Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 2025 KCI Impact Factor : 0.57
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pISSN : 1229-0521 / eISSN : 2799-9890
- https://journal.kci.go.kr/ksots
KJCKorea
Journal Central
Continuity and Discontinuity in the Post-Exilic Community: A Background for Interpreting the Book of Chronicles
- Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
- Abbr : KJOTS
- 2025, 31(2), pp.19~55
- DOI : 10.24333/jkots.2025.31.2.19
- Publisher : Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
- Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology
- Received : April 12, 2025
- Accepted : June 2, 2025
- Published : June 30, 2025
1스텔렌보쉬대학교
Accredited
ABSTRACT
This study examines the theological and socio-historical background of the book of Chronicles by exploring the tension of continuity and discontinuity experienced by the post-exilic Yehud community. In particular, it focuses on how the Chronicler reinterprets Israel’s past through the concept of “All Israel” as a means of identity negotiation in a new imperial context. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that the Chronicler’s vision was not merely a historical recollection but a theological strategy to reconfigure Israel’s collective identity under Persian rule.
Methodologically, this research employs literary-critical analysis of the genealogies in 1 Chronicles 1–9 and their function within the overall narrative of Chronicles. At the same time, it draws on socio-historical and archaeological data to reconstruct the late Persian context in which the Chronicler and his community lived. By integrating these approaches, the study situates the Chronicler’s work within the political, cultic, communal, and theological spheres of Yehud.
The study reveals that the Chronicler used “All Israel” not only as a unifying term for all twelve tribes, but also as a theological response to the fragmented reality of the post-exilic period. Issues such as the returnee–remainee conflict, the authority of cultic personnel, and Yehud’s subjection to imperial power are reframed through the Chronicler’s inclusive historiography. In doing so, the Chronicler offers a reinterpretation of Israel’s identity—one that both honors tradition and addresses the challenges of a new age.
Ultimately, the research concludes that Chronicles should be read as a theologically motivated narrative that engages in identity reconstruction through the interplay of memory, tradition, and present reality within the post-exilic world.
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[journal]
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