WTJ 46 (1984) 164-72

REWARD AND PUNISHMENT IN CHRONICLES: THE THEOLOGY OF IMMEDIATE RETRIBUTION

RAYMOND B. DILLARD

I. General Description

Though the history of research in Chronicles has been characterized

by vigorous debate surrounding the author's theology, date, and pur­

pose, on one theme of his historiography there is a near consensus.1

1 Even though this subject has received extensive treatment in the scholarly literature, Williamson ("Eschatology," 150) comments that "this is a dogma of his that is always referred to, but has not, in my opinion, been analyzed in anything like the detail it deserves." I will be the first to acknowledge that this contribution too will not delve into the detail the subject deserves, but I am seeking to raise a couple other issues not treated in the literature. The following bibliography is by no means exhaustive, but it is repre­sentative of some of the more extensive discussions: R. Braun, "Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah: Theology and Literary History," in Studies in the Historical Books of the Old Testament (VTSup 30; Leiden: Brill, 1979) 52-56; id., "The Message of Chronicles: Rally 'Round the Temple," CT M 42 (1971) 510-11; R. Β. Dillard, "The Reign of Asa (2 Chr 14-16): an Example of the Chronicler's Theological Method," Journal of the Evan­gelical Theological Society 23 (1980) 207-18; S. Japhet, The Ideology of the Book of Chronicles and its Place in Biblical Thought (Hebrew doctoral dissertation, Hebrew University, 1973; Jerusalem: Bialik, 1977) 159-208; R. North, "Theology of the Chronicler," JBL 82 (1963) 372-74; G. von Rad, Old Testament Theology (New York: Harper and Row, 1962) 347-50; W. Rudolph, "Problems of the Books of Chronicles," VT 4 (1954) 401-9; G. Schaefer, The Significance of Seeking God in the Purpose of the Chroni­cler (Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, 1972) ; J. Wellhausen, Prolegomena to the History of Ancient Israel (New York: World Publishing Co., 1965) 203-10; P. Welten, Geschichte und Geschichtsdarstellung in den Chronikbuchern (Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1973) 9-186; H. Williamson, "Eschatology in Chronicles," Tyndale Bulletin 28 (1977) 149-54; id., 1 and 2 Chronicles (New Century Bible; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982) 31-33; id., Israel in the Books of Chronicles (London: Cambridge University Press, 1977) 67-68.

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The Chronicler's adherence to a "theology of immediate retribution"2

provides his dominant compositional technique, particularly formative in his reshaping of the history of Judah after the schism. "Retribution theology" refers to the author's apparent conviction that reward and punishment are not deferred, but rather follow immediately on the heels of the precipitating events. For the Chronicler sin always brings judgment and disaster, while obedience and righteousness yield the fruit of peace and prosperity. Even a cursory reading of the text reveals the contours of the writer's convictions; they are both (1) specifically articulated and (2) demonstrated in his reshaping of narratives.

1. Specifically Articulated

In a number of passages unique to the Chronicler, i.e., not found in the parallel text in Samuel/Kings, the author gives the reader a glimpse of his literary program by directly articulating the theme of retribution theology. Consider the following passages :

Be careful to follow all the commands of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your de­scendants forever. And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. [1 Chr 28:8b-9]

If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. [2 Chr 7:14]

This is what the Lord says: "You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you." [2 Chr 12:5]

The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. [2 Chr 15:2]

2 It is somewhat regrettable that this tag "theology of immediate retribu­tion" has become customary. Retribution ordinarily connotes punishment, and although there are many examples of judgment in Chronicles, the Chronicler is equally concerned to show that pleasing God brings reward. This is retribution of an opposite sort than the term commonly connotes. Though his suggestion is even more cumbersome, B. S. Childs (Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture [Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979] 651-53) appears to be struggling with this negative connotation in his renaming the phenomenon "the coherence of action and effect."

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Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful. [2 Chr 20:20]

Though it is not the first such notice, of these passages 2 Chr 7:14

constitutes a programmatic statement of great importance;3 it is prob­

ably the most widely known passage in Chronicles, though references

to it in popular and homiletical literature commonly apply it in con­

texts quite foreign to the author's original use. Solomon's prayer at the

dedication of the temple is a "charter" for the subsequent history of

Israel; the prayer in both histories presumes the possibility of exile

and return (6:24-25, 36-39 // 1 Kgs 8:33-34, 46-50). Both histories

also report God's second appearance to Solomon in answer to the

dedicatory prayer (7:11-22 // 1 Kgs 9:1-9); God tells Solomon that

he will deal with Israel in accordance with the terms of Solomon's

requests. The Chronicler, however, has introduced 7:13-15 into God's

speech to Solomon; this insertion spells out the key concepts and

vocabulary of retribution theology. In times of distress or calamity,

if the people will humble themselves, pray, seek God, and turn from

wickedness, then God will respond. Each of these terms and their syno­

nyms recur again and again in the Chronicler's history demonstrating

that God has indeed kept his promise to Solomon. "Seeking God"

