THE FIRST BOOK OF CHRONICLES.
The Hebrew title is Dibre Haiamim, the book of words, or digest of days and years. Jerome called it Chronicles, and it forms but one book in the old Hebrew text. The Chronicles contain a short history of the world in general, and of the Israelites in particular, from Adam to the latter part of Ezra's life, and he is therefore allowed to be the compiler of the work, his object being to supply many important occurrences. The Septuagint calls these two books, Paralei-pomena; that is, Supplements, or Addenda. This work deserves particular study, as it illustrates many parts of Sacred History, and augments the evidence of its authenticity, by proving that the Jews had many records which preserved the memory of their civil and religious affairs. The frequent occurrence of the Hebrew phrase, “to this day,” shows that Ezra followed authentic documents.