GENERAL VIEW OF THESE BOOKS

1. The term Historical Books is applied to all the books of the Old Testament from Joshua to Esther inclusive. While we find some history in the other books of the Old Testament, these are especially characterized as historical. Because of its close relation to the Pentateuch, Joshua has been treated already in the volume on the “Pentateuch.”  

By the Hebrews these books were not arranged as we have them. Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings were called the “Former Prophets,” while Ruth, Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles were classed among the “Writings,” i. e., the Holy Writings. The term Prophets was applied to the former books because it was supposed that they were written by members of the schools of the prophets, and also because they were written in the prophetic spirit. These were held in high esteem by the Jews.  

2. The names of the authors of these books are not given. We have the books of Samuel, but they are not so called because Samuel wrote them, for he was dead before many of the events recorded had taken place (1 Sam. 25:1). But the fact that these books are anonymous does not invalidate their trustworthiness. The events were not effected by the recorder of them. Nor is it possible to determine precisely when these books were written. Their dates have to be fixed from internal evidence largely. The authors themselves have not told us when they wrote.  

There is a tradition that Samuel was the author of Judges. It seems to have been written after the establishment of the kingdom, but before David had taken Jerusalem. (See 17:6; 18:1 and compare 1:21 with 2 Sam. 5:6.) It is also possible that Samuel wrote Ruth. The books of Samuel were probably compiled from the writings of Samuel, Nathan, and Gad (1 Chron. 29:29). It is thought that Jeremiah wrote Kings, using for his authority accounts that were written by various prophets during the history of Israel. The books were composed soon after the captivity of Jerusalem, 586 B. C. The Chronicles were written after the return from exile. There is a tradition that Ezra was the author, but it is not certain. In the genealogical lists there are names that belong to a later date, but these may have been added afterward. Ezra and Nehemiah were probably written by the men whose names they bear. The authorship and date of Esther are unknown.  

3. While these books are called historical, we find that they do not contain a full and complete history of the Israelites. Some periods are described quite fully, but others are just touched upon, or are passed over altogether. The reigns of some of the kings are given with minuteness, while others who ruled as long are barely mentioned. There are some things recorded that perhaps we would not look for in a history, and other things that we should like to know are left out. From a study of these characteristics it appears that the writers were not writing history in the ordinary sense; that they had a special reason for what they included and for what they excluded. They presented only those facts that were connected with the unfolding of God's purpose of redemption. We have a record of God's dealings with his people in order to prepare for the coming of the Saviour to lost man.  

The afore-mentioned characteristic of the historical writers is illustrated, for instance, in the histories of David and Uzziah. Fifteen chapters of 1 Samuel and the twenty-four chapters of 2 Samuel are devoted to the life and reign of David, while but seven verses in Kings are given to the reign of Uzziah, though he reigned fifty -two years, and David only forty.  

The purpose of the Pentateuch is to show how God had taken to himself a particular people; how he had brought them out of the bondage of Egypt and made a covenant with them at Sinai, and how he led them to the land that had been promised to their fathers. Special laws were given to them, a special place and manner of worship prescribed, and the presence of God was manifested in the most marked way. The book of Joshua shows how the Israelites were settled in the land promised. Everything was thus prepared for this special people to carry out the purposes of God, and to honor him in the sight of the heathen by obeying his laws. The subsequent historical books show how the Israelites miserably failed in their obligations to Jehovah, how God showed mercy to them and severely punished them for their disobedience, and at last restored them to the land they had corrupted,  

4. The book of Judges is so called because it contains an account of Israel during the period of the judges. It is especially intended to show how the people departed from the commandments of God at a time when there was no one in authority to secure obedience to the laws, when every man did what was right in his own eyes. It does not describe men as they ought to have been, but as they were. It shows the necessity for the divinely established kingdom. It does not commend each separate act of the judges, but shows that God raised up these men to deliver his people from their oppressors.  