(drsy bqs) or the failure to do so becomes the touchstone for weal or

woe (1 Chr 10:13-14; 22:19; 28:9; 2 Chr 11:16; 12:14; 14:4, 7;

15:2, 4, 12, 13, 15; 16:12; 17:4; 18:4; 19:3; 20:4; 22:9; 25:20;

26:5; 30:19; 31:21; 33:12; 34:3); similarly "humbling oneself" {kn()

or the failure to do so determines the divine response (2 Chr 12:6, 7,

12; 28:19; 30:11; 33:12, 19, 23; 34:27; 36:12). Prayer (1 Chr 4:10;

5:20; 21:26; 2 Chr 13:12-15; 14:11; 18:31; 20:9; 30:18, 27; 32:20,

24; 33:13, 18-19) and "turning" (2 Chr 15:4; 30:6, 9; 36:13) occur

at critical moments.

It is not sufficient, however, to speak only of these terms without

also taking account of their antonyms which likewise carry much of

the burden of the Chronicler's convictions. The opposite responses to

humbling oneself and seeking God are introduced through the use of

"abandon, forsake" ('ζδ, 1 Chr 28:9, 20; 2 Chr 7:19, 22; 12:1, 5;

13:10-11; 15:2; 21:10; 24:18, 20, 24; 28:6; 29:6; 34:25) and "be

unfaithful, rebellious" (m% 1 Chr 2:7; 5:25; 10:13; 2 Chr 12:2;

26:16, 18; 28:19, 22; 29:6; 30:7; 36:14).

3This fact has been recognized by many; see especially the discussion by Williamson, "Eschatology," 149-54.

REWARD AND PUNISHMENT IN CHRONICLES 167

2. Shaping Narratives

Beyond the specific announcement of retribution theology as his approach, the Chronicler is untiring in his efforts to demonstrate the validity of this principle as it operated in the history of Israel. Since 2 Chr 7:14 announced a program for Israel's future, the Chronicler con­centrates on the period after the schism. Of the twenty-six chapters devoted to this period, about half of the material is unique to the Chronicler, without parallel in Kings; the vast majority of this non-synoptic material is directly in the service of retribution theology as the Chronicler seeks to provide the theological rationale for the events he narrates.

The repertoire of motifs used by the author for showing divine favor or displeasure is fairly stable. Acts of piety and obedience are rewarded with success and prosperity (1 Chr 22:11, 13; 29:23; 2 Chr 14:7; 26:5; 31:21; 32:27-30 — contrast 13:12), building programs (2 Chr 11:5; 14:6-7; 16:6; 17:12; 24:13; 26:2, 6, 9-10; 27:3-4; 32:3-5, 29-30; 33:14; 34:10-13 — contrast 16:5), victory in warfare (13:13-18; 14:8-15; 20:2-30; 25:14; 26:11-15; 27:5-7; 32:20-22), progeny (1 Chr 3:1-9, 14:2-7; 25:5; 26:4-5; 2 Chr 11:18-22; 13:21; 21:1-3), popular support (2 Chr 11:13-17; 15:10-15; 17:5; 19:4-11; 20:27-30; 23:1-17; 30:1-26; 34:29-32; 35:24-25), and large armies (2 Chr 11:1; 14:8; 17:12-19; 25:5; 26:10). Conversely disobedience and infidelity bring military defeat (2 Chr 12:1-9; 16:1-9; 21:8-11, 16-17; 24:23-24; 25:15-24; 28:4-8, 16-25; 33:10; 35:20-24; 36:15-20), the disaffection of the population (2 Chr 16:10; 21:19; 24:25-26; 25:27-28; 28:27; 33:24-25), and illness (16:12; 21:16-20; 26:16-23 — contrast 32:24). Alongside cultic offenses and the failure to seek God and to humble oneself, foreign alliances represented failure to trust God and always resulted in judgment (16:2-9; 19:1-3; 20:35-37; 22:3-9; 25:7-13; 28:16-21; 32:31).

A reign-by-reign summary of the differences between Kings and Chronicles has already been provided by Wellhausen,4 so we will con­tent ourselves with only a couple examples of how the Chronicler has recast his Vorlage in the service of his convictions about immediate retribution. The reign of almost any king from the period of the di­vided kingdoms would serve equally well (with the possible exception of 2 Chr 35-36 where the accounts covering the last monarchs are so

4 Prolegomena, 203-10.

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brief), but we will compare the narratives concerning Rehoboam and Uzziah.

