WORD

BIBLICAL

COMMENTARY

VOLUME 15

2 Chronicles

RAYMOND B. DILLARD

General Editors

Bruce M. Metzger

David A. Hubbard†

Glenn W. Barker†

Old Testament Editor

John D. W. Watts

New Testament Editor

Ralph P. Martin

WORD BOOKS, PUBLISHER • DALLAS, TEXAS

Word Biblical Commentary

2 Chronicles

Copyright © 1987 by Word, Incorporated

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Main entry under title:

Word biblical commentary.

Includes bibliographies.

1. Bible—Commentaries Collected Works.

BS491.2.W67 220.7´7 81-71768

ISBN 0-8499-0214-2 (vol. 15) AACR2

The author’s own translation of the Scripture text appears in italic type under the heading Translation.

To our parents:

Ray and Ruth Dillard

Ralph and Margaret Albrecht

“Parents are the pride of their children.”—Proverbs 17:6

Table of Contents

Author’s Preface

Editorial Preface

Abbreviations

INTRODUCTION

MAIN BIBLIOGRAPHY

TEXT AND COMMENTARY

The Chronicler’s Solomon (2 Chr 1–9)

Solomon’s Request for Wisdom (1:1–17)

Solomon Arranges for Materials and Workmen (1:18–2:17 [2:1–18])

The Temple Building (3:1–17)

The Temple Furnishings (4:1–5:1)

The Installation of the Ark (5:2–14)

The Dedicatory Speeches (6:1–42)

Dedicatory Festival and Divine Response (7:1–22)

Solomonic Miscellany: More Dealings with Hiram, Building Projects, Culticl Observances (8:1–18)

More on Solomon’s Wealth and Wisdom; His Death (9:1–31)

Reward and Punishment in Chronicles: The Theology of Immediate Retribution (2 Chron 10–36)

The Schism (10:1–19)

The Reign of Rehoboam, 931–913 B.C. (11:1–12:16)

The Reign of Abijah, 913–911/10 B.C. (13:1–23 [14:1])

The Reign of Asa, 911/10–870/69 B.C. (14:1 [2]–16:14)

The Chronicler’s Jehoshaphat, 872–848 B.C. (2 Chr 17–20)

Jehoshaphat, Faithful and Blessed (17:1–19)

Jehoshaphat’s Involvement with Ahab (18:1–19:3)

Jehoshaphat’s Judicial Reform (19:4–11)

Jehoshaphat’s Battle near Tekoa; His Death (20:1–21:1)

The Reign of Jehoram, 853–841 B.C. (21:2–20)

The Reign of Ahaziah, 841 B.C. (22:1–9)

The Reign of Athaliah, 841–835 B.C.; Jehoiada’s Coup (22:10–23:21)

The Reign of Joash, 835–796 B.C. (24:1–27)

The Reign of Amaziah, 796–767 B.C. (25:1–28)

The Reign of Uzziah, 792/91–740/39 B.C. (26:1–23)

The Reign of Jotham, 750–732/31 B.C. (27:1–9)

The Reign of Ahaz, 735–716/15 B.C. (28:1–27)

The Chronicler’s Hezekiah, 716/15–687/86 B.C. (2 Chr 29–32)

Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple (29:1–36)

Hezekiah’s Passover (30:1–27)

Hezekiah’s Provision for the Temple and Its Personnel (31:1–21)

Hezekiah’s Victory and Illness (32:1–33)

Manasseh, 697/96–643/42, and Amon, 643/42–641/40 (33:1–25)

Josiah, 641–609 B.C.: His Reform (34:1–33)

Josiah’s Passover; His Death (35:1–36:1)

The Last Kings of Judah, 609–598 B.C., Cyrus’s Decree (36:2–23)

Indexes