Finished reading the first and second book of Chronicles today. They're basically a repeat of I & II Kings without all the details of David's and Solomon's failures (which I think were actually quite interesting) and adds a positive spin at the end: After the Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and the Jews are sent into exile, the Persian king Cyrus gives permission for them to return to their homeland (around 539 B.C.E.).
The two books are basically a re-telling of the monarchies from the time of king David to the Jews' return to their homeland. Again, it's a bit frustrating to read these two books since there's only ONE king in the entire list (and there are many) who has a perfect heart and follows God's laws and "does that which is right in the sight of the Lord." Obviously being good is difficult, but it's disheartening to read of SO MANY rulers who fail. And God is often not nice to them. One gets leprosy and another dies of some incurable bowel disease. That's pretty rough.
Those who do good, however, are rewarded. I like some of the verses that encourage good actions.
"Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded." -- II Chronicles 15:7
**NEXT: Ezra
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