In Kings the account of an individual reign ordinarily proceeds along the following pattern (the references are to the reigns of Rehoboam and Uzziah): (1) accession notice and synchronism (1 Kgs 14:21; 2 Kgs 15:1-2); (2) basic theological judgment (1 Kgs 14:22-24; 2 Kgs 15:3-4); (3) incident(s) that occurred during the reign, ordi­narily reported without any theological rationale expressed (1 Kgs 14:25-28; 2 Kgs 15:5); (4) reference to other sources, the death and succession notice (1 Kgs 14:29-31; 2 Kgs 15:6-7).

In contrast the Chronicler is rarely willing simply to report an in­cident without providing the inciting rationale. For the Chronicler reporting Rehoboam's obedience to the message of Shemaiah results in demonstrable blessing in the form of building programs (11:5-12), popular support (11:13-17), and progeny (11:18-23). Similarly he would not simply recount the invasion of Shishak and the military humiliation of Judah without first noting that Rehoboam had forsaken the law of God and been unfaithful (12:1-2).

The account of Uzziah in Kings would have presented some difficulty for the Chronicler. From his vantage it is somewhat a nonsequitor to report that Uzziah did what was right in God's eyes, but nevertheless died of leprosy (2 Kgs 15:3-5). The account in Chronicles is distin­guished immediately by its much greater length, for where Kings was willing simply to say Uzziah had done what was right, the Chronicler shows how this issued in the blessings of military victory (26:4-8), building programs (26:9-10), and a large army (26:11-15). How then did Uzziah contract leprosy? His pride led to his downfall (26:16) — while defying courageous priests who had confronted him for usurping their divinely appointed functions, leprosy broke out on his forehead and he was hastened out of the temple (26:17-20). That is immediate retribution.

Wellhausen's comment is a fitting summary:

Joram, Joash, and Ahaz, who are all depicted as reprobates, build no fortresses, command no great armies, have no wealth of wives and chil­dren; it is only in the case of pious kings (to the number of whom even Rehoboam and Abijah also belong) that the blessing of God also mani­fests itself by such tokens. Power is the index of piety, with which it ac­cordingly rises and falls.5

»Ibid., 209.

REWARD AND PUNISHMENT IN CHRONICLES 169

In any case where a particular theological theme is prominent, one runs the risk of reductionism in overdrawing its influence. Yet it needs to be specified that the theology of immediate retribution in Chronicles is certainly not confined to his account of the post-schism kings. Many of the dozens of biblical references in the preceding discussion have been drawn from the genealogical sections and the account of the reigns of David and Solomon.

There is a sense in which retribution theology could be extended to cover the entire account of the united monarchy. The major difference between the account of the united kingdom and the narratives follow­ing the schism has to do with the absence of reported transgression during the reigns of David and Solomon. Chronicles presents Solomon without any record of blame, and in the case of David, only two inci­dents report wrongdoing: the sin of Uzzah in the movement of the ark (1 Chr 13:7-10) and the sinful census (1 Chr 21). Both of these incidents are taken almost verbatim from Samuel, though they are put to different use in Chronicles; in both cases the immediacy of judgment for wrongdoing is a prominent feature congenial to the Chronicler's approach. Since there is so little record of wrongdoing in his account of the united monarchy, one would expect the tokens of divine blessing to be widely illustrated in the Chronicler's account of tfiat period, and they are. Divine favor is shown in military victories (1 Chr 11:2-9; 14:8-17; 18:1-20:8), large armies (1 Chr 11:10-12:40; 27:1-24), prosperity (1 Chr 18:9-11; 20:2; 26:20-32; 27:25-31; 29:1-9; 2 Chr 1:12-17; 9:9-28), popular support (1 Chr 11:10-12:40; 28:1; 29:21-25), progeny (1 Chr 14:3-4), and the most important building project of all — the temple itself.6

Not only do the genealogies contain some of the characteristic vocab­ulary of the author's approach, some of the short narratives within the genealogies betray his hand. God answers the battle prayer of those who trust him (1 Chr 5:18-22), but he abandons those who are un­faithful (1 Chr 5:23-26).

The pervasiveness of the themes of retribution theology betrays the

6 For that matter comparatively little of the Chronicler's account of the reigns of David and Solomon is not devoted to the building of the temple. Extensive description details David's preparations (1 Chr 21-29), and nearly the entire history of Solomon is devoted to it (2 Chr 1-8). See R. Braun, "Solomon, the Chosen Temple Builder: the Significance of 1 Chronicles 22, 28, and 29 for the Theology of Chronicles," JBL 95 (1976) 581-590, and R. B. Dillard, "The Chronicler's Solomon," WTJ 43 (1980-81) 289-300.

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essential unity of the Chronicles.7 It is concentrated mainly in his account of the divided kingdoms, and that is what one would expect in light of the pivotal importance of 2 Chr 7:14; it is less prominent in the record of the united kingdoms, largely due to the author's ideal­izing of that period; it is least prominent in the genealogical materials, as one would expect by virtue of the genre itself.

