Isaac Kalimi, «The View of Jerusalem in the Ethnographical Introduction of Chronicles (1 Chr 1–9)», Vol. 83 (2002) 556-562

All the appearances of Jerusalem in the ethnographical prologue of Chronicles are prior to David’s capture of it. Equally, the mentioning of the Jerusalem Temple is prior to its building by Solomon. These appearances are early allusions to the importance of the city and its functions in the narrative sections of the book. The Chronicler stresses that all the chosen dynasty’s kings were born in Jerusalem. The repetitive mentioning that the Temple was constructed in Jerusalem may be intended to point out the exclusive holiness of the Chronicler’s own Jerusalem. The list of Jerusalem’s residents relies on those in Nehemiah and on an additional one that has no parallel in other sources. This list is used as a climax of the entire section (1 Chr 1-9). According to the Chronicler all the Israelites settled in Jerusalem freely, and the city was used as a center for the entire nation during the whole kingdom era.

follows the parallel text of 2 Sam 5,11-16 (David’s house, wives and children in Jerusalem)⁹. Indeed, the listing of David’s sons in chapter 3 strengthens Judah’s genealogy in the direction of David and his descendants¹⁰. It seems, however, that the Chronicler’s main purpose was to depict Jerusalem as an ultimate and almost uninterrupted residence city of David’s descendants¹¹.

        The Chronicler may be attempting to encourage contemporary citizens of Jehud Madinta to move to Jerusalem and live in the city continually, while showing that the Davidic descendants were and actually are almost always in the city since its conquest. Let us not forget that just several years earlier, Nehemiah forced some provincial Jews to take residence in the depopulated city of Jerusalem (see below, section 3).

II. Levi’s Genealogy

        Following the tribes of Judah, the widest space in this part of the book of Chronicles is given to the line of Levi (1 Chr 5,27–6,66 [6,1-81]). Obviously, it is due to the special attention that the Chronicler provides to these tribes among all the Israelites, and their specific role in the nation’s history.

        Within the lists of Levi, specific sections are taken up with the lineage of the high priests (1 Chr 5,28-41 [6,2-15]) and the priestly and Levitical cities (1 Chr 6,39-66 [6,54-81]). Jerusalem is mentioned here three times - all in historical notes concerning the Solomonic Temple cult; two are related to the First Temple’s high priests Azariah who served in "the House which Solomon built in Jerusalem" (5,36 [6,10]) at the opening of that era; and Jehozadak, "who went into exile when the Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar" (5,41 [6,15]) at the close of the era. The last reference to the city regards the Levites as cult-singers. According to the Chronicler, David appointed the cult-singers to supervise the musical service in "the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting" which he erected in Jerusalem after moving the ark of Covenant from Kiriath Jearim¹². Later on, the singers served in "the House of the Lord, which Solomon built in Jerusalem" (6,16-17 [6,31-32]).