order of Contents
Best 7
Commentaries 5+
Early Church 3
Harmonies of the Kings 2
Temple 2
Authenticity 1
Bible Characters
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The Best Commentaries on 1 Chronicles
Introductory
Renwick, A.M. – I & II Chronicles in ed. Carl Henry, The Biblical Expositor: The Living Theme of the Great Book with General & Introductory Essays & Exposition 1 vol. ed. Buy (1960; A.J. Holman, 1973), pp. 331-58
This little known commentary set by leading evangelicals (many of which were reformed) is brief (think airplane view) but helpful. Renwick was a professor in the Free Church of Scotland who is known for his work on the Scottish Reformation.
Whitcomb, John C. – Solomon to the Exile: Studies in Kings & Chronicles Buy (1971)
‘An ideal book for discussion groups. Recreates the OT setting, graphically depicts the cause of decline in Israel and Judah, and draws valid lessons from these incidents which are applied to the needs of the present.’ – Cyril J. Barber
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Intermediate
Cooper, Derek & Martin Lohrmann – Reformation Commentary on Scripture: 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles Buy
Murphy, James – The Books of Chronicles in Hand-Books for Bible Classes, ed. Dods & Whyte
Murphy was an evangelical professor of Hebrew in Belfast, Ireland. His commentaries on Genesis, Exodus and the Psalms were given Spurgeon’s highest rating. This work being a part of the Hand-books for Bible Classes series, though, limits the amount of spiritual savor that Murphy normally writes with.
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Advanced
Poole, Matthew – Critical Synopsis of the Bible: 1 Chronicles Buy (d. 1679) This work on 1 Chron. 1-2:17 is online.
Poole (1624–1679) was a puritan, presbyterian minister and Bible commentator.
This is different and much larger than Poole’s Annotations on Scripture. Here Poole gives something of a history of interpretation (from Jewish writers until Christian interpreters of Poole’s own day) on every verse of the Bible.
‘…you will find in Poole’s Synopsis a marvelous collection of all the wisdom and folly of the critics. It is a large cyclopedia worthy of the days when theologians could be cyclopean, and had not shrunk from folios to octavos. Query—a query for which I will not demand an answer—has one of you beaten the dust from the venerable copy of Poole which loads our library shelves? Yet as Poole spent no less than ten years in compiling it, it should be worthy of your frequent notice—ten years, let me add, spent in Amsterdam in exile for the truth’s sake from his native land. His work is based on an earlier compilation entitled Critici Sacri, containing the concentrated light of a constellation of learned men who have never been excelled in any age or country.’ – Spurgeon
Bertheau, Ernst – The Books of the Chronicles (1857) ToC
*** – ‘Distinguished by careful investigation of the meaning of the text. This is a most important help to the expositor. The student will not, however, find much in the way of reflections and doctrines.’ – Spurgeon
Keil, Karl F. – 1 Chronicles
** – ‘Without indicating either the spiritual lesson or the moral of the history, Keil simply explains the facts, and in so doing aids the reader to realize them. We confess we should like something more.’ – Spurgeon
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Commentaries on 1 Chronicles
Intermediate
1800’s
Allen, John – A Spiritual Exposition of the Old Testament: from Joshua to the End of the Psalms (1816)
‘Spiritual reflections after the high Calvinistic school. Some preachers cannot see Christ where He is, but Allen finds Him where He is not. There is in these reflections much godly savor, but very little exposition.’ – Spurgeon
This Allen was not the one that translated Calvin’s Institutes. James Darling said that Allen was an Antinomian (one who believes that Christians are not bound by moral injunctions). Antinomians, not believing that moral injunctions should be derived from God’s Word, often replaced this large aspect of Scripture’s teaching with finding Christ everywhere in the Bible, especially the Old Testament.
Bennett, William Henry – Exposition of Chronicles (1894) 480 pp. in The Expositor’s Bible Reprinted by Klock & Klock
Bush, George – Scripture Questions Designed Principally for Adult Bible Classes: Deut.-Esther
Bush was a Biblical scholar, a professor of oriental literature in New York City University, and initially a presbyterian minister.
Rawlinson, George – The Kings of Israel and Judah (1889) 260 pp. Reprinted by Klock & Klock
Rawlinson was a Bible-believing conservative.
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1900’s
Fleming, John D. – Israel’s Golden Age: The Story of the United Kingdom 1907 160 pp. in Handbooks for Bible Classes, ed. Dods & Whyte
Fleming has some liberal tendencies and his exposition is not spiritual.
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Advanced
Myers, Jacob – 1 & 2 Chronicles in The Anchor Bible Buy
‘Attempts to validate the text, focuses upon the theology of II Chronicles, and is particularly helpful for the way the writer blends archaeological data with the narrative.’ – Cyril J. Barber
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The Early Church on 1 Chronicles
Compilations
Conti, Marco – ‘1 Chronicles’ in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (IVP, 2008), pp. 242-72
French, Blair A. – Chronicles through the Centuries Pre (Blackwell, 2016) ToC
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Individual
Jerome – Preface to Chronicles at Patristic Bible Commentary
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Harmonies of the Kings
Crockett, William Day – The Books of the Kings of Judah & Israel: A Harmony of the Books of Samuel, Kings & Chronicles (1897) 350 pp.
‘An attempt to reconcile and correlate the history of the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles into chronological sequence.’ – Cyril J. Barber
Geneste, Maximillian – The Parallel Histories of Judah & Israel, with Copious Explanatory Notes, vol. 1, 2 (1843) A commentary is given on the relevant scripture texts, which are arranged in a harmony. Relevant sections from the books of the prophets are included also.
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On the Temple
Lee (1625–1691) was an English puritan academic and minister.
** – ‘Of course, as will be inferred from its date, this work is of the antique order, but it is profoundly learned, and goes into architectural and ritualistic details, explaining them spiritually with much sweetness and suggestiveness.’ – Spurgeon
Bunyan, John – Solomon’s Temple Spiritualized, or Gospel Light Fetched out of the Temple at Jerusalem, to let us more easily into the Glory of New Testament Truths (†1688) 140 pp.
** – ‘A marvelous display of allegorizing genius: full of Gospel truth. Bunyan hammers away at each type, but no one may call it tinkering.’ – Spurgeon
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The Authenticity of Chronicles
Stuart, Alexander Moody – ‘The Fallacy of the Argument from Silence, and the Truth of the Chronicles’ (1882) 20 pp. being ch. 4 of Israel’s Lawgiver: his Narrative True and his Laws Genuine (1882) 203 pp.
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On Bible Characters in 1 Chronicles
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On Solomon
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Heman 1 Chron. 15-16, 25
Whyte, Alexander – Heman in Bible Characters, vol. 1 d. 1921
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