Who Tells History? Comparing Chronicles and Kings

Journey of a Passage

• 1 Kings 7:23–26: The bronze Sea: 2,000 or 3,000 baths? →1 Kings 7:26 says the Sea held 2,000 baths; 2 Chronicles 4:5 says 3,000. The library's Greek of 1 Kings has no capacity figure at all in this passage, and gives the circumference as 33 cubits instead of 30.
• 2 Kings 8:26 and 2 Chronicles 22:2: Ahaziah's age: 22, 42 or 20? →2 Kings 8:26 says Ahaziah was 22 when he became king. The Hebrew of 2 Chronicles 22:2 says 42, which would make him two years older than his father (2 Chronicles 21:20). The library's Greek of Chronicles has 20.
• 2 Kings 24:8 and 2 Chronicles 36:9: Jehoiachin: 18 or 8? →2 Kings 24:8 makes Jehoiachin 18 at his accession; 2 Chronicles 36:9 in the Hebrew and in the library's Greek makes him 8, reigning "three months and ten days." Some ancient witnesses of Chronicles are reported to read 18.
• 2 Chronicles 35:20–25 and 2 Kings 23:29–30: How Josiah died →Kings: Necho killed Josiah at Megiddo "when he had seen him." Chronicles: Necho warned Josiah in God's name; Josiah disguised himself, fought, was shot by archers and died in Jerusalem. 1 Esdras 1 says Necho's words came "from the mouth of the Lord" through Jeremiah. The library's Greek of Chronicles also adds material after 35:19.