In Chronicles scholarship, Judean King Asa is generally evaluated as a religiously devout king at first, but in 2 Chronicles 16, there is a tendency to interpret his experienced a spiritual deterioration based on his lack of reliance on God, his reaction after the prophet’s rebuke, and his attitude after becoming ill. However, this paper … Read more
In Chronicles scholarship, Judean King Asa is generally evaluated as a religiously devout king at first, but in 2 Chronicles 16, there is a tendency to interpret his experienced a spiritual deterioration based on his lack of reliance on God, his reaction after the prophet’s rebuke, and his attitude after becoming ill. However, this paper … Read more
Scholars have traditionally argued that the Chronicler makes no critical comment on intermarriage, citing his omission of Solomon’s foreign wives as evidence of this position. This paper challenges this view by demonstrating how the Chronicler employs sophisticated literary strategies to preserve Kings’ critique of problematic marriages while shifting the emphasis from ethnic to religious considerations. … Read more
The refrain “In those days there was no king in Israel” (Judg 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25) serves as a literary and theological key to the book’s epilogue. However, its precise meaning and significance remain debated. Some view it as pro-monarchical, i.e., a lament that underscores Israel’s need for a king. Others argue for an anti-monarchical … Read more