New: Plus articles on faith, family and the Bible. Read them →

About this book: 1 Chronicles

First Chronicles retells Israel's story for a community that has come home from exile and is wondering who it is now. It opens with long genealogies, from Adam through the tribes, to show that the people still belong to God's purposes and to the land. The narrative then turns to King David: the death of Saul, David's anointing over all Israel, the capture of Jerusalem, and the bringing of the ark of God to the city with music and rejoicing. God's promise to David of a house and an enduring kingdom stands at the center. The book passes over David's worst failures and dwells instead on his preparation for the temple: the plans, the materials, the organizing of priests, Levites and musicians, and his prayer of praise as he hands the work to Solomon. Worship, unity and the line of David are the heart of the story. Christians have long read the promise to David as pointing to Jesus.

Author
Anonymous; Jewish tradition points to Ezra, and many scholars speak of an unnamed 'Chronicler'.
Date
Written after the exile, most often dated to the fifth or fourth century BC.
Audience
The Jews who returned to Judah from Babylon, needing a sense of identity, worship and hope.

Themes

Belonging to God's peopleDavid and the promised kingdomWorship and the templeSeeking God wholeheartedly

Outline

  1. 1:1–9:44Genealogies from Adam to the returned exiles
  2. 10:1–12:40Saul's end and David made king
  3. 13:1–16:43The ark brought to Jerusalem
  4. 17:1–17:27God's covenant with David
  5. 18:1–21:30David's victories and the census
  6. 22:1–29:30Preparing the temple and passing the throne to Solomon

Key verses

About this chapterThe Chronicles open with a sweeping genealogy that traces humanity from Adam through Noah's sons to the nations, then narrows to Abraham's family. It lists the descendants of Ishmael and Keturah, then Isaac, Esau, and the kings and chiefs of Edom. The purpose is to show Israel's place in the story of all peoples and to remind the returned exiles, for whom the book was likely written, that they belong to a long line of God's dealings with the world. Lists of names may feel dry, but they affirm that every person and nation has a place in God's story and that the promise passed through particular families.

The Chronicles open with a sweeping genealogy that traces humanity from Adam through Noah's sons to the nations, then narrows to Abraham's family. It lists the descendants of Ishmael and Keturah, then Isaac, Esau, and the kings and chiefs of Edom. The purpose is to show Israel's place in the story of all peoples and to remind the returned exiles, for whom the book was likely written, that they belong to a long line of God's dealings with the world. Lists of names may feel dry, but they affirm that every person and nation has a place in God's story and that the promise passed through particular families.

Themes

  • Roots of humanity
  • Israel among the nations
  • God's long story

Key verses

Audio Bible · 1 Chronicles 1

Listen while you go about your day.

1 Chronicles 1

Berean Standard Bible54 verses · 3 min read

1Adam, Seth, Enosh, 2Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, 3Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. 4The sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 5The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 6The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 7And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites. 8The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 9The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 10Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty one on the earth. 11Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, the Anamites, the Lehabites, the Naphtuhites, 12the Pathrusites, the Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites. 13And Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, 14the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 15the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 16the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. 17The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. 18Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber. 19Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother was named Joktan. 20And Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 23Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan. 24So from Shem came Arphaxad, Shelah, 25Eber, Peleg, Reu, 26Serug, Nahor, Terah, 27and Abram (that is, Abraham). 28The sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael. 29These are their genealogies: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael. 32The sons born to Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. 33The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All of these were Keturah’s sons. 34Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel. 35The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. 36The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz; and by Timna, Amalek. 37The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. 38The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. 39The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan’s sister. 40The sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. 41The son of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 42The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 43These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites: Bela son of Beor. His city was named Dinhabah. 44When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place. 45When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 46When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place. And the name of his city was Avith. 47When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah reigned in his place. 48When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the Euphrates reigned in his place. 49When Shaul died, Baal-hanan son of Achbor reigned in his place. 50When Baal-hanan died, Hadad reigned in his place. His city was named Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-zahab. 51Then Hadad died. Now the chiefs of Edom were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 52Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 53Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 54Magdiel, and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom.
Verses in 1 Chronicles 1

Chapters of 1 Chronicles

All books