Chapter 6 - THE SECESSION OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM IN CHRONICLES: ACCEPTED “FACTS” AND NEW MEANINGS

Summary

The shared historical memory of the author and first readers of Chronicles included many ‘facts’ about which there was no dispute. The meaning of these facts, however, was shaped in different ways, and not all these ‘accepted facts’ were of equal value. Some were central to the construction of Israel's past, but certainly others were not. The more prominent an agreed ‘fact’ was within this memory, the stronger was the persuasive power of a convincing interpretation of that fact, and above all, of the relevant theological or ideological implications that such interpretation carried.

To explore these matters as they relate to Chronicles, I will focus on several aspects of the explanation given in the book for a central fact in the memory of the Chronicler and the first readers of Chronicles: the division of the Davidic-Solomonic kingdom and the establishment of the Northern Kingdom, which not only lasted for centuries but fixed in place a separation that continued until the days of the provinces of Yehud and Samaria. In other words, the heightened significance of the event was due to its lasting influence on the (hi)story of Israel.

It was inevitable that the question would be raised of when and why this foundational event happened or was allowed to happen in the divine economy. The relation between the Davidic-Solomonic kingdom and the Davidic kingdom of Judah was complex and involved an intertwining of identity and difference.