Bible Dictionary
CHRONICLES
CHRONICLES
They are two historical books of the OT.
(a) Introduction.
It is evident that they are from a single author; Both books present an evident unity of plan and purpose, a unity that would be broken if these books were separated.
In the ancient Hebrew canon these two books formed a single work. In the LXX it was divided in two, a division that was finally admitted in the printed editions of the Hebrew canon.
The Hebrew name of these books is “Acts of the Days”, that is, Annals. In the LXX they are titled Paralelipómenos, which means “The Omissions.” This title, poorly chosen, erroneously indicates that this work would merely be a supplement to the books of Samuel and Kings, while in reality it has a particular purpose.
The name Chronicles comes from the title Cronicón that Jerome gave to these writings. He regarded them as a chronicle of all sacred history.
The Chronicles are naturally divided into 2 sections:
(A) The genealogies, especially those of Judah, Benjamin and Levi, from creation to the return of the exiles in Babylon (1 Chron. 1-8), with a list of those who lived in Jerusalem probably before the exile ( 1 Chron. 9:1-34).
The genealogy of Saul and Jonathan, and the account of his death (1 Chron. 9:35-10:14) form the transition between both sections.
(B) The history of the Israelites, and more especially that of Judah, from the consecration of David to the return of the exiles in Babylon (2 Chron. 11-36).
The abrupt ending of Chronicles, the analogy of its last verses with those of Ezra 1, have led us to think that Chronicles and the book of Ezra had originally been a single uninterrupted work. But hypotheses can be given about these verses:
(A) Both Chronicles and Ezra are quotes from one and the same official document.
(B) Or, as is more likely, one of the books collected the verses of the other.
These writings, like a different plan, never constituted a single work. The oldest tradition has never considered them as a single book although they could have been written by the same author.
(b) Date.
The first information we have about the date of the Chronicles is found in the genealogies.
David’s descent is indicated to a more recent date than any other genealogy. Since Zerubbabel’s grandsons are mentioned (1 Chron. 3:19-21), this work cannot have been mentioned long before the time of Ezra.
It is frequently stated that Zerubbabel’s descendants are recorded in the genealogy down to the 6th generation (1 Chron. 3:21-24), but there is not the slightest evidence that the families listed in the 2nd part of the verse are descendants of Hananiah, the son of Zerubbabel.
His extraction, and that of Shecaniah, whose descendants are mentioned in detail (21-24), are not indicated.
The non-connection of certain families commonly appeared in these genealogies; In the event that the text is not defective, this fact means that the family thus freely placed in the catalog belonged to the clan or tribe with which it is registered, although its affiliation is not determined.
The 4 families mentioned in v. 21 were of the line of David, collateral with the royal descent through Hananiah, son of Zerubbabel.
The other data also indicate the time of Ezra. The sum offered for the temple is given in Persian and not Greek currency; 1 Chron. 29:7 speaks of Darics, which reveals that the Greek empire had not yet supplanted the Persian when the Chronicles were written.
The term “Birah”, palace or castle, to designate the temple, indicates a time not later than that of Nehemiah, since after him “Birah” did not mean the temple, but a fortification erected by Nehemiah (Neh. 2:8 ; 7:2); To distinguish this building from the temple and other buildings, it received the designation of citadel or fortress.
(c) Author.
Tradition attributes the Chronicles to Ezra. W. F. Albright supports this position, and thinks that this work was written by him between the year 400 and 350 BC.
Modern critics generally propose a later date, but the arguments presented against the traditional date are inconclusive.
The chronicler’s vocabulary is similar to that of Ezra and Nehemiah, and dates from the same time. The interpretation of the current text of the genealogy of 1 Chron. 3:17-24 does not allow a date to be fixed with certainty.
(d) Criticism.
Critics have also questioned the historical accuracy of these books. W. F. Albright writes, however: “The Chronicles contain a number of original documents regarding the history of Judah, which are not found in the Kings… and the historical value of these original annals is demonstrated by archaeological discoveries (Basor 100,1945, p. 18).
By the care he takes in citing his numerous sources, the author shows precisely that he is a trustworthy historian. It is true that the Chronicles particularly highlight in history the fact that the observance of the law and the worship of Moses ensures the blessing of Israel.
But, as W. A. L. Elmslie has rightly pointed out, this contribution “is of great value. because it clarifies the point of view of the priests and Levites after the exile with respect to the past.
(e) Order.
The Chronicles are part of the hagiographies (holy writings) that constitute the last section of the Hebrew canon. The Masoretes, generally followed by the Mss. Spaniards, have placed the Chronicles at the head of the hagiographers and immediately before the Psalms.
In the printed editions of the Hebrew Bible, and in the German and French mss., the Chronicles follow Ezra and Nehemiah and are the last book in their section.
It is likely that they were in this order in the time of Christ, since Zechariah, who suffered a violent death, is cited as the last of the prophets (Mt. 23:35; Luke 11:51; cp. 2 Chron. 24: 20-22).
BETHEL
is the name of a Canaanite city in the ancient region of Samaria, located in the center of the land of Canaan, northwest of Ai on the road to Shechem, 30 kilometers south of Shiloh and about 16 kilometers north of Jerusalem.
Bethel is the second most mentioned city in the Bible. Some identify it with the Palestinian village of Beitin and others with the Israeli settlement of Beit El.
Bethel was the place where Abraham built his altar when he first arrived in Canaan (Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:3). And at Bethel Jacob saw a vision of a ladder whose top touched heaven and the angels ascended and descended (Genesis 28:10-19).
