I & II Chronicles
A Commentary
- Biblical Studies & Commentaries
- Publisher: Westminster John Knox
- Published: 2026
FritzSearch.com earns a commission on purchases made through Bookshop.org links.
Publisher's Description
With fresh insight and scholarly depth, I and II Chronicles: A Commentary reclaims these often-overlooked texts as far more than a retelling of Israel’s past. They are vital witnesses to the theological and communal imagination of a people rebuilding identity in the shadow of empire. In this critical and illuminating volume of the Old Testament Library, internationally respected scholar Louis C. Jonker reveals Chronicles as a dynamic text that reinterprets sacred traditions to help the postexilic Judahite community navigate shifting political and religious landscapes. Written during the late Persian and early Hellenistic periods, Chronicles offers a bold vision for “all Israel” centered on the Jerusalem Temple, reframing Judah’s identity through genealogies, liturgical reform, and idealized history. Drawing on interdisciplinary methods—including text-pragmatical analysis, social psychology, postcolonial theory, and reception history—Jonker explores how the Chronicler constructs communal memory, reclaims older traditions, and resists imperial dominance by portraying YHWH as the true king. A distinctive feature of this commentary is Jonker’s proposed diachronic model of composition. He identifies an early priestly-oriented stratum affirming the Davidic monarchy and Aaronide priesthood, followed by a later redactional layer that elevates the Levites—especially in the Hezekiah and Josiah narratives—as spiritual leaders. This evolution signals a broader theological and ideological shift within the community. Jonker also traces the reception of Chronicles through history—from its shaping influence on Ezra-Nehemiah to its use in rabbinic interpretation, feminist biblical scholarship, Jewish visual art, and post-apartheid South African theology. With fresh insight and scholarly depth, I and II Chronicles: A Commentary reclaims these often-overlooked texts as vital witnesses to the theological and communal imagination of a people rebuilding identity in the shadow of empire. The Old Testament Library series provides fresh and authoritative treatments of important aspects of Old Testament study through commentaries and general surveys. The contributors are scholars of international standing. The editorial board consists of William P. Brown, William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament, Columbia Theological Seminary; C. L. Crouch, Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism, Radboud University Nijmegen; and Brent A. Strawn, D. Moody Smith Distinguished Professor of Old Testament and Professor of Law, Duke University.
Endorsements (11)
“In his erudite and illuminating commentary, Louis Jonker puts the book of Chronicles in the spotlight it deserves. It is often overlooked that Chronicles leads us directly into a historical period and a community in which greater parts of the Hebrew Bible were composed. With sensitive literary skills and profound knowledge, Jonker explains the texts, their literary world, and the formative theological themes, thereby illuminating the discourses in Yehud that they reflect but also drive forward.”
“Louis Jonker’s authoritative commentary significantly contributes to the renewed interest in Chronicles, demonstrating how the Chronicler dynamically reinterpreted Israel’s past to negotiate identity for postexilic communities within the Persian Empire. Through nuanced interdisciplinary analysis—integrating social memory theory, postcolonial criticism, and reception history—Jonker presents the Chronicler as a skilled rhetorician who merged Priestly and Deuteronomistic traditions to advocate for an inclusive “all Israel” centred on Jerusalem’s temple and YHWH’s kingship. This commentary sets a new benchmark for Chronicles scholarship, illuminating both the book’s ancient ideological functions and its ongoing reception from Qumran to post-apartheid South Africa.”
“An exemplary work of scholarship, this commentary masterfully situates Chronicles within its historiographical and identity-political contexts, offering a reinterpretation of the book at the highest level of exegesis in a clear and accessible manner. Its theological insight is profound, unveiling Chronicles as a true literary masterpiece. At last, we have a worthy successor to Sara Japhet’s enduringly outstanding commentary.”
“An authority on research on 1–2 Chronicles, Professor Louis Jonker has written a rich and solid commentary, marked by his well-known signature approach, which combines interdisciplinarity with a multilayered interpretation that highlights rhetorical strategies, identity negotiations, memory construction, colonial discourse, and a utopian vision. It’s a great pleasure to read such an engaging volume!”
“This marvelous new commentary on Chronicles is most welcome! Written by one of the leading experts on the book, it is thorough in scope and is in dialogue with scholarship internationally. A genuine tour de force, Jonker’s work brings new energy to the academic study of 1–2 Chronicles and is an absolute must-have for anyone interested in biblical studies.”
“Louis Jonker has written a Chronicles commentary for our time: finely aware of contexts for both authors and readers. Thoroughly versed in the scholarship of the past two centuries and attuned to the nuances of sociological and psychological contexts, this commentary takes Chronicles seriously as a book of identity formation and re-formation. This is the first major commentary on Chronicles to summarize and draw from the research on social memory, identity formation, and postcoloniality, reinforcing an understanding of the book as shaped by and shaping its own colonial context in late-Persian-period Judea. Jonker’s delight in Chronicles is infectious. Even the most complex issues in Chronicles are explained clearly and lucidly, never abstrusely. A must for any student of Chronicles.”
“Louis Jonker’s engaging commentary brings together careful attention to the biblical text with a special focus on scholarly interpretation and questions over the last two decades. The substantial introduction is accessible and invitational for the reader and creates a rich picture of the landscape of recent approaches, concerns, and the book’s central themes. Through his characteristically broad interdisciplinary perspective (including sociohistorical, rhetorical, postcolonial, feminist, reception history, and the specific political and theological context of South Africa), Jonker’s insights illuminate this book’s complexities, allowing new avenues for deeper investigation into the dynamic tapestry of Chronicles and its continued importance as part of larger interpretative traditions within Judaism and Christianity.”
“Jonker’s South African context gives him a distinctive appreciation for Chronicles as ‘reforming history,’ and how rethinking Israel’s past helped reshape Israel’s identity. His thoroughly researched commentary is a welcome addition to the new wave of interest in this often-ignored text.”
“A compendium of past scholarship on 1 and 2 Chronicles, Louis Jonker’s masterful study moves beyond traditional commentary to reclaim the Chronicler’s vision as urgently relevant. Jonker shows how the Chronicler’s adept reframing of history later in the Persian period created a cohesive ‘all Israel’ identity centered on the Jerusalem temple. By integrating postcolonial theory, social psychology, and reception history, Jonker illuminates how ancient traditions were reinterpreted in order to negotiate imperial power. This work is a vital witness to the Chronicler’s theological imagination.”
“An excellent commentary on Chronicles written by one of the top experts on the topic.”
“This volume is not only a traditional commentary on the text of Chronicles but also encompasses historical, rhetorical, and theological aspects, as well as reception history in and of Chronicles, introducing the reader to diverse facets of a late and very complex biblical book. With this milestone of his work, Louis Jonker brings many loose ends of his long scholarship into coherence and pioneers new directions in the analysis of Chronicles.”
See something wrong on this page? Report a problem