The Interest Scale

Week 18  1 Chronicles 1-9

I figure that in the last 2500 years no more than a couple of dozen people in the whole world have enthusiastically sat down to read 1 Chronicles 1-9. On the Bible-Reader’s Interest-Level Scale 1 Chronicles 1-9 is near the very bottom. I guess the reason is because it wasn’t written to be read enthusiastically. So even though the passage serves a purpose the purpose isn’t excitement. Or fascination. Or stimulation. Or entertainment. Or personal enrichment. Or adventure. The nine chapters are kind of like the Medicine Hat telephone directory: not intended to thrill.
But today I did notice four things in the early going that got me wondering…
One: a guy in the Noah-Shem line – Peleg – was given that name: because in his time the earth was divided. I wondered about what exactly that meant.
Two: the chronicler devoted twenty-six verses in chapter one to listing Ishmael’s clan. So how important is the Ishmael line? Hard to quantify exactly…but pretty important from the chronicler’s perspective.
Three: David had six brothers. Only three were named back in the episode in 1 Samuel 16. Q: who were the other three? A: Nethanel Raddai & Ozem – named right here in chapter two.
Four: the chronicler says David’s first six sons were: Amnon Daniel Absalom Adonijah Shephatiah Ithream. The cross-referenced list of sons in 2 Samuel 3 says: Amnon Chileab Absalom Adonijah Shephatiah Ithream. What do I make of Daniel vs. Chileab? Second name? Nickname? Not sure.

Note: quote from 1 Chronicles 1:19 (NIV) & see 1:29-54, 2:13-15, 3:1-3