For this reason Jacob was afraid, and said, “How terrible is this place! It is nothing other than the house of God, and the gate of heaven »and he called Bethel the place that was known as «Light» (Genesis 35-15).
Bethel was also a sanctuary in the days of the prophet Samuel, who judged the people there (1 Samuel 7:16; 1 Samuel 10:3). And it was the place where Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, was buried.
Bethel was the birthplace of Hiel, who sought to rebuild the city of Jericho (1 Kings 16:34).
When Bethel did not yet belong to the people of Israel, Joshua had to battle against the king of Bethel and other kings and defeated them (Joshua 12-16).
When the people of Israel had taken possession of the promised land, in the division by tribes it was assigned to the Tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18-22), but in later times it belonged to the Tribe of Judah (2 Chronicles 13:19).
It was one of the places where the Ark of the Covenant remained, a symbol of the presence of God.
In Bethel the prophet Samuel judged the people.
Then the prophet Elisha went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some boys came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him: “Go up, bald man; Come up, bald! When he looked back and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the forest and tore to pieces forty-two boys” (2 Kings 2:23).
After the division of the kingdom of Israel, Jeroboam I, king of Israel, had a golden calf raised at Bethel (1 Kings 21:29) which was destroyed by Josiah, king of Judah, many years later (2 Kings 23:15). .
Bethel was also a place where some of the Babylonian exiles who returned to Israel in 537 BC gathered. (Ezra 2:28).
The prophet Hosea, a century before Jeremiah, refers to Bethel by another name: “Bet-Aven” (Hosea 4:15; Hosea 5:8; Hosea 10:5-8), which means ‘House of Iniquity’, ‘House of Nothingness’, ‘House of Vanity’, ‘House of Nullity’, that is, of idols.
In Amos 7: 12-13 the priest Amaziah tells the prophet Amos that he flee to Judah and no longer prophesy in Bethel because it is the king’s sanctuary, and the head of the kingdom.
The prophet Jeremiah states that “the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel” (Jeremiah 48:13), because of their idolatry and, specifically, the worship of the golden calf.
PUTEOLI
(lat.: “small fountains”).
Two days after arriving in Rhegium, the ship carrying Paul arrived at Puteoli, which was then an important maritime city.
The apostle found Christians there, and enjoyed their hospitality (Acts 28:13).
It was located on the northern coast of the Gulf of Naples, near the site of present-day Pouzzoles.
The entire surrounding region is volcanic, and the Solfatare crater rises behind the city.
PUT
Name of a nation related to the Egyptians and neighbors of their country (Gen. 10:6).
Put is mentioned with Egypt and other African countries, especially Libya (Nah. 3:9) and Lud (Ez. 27:10; Is. 66:19 in the LXX. Put appears between Cush and Lud in Jer. 46:9; Ez. 30:5).
In the LXX he is translated as Libyans in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Josephus also identifies it with Libya (Ant. 1:6, 2), but in Nah. 3.9 is distinguished from the Libyans.
Current opinion is divided between Somalia, Eastern Arabia and Southern Arabia (Perfume Coast).
PURPLE
A coloring substance that is extracted from various species of mollusks. The ancient Tyrians used two types of them: the “Murex trunculus”, from which the bluish purple was extracted, and the “Murex brandaris”, which gave the red.
The ink of its coloring matter varies in color depending on the region in which it is fished.
Piles of murex shells, artificially opened, have been discovered in Minet el-Beida, port of ancient Ugarit (Ras Shamra), which gives evidence of the great antiquity of the use of this purple dye (see UGARIT).
Due to its high price, only the rich and magistrates wore purple (Est. 8:15, cf. the exaltation of Mordecai, v. 2, Pr. 31:22; Dan. 5:7; 1 Mac. 10 :20, 62, 64; 2 Mac. 4:38; cf. v 31; Luke 16:19; Rev. 17:4).
The rulers adorned themselves in purple, even those of Midian (Judg. 8:26). Jesus was mocked with a purple robe (Mark 15:17).
Great use had been made of purple-dyed fabrics for the Tabernacle (Ex. 25:4; 26:1, 31, 36) and for the high priest’s vestments (Ex. 28:5, 6, 15, 33; 39: 29). The Jews gave symbolic value to purple (Wars 5:5, 4).
PURIM
(Heb., plural of “luck”).
Haman cast lots to determine a day of good omen for the destruction of the Jews.
As Haman’s designs were undone, the liberation of the Jews was marked by an annual festival (Est. 3:7; 9:24-32) on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar.
This festival is not mentioned by name in the NT, although there are exegetes who assume that it is the one referred to in Jn. 5:1.
This festival continues to be celebrated within Judaism: the book of Esther is read, and curses are pronounced on Haman and his wife, blessings are pronounced on Mordecai and the eunuch Harbonah (Est. 1:10; 7: 9).
PURIFICATION, PURITY
In the Mosaic Law four ways to purify oneself from contamination were indicated:
(a) Purification of contamination contracted by touching a dead person (Num. 19; cf. Num. 5:2, 3),
(b) Purification from impurity due to bodily emissions (Lev. 15; cf. Num. 5:2, 3).
(c) Purification of the woman in labor (Lev. 12:1-8; Luke 2:21-24).
(d) Purification of the leper (Lev. 14).
To this, the scribes and Pharisees added many other purifications, such as washing hands before eating, washing vessels and dishes, showing great zeal in these things, while inside they were full of extortion and iniquity (Mark 7: 2-8).
In Christianity the necessary purification extends:
to the heart (Acts 15:9; James 4:8),
to the soul (1 Pet. 1:22), and
to the conscience through the blood of Christ (Heb. 9:14).
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BETHEL
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