Journal: Trinity Journal
Volume: TRINJ 07:1 (Spring 1986)
Article: The Chronicler’s Jehoshaphat
Author: Raymond B. Dillard

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TrinJ 7:1 (Spring 1986) p. 17

The Chronicler’s Jehoshaphat

Raymond B. Dillard

Westminster Theological Seminary

One feature of the Chronicler’s historiography that has become increasingly clear in the last decade of research has been his penchant for patterning portions of his account after earlier events. The building of the temple recapitulates themes from the construction of the tabernacle; the relationship of Solomon and Huramabi is made to parallel that of Bezalel and Oholiab.1 R. Braun has shown that the Chronicler’s portrayal of Solomon was in part shaped by his treatment of David;2 H. G. M. Williamson has argued convincingly that the succession of David and Solomon was modeled on the earlier succession account covering the transition of power from Moses to Joshua.3 The author’s handling of Hezekiah is similary influenced by his prior portraits of David and Solomon.4 H. G. M. Williamson has also convincingly demonstrated that the Chronicler shaped his account of the reign of Ahaz (2 Chr 28) in such a way as to show that the depths of apostasy that had characterized the North during the reign of Jeroboam at the time of the schism had also characterized the South under Ahaz.5 In each of these cases an earlier incident or narrative is chosen almost as a “type scene”6 for some subsequent account. One thesis of this article is that the Chronicler has used the Asa narratives as a model for his account of Jehoshaphat.

TrinJ 7:1 (Spring 1986) p. 18

When one compares the handling of Jehoshaphat in Kings and Chronicles, the disparity of length in the two accounts is immediately apparent. Though the deuteronomic historian notes his accession in 1 Kgs 15:24, the larger context in Kings is more concerned with the northern kingdom (1 Kgs 15:25–16:34), and particularly with the reign of Ahab as the backdrop for the ministry of Elijah (1 Kgs 17–21). The deuteronomic historian gives only the briefest account of Jehoshaphat’s reign, most of which is the largely formulaic language of the introduction and conclusion (1 Kgs 22:41–50). Though the battle for Ramoth-gilead is found in both accounts (1 Kgs 22:1–40; 2 Chr 18:1–19:3

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