002_cudworth_498_523 24/02/15 11:48 Pagina 503 THE DIVISION OF ISRAEL’S KINGDOM IN CHRONICLES 503 The following so-called ark narrative tells how David sought to gather still more Israelites (i.e. an even more robust “all Israel”) from the frontiers of the land to rally them around the ark, Israel’s most sacred relic of the time (13,1-5). This larger group helped him transfer the ark to Jerusalem (15,3.28) and also participated in an exuberant celebration at the end (1 Chronicles 16, cf. vv. 3.36b). Thus, David championed this cause as he effectively brought all Is- rael together to worship their ancestral God YHWH. Moreover, the Chronicler also maintains that David preserved this solidarity among the people until the end of his reign (29,26). This central facet to Is- rael’s religious atmosphere proves as integral to Solomon’s estab- lishment of the temple cult as the provision of materials for construction (cf. 2 Chr 1,2; 7,6.8). Long after the division of the kingdom, the Chronicler would revisit this theme once again in the reign of King Hezekiah, who not only reopened the temple but also sought to regather all Israel for worship there (cf. 2 Chr 30,1-9). As a second nuance, the Chronicler puts forward the support of all Israel as a reward to faithful kings 19. Looking again at the example of David, we see that he garnered the people’s support on account of his faithfulness to YHWH. At an early point in his career, his declaration that YHWH would vindicate him if an on- coming mob betrayed him demonstrates his faith (12,18), while Amasai’s response reveals that they joined with David “because your God helps you” (v. 19) 20. In the same vein, his desire to re- trieve the ark merited even greater support from the people (again, 13,1-5). While David’s sinful command to take a census resulted in the fragmentation of all Israel (cf. 21,4-6) 21, his renewed focus on the temple with extensive preparations (1 Chronicles 22–29) once again unified all Israel just before the transfer of the kingship 19 Divine retribution and blessing have received much attention in Chron- icles scholarship. Cf. KELLY, Retribution and Eschatology, 29-110. See also the cautionary notes of E. BEN ZVI, “The Book of Chronicles: Another Look”, SR 31 (2002) 261-281, here 263-267. 20 For the Chronicler’s distinctive use of the word rz[ (“help”), see H.G.M. WILLIAMSON, “‘We Are Yours, O David’: The Setting and Purpose of 1 Chronicles 12:1-23”, Studies in Persian Period History and Historiography (FAT 38; Tübingen 2004) 115-125, here 116-118. 21 Cf. K. RISTAU, “Breaking Down Unity: An Analysis of 1 Chronicles 21:1 – 22:1”, JSOT 30 (2005) 201-221.