Page:The Books of Chronicles (1916).djvu/48

xliv changes introduced by the Chronicler in using canonical sources. They are of various kinds:

(i) A great number of minor alterations have been made, conforming the older material to the Chronicler's point of view. A few instances may be given: 2 Sam. v. 21, "And [the Philistines] left their images there, and David and his men took them away" = 1 Chr. xiv. 12, "And [the Philistines] left their gods there, and David gave commandment, and they were burned with fire." Again, 2 Sam. xxiv. 1, "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel" = 1 Chr. xxi. 1, "And Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel." Again, 1 Kin. ix. 12, "The cities which Solomon had given him (Huram)" = 2 Chr. viii. 2, "The cities which Huram had given to Solomon." Cp. further 2 Sam. viii. 18 = 1 Chr. xviii. 17 (quoted above, p. xli f.); 2 Sam. vi. 12 = 1 Chr. xiii. 13; 2 Sam. xxiv. 24 = 1 Chr. xxi. 25.

(ii) In some instances the alterations are so many or of so radical a nature that the whole tenour of the passage has been transformed—e.g. the conspiracy against Athaliah which resulted in the coronation of the youthful king Joash (2 Kin. xi.) is rewritten (2 Chr. xxiii.) to agree with the usages of the Temple in the Chronicler's time. Similarly in the passage which follows (2 Chr. xxiv. 4—14), which is certainly based on 2 Kin. xii. 4—16, only some 30 words of the original have been kept, so freely has it been revised. Again, the account of the destruction of Jehoshaphat's fleet (1 Kin. xxii. 48 f.) is remarkably altered in 2 Chr. xx. 35—37. Cp. further 1 Chr. xv. 25—28 = 2 Sam. vi. 12—15; 2 Chr. xxii. 7—9 = 2 Kin. ix. 27, 28; 2 Chr. xxxii. 1—23 = 2 Kin. xviii. 13—xix. 37 (a free abridgment).

(iii) Another noteworthy feature in the Chronicler's treatment of the canonical sources is his omissions. These call for mention here because they are not only significant of his feelings and principles, but they also have an immense effect on the impression conveyed by his narrative as compared with