Manasseh and history keeping

[Rho]

I have a question on Manasseh. Why is his 180 degree about face was not recorded in 2 Kings 20 as it is in 2 Chronicles 33.

Secondly, what is the purpose in having the two parallel records of history within the bible?

I remember from somewhere that one is a from a human perspective and the other from a spiritual perspective?
Is this correct? - if so how does this reflect on Manasseh's account?


Just a recap on Manasseh.

Son of Hezekiah, 12 years of age he takes the throne, is active in encouraging Israel to participate in great evil, spills innocent blood, sets up pits for conjuring, passes his son thru the flame. God gives warnings thru the prophets – he ignores them, later dies and is buried in the palace garden. Amon is born / gets killed then Josiah takes the throne at the age of 8.


Chronicles records the same as above, except -

Manasseh gets taken captive by the Assyrian king, humbles himself, repents. Gets released and becomes a role model.

The only other part of scripture I could find is in Jeremiah 15 – God’s prophecy on Israel.

Rho.

 

[RVincent]

Chronicles belongs to a different part of the Hebrew Canon, called the Kethubim, or "writings". The Hebrew title of the book is Dibrae hayyamim. "Words of the Days"; or, God's purposes and counsels as to Israel's doings in the past, and until the time of the end. It appears as the very last book of the Hebrew Canon.

The Greek title of the book is Paraleipomena = "things omitted", which is somewhat accurate since, as you pointed out, it records events that the books of the Kings doesn't.

"As compared with Chronicles, Kings and Samuel give the history from the human point of view, while Chronicles gives the history from the Divinve standpoint. The former, as man ruled the history; the latter, as God overruled it." Companion Bible, p. 447

For the parallel passages in the Book of Chronicles, see App. 56.

 

[Rho]

Great information, thank-you for the enlightenment - the link to the appendix was very informative - clears up a lot of side issues. Might have to buy the Companion Bible for myself.

Though the question still remains. Given the difference of objectives in the books, I would have thought that the capture / release of Manasseh would have been note worthy from a historical point of view.

Rho.

 

[Nazarite]

I know this isn't exactly what you were inquiring about. But, isn't it incredible to know that our God would show such mercy and grace. Manassah's life, like all of ours, doesn't measure up at all and yet God was very concerned for him even in his deep depravity.

 

[Rho]

Nazarite, I agree, which is why I enjoy reading the OT. So many stories of people who struggle with there faith with God, sometimes they screw up, sometimes they get it right.
Also the flipside - makes me a tad humble to realise that God has a plan for each person.

 

[SolomonVII]

There is also the possiblility that Chronicles were written from a different historic vantage point.

Written before the Babylonian captivity the history in Kings is more severe and the emphasis is on sin and repentance before the wrath promised in Deut 28:64 descends upon them.
Chronicles, on the other hand, was written after the Jews have suffered God's wrath in full measure. The question that they were therefore pondering was whether of not the covenant between them and God was still valid. Had God forsaken them?
The author's (possibly Ezra's) comforting answer to this question is emphasized in this more upbeat rendering of the already well-known history of their Jewish nation.

While the repentance and forgivness of Mannasseh, for example, is omitted from Kings, David's adultery is likewise not mentioned in Chronicles. Chronicles can been seen as an ecncouragement for the remnant of the Jews who have returned that the land has been promised to them forever, and that God's plan as has been unfolded through their history is unfolding as it should.