Also in order to avoid reductionism, the cautions of Rudolph8 should be remembered. The Chronicler has not reduced the principle of retri­bution to its logical extreme, such that it is a barren and unalterable law in his writings. Punishment does not always follow hard on the heels of transgression, not until the prophets come with their warnings and offers of mercy from God. Not every attack of an enemy army is due to transgression (2 Chr 32:1; 16:1; 25:13).

II. Source

Examples of immediate reward or punishment are found in all layers of biblical tradition. The uniqueness of the Chronicler in this regard is not simply the presence of these themes, but rather the frequency with which they have been incorporated. It must be asked what stimulus produced a writing of Israel's history making such extensive and con­sistent use of principles of retribution.

The writer of Chronicles had the version of Israel's history in Samuel/Kings before him. These books do portray instances of imme­diate retribution (1 Sam 3:30-34; 5:9; 25:36-39; 28:16-19; 2 Sam 12:13-14; 21:1; 24:11-12; 1 Kgs 13:4; 2 Kgs 1:16-17; 2:23-24; et al.), but for the most part, particularly in the history of the divided kingdoms, the approach to sin and guilt is that of delayed judgment culminating in the exile of the northern and southern kingdoms. Punish­ment erupts as the cumulative weight of guilt and sin from the exodus onward provokes the divine response (2 Kgs 17:7-22; 21:10-15). This approach to sin and guilt in Kings was dictated in part by the needs of the original audience — for a generation in exile, the basic question "How could it have happened? Did God fail?" had to be answered; the destruction of Jerusalem did not represent the failure of God to

7 This does not preclude the possibility of some insertions along the way after the work of the Chronicler proper. The pervasive presence of the themes of retribution theology comports well with unity of authorship, but it has no more than circumstantial value and cannot establish a single author.

»"Problems," 405-6.

REWARD AND PUNISHMENT IN CHRONICLES 171

keep his word to David and Jerusalem, but rather he had responded finally to the sin of the people and kings.

While this approach to guilt may account well for the exile and the destruction of Jerusalem, it is easy to see that the exiles themselves might question the justice of God; in their eyes they were suffering not for sins that they had committed, but rather for the sins of their ancestors (Ezek 18:25; Lam 5:7). Ezekiel's fellow exiles were fond of the well-used proverb, "The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge" (Ezek 18:2; cf. Jer 31:29). To that generation Ezekiel delivered the command of God to no longer use that proverb (18:3). Ezekiel goes on to deliver the lengthiest and most direct ar­ticulation of retribution theology found in the Scriptures. His basic thesis is that the righteous will live, while the soul that sins will die (18:4, 13, 17-32); the point is driven home with three examples, that of a righteous man who does right, that of the wicked son of a righteous father, and that of the righteous son of a wicked father (18:5-18). The thesis is that each individual or generation will stand or fall in terms of its own obedience and that a gracious God does not take delight in punishing the wicked.

Surely it is not possible to demonstrate a direct dependence of Chron­icles on Ezekiel for these themes; too many issues surrounding the composition and date of both books would preclude any certainty. If it was not the book of Ezekiel itself or the influence of his disciples, at least a similar line of development may have stimulated a review of Israel's history to emphasize that deferred judgment was not always the case, but rather that God had dealt with each generation as its deeds deserved, though always with the offer of mercy. The Chronicler's approach was not offered as a contradiction to Kings, but as a counter­poise.

In this regard the Chronicler may have been warning the restoration community against any complacency or presumption that punishment might be deferred for their wrongdoing as it had been in the past (com­pare Zech 1:1-6). For a nation once again "serving the kingdoms of other lands" (2 Chr 12:8), survival and blessing were found through seeking God and humbling oneself before him.

III. Approaching the NT

Examples of both immediate and deferred judgment are found in the NT. In addition to the eschatological day of reward and punish-

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ment, some incidents portray individuals bearing the consequences of their actions in the present age. Disregard for the Lord's table brought illness and death to some (1 Cor 11:30); misrepresenting themselves cost Ananias and Sapphira their lives (Acts 5:1-10). Paul sums it up by reminding Timothy that "the sins of some men are obvious, reach­ing the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them" (1 Tim 5:24).

At least one other passage requires mention. In John 9 we see both strains of Israel's understanding of guilt. The disciples asked Jesus about the blindness of a man nearby. "Who sinned?" they said, "this man [the approach of Chronicles] or his parents [the approach of Kings]?" Jesus surprised the disciples with a third alternative they had not considered; he answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."9

Westminster Theological Seminary Philadelphia

9 It goes without saying that Israel's literature also discussed the problem of the innocent sufferer. The book of Job and many psalms give eloquent testimony that this strain had not been simply overlooked.

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