There are great difficulties in the way of determining the chronology of the period of the judges. It would seem from a casual reading of the book that the Israelites were fighting most of the time, but if the periods of peace are reckoned up and compared with the periods of war it will be found that the land had rest a good proportion of the time.  

Chapters 17-21 are not to be understood as describing events in their chronological order. It is not certain when these did occur, but they help to show the tendency to wickedness early manifested by the Israelites. It must be remembered too, that the incidents narrated in the book of Ruth belong to this period of the judges.  

5. In the Hebrew Bibles the book of Ruth is found among the collection called the “Writings,” but it more properly belongs where we have it; for it continues the history that leads up to the accession of the kings. The events narrated in it occurred probably about one hundred years before the reign of David. It gives us a very beautiful picture of life among the Israelites in this early period. It was probably written; not simply to give the descent of King David, but to show how the Moabitess Ruth left her own people and religion to share the covenant privileges of the chosen people.  

In contrast with much of the book of Judges, which gives repeated instances of Israel's turning away from Jehovah to serve idols, this book shows how one from a foreign people turned to accept the living God. It is of considerable interest to remember that Jesus the Messiah, as Son of David, was a descendant of Ruth.  

6. The two books of Samuel were originally written as one, and were first separated in the Greek translation, the Septuagint. They give the events that led to the establishing of the monarchy and the reigns of Saul and David. The purpose of the books was to show how the divinely appointed authority that was shown to be needed in the times of the judges was secured in the kings. One object of importance, however, was to show that the king was not to rule according to his own inclinations only, but was to carry out the will of God; for when Saul disobeyed he was rejected. It shows us to what a position of power and supremacy Israel attained under the reign of David.  

7. The two books of Kings were originally written as one, and were first divided by the Septuagint as were the books of Samuel. They cover a period of almost five hundred years of Israel's history. Their purpose is not to give all the events of interest that happened during the monarchy, but to show to what extent the people failed to realize the high idea possible to them in political supremacy and religious isolation among the nations. The author especially dwells upon those sins that resulted in the severe punishment of the chosen people.  

The first eleven chapters give an account of the splendor of Solomon's reign; but even here we see those tendencies to evil so sadly prominent in the subsequent history. It is a bright background to a dark picture. Where the author carries along the history of the two kingdoms (1 Kings 12; 2 Kings 17) most attention is paid to the northern kingdom and to the most wicked kings of this kingdom, the evident purpose being not to narrate all that happened, but to give the causes of Israel's fall.  

The work of Elijah and Elisha occupies a good deal of the history, and this was to show how much God did to turn the hearts of the people back to himself and to keep them from forsaking him for the idols of the heathen. The reforms by Hezekiah and Josiah show more of failure than of success.  

8. The books of Chronicles present a history that is largely parallel with that given in Samuel and Kings, but the purpose of these books is not the same. In the Chronicles the chief attention is paid to the kingdom of Judah, and the author does not dwell so much upon the wickedness of the people as upon the success attained by those kings who were most faithful in obeying God. The importance of the worship of God at the temple is shown, and instances of former prosperity when this worship was most carefully maintained are given. The object seems to be to keep the returned exiles from again forsaking Jehovah.  

The name of these books in the Hebrew Bible means the affairs of the days, i. e., an account of the chief national events. The present name was given because of a statement by Jerome, who revised the Latin version of the Bible. The original sources from which the author drew were probably written by some of the prophets. In some instances these books give more information than the books of Samuel and Kings. Both accounts need to be studied to get a correct understanding of the history.  

Many of the higher critics reject these books as being historically untrustworthy. It is true that there are a few instances where the statements, especially the numbers given, are at variance with those given in the other books. But these are of minor importance, and can be explained as errors of text that have arisen from copying. The chief reason for rejecting these books is that their contents conflict with the theory of the critics, who claim that the worship of the Israelites was not so developed in the earlier times as the chronicler represents. But he appeals to his authorities, and we can not suppose that he was deliberately deceiving.  

9. The book of Ezra was written probably toward the close of the fifth century B. C. It is intended to show how the promise that the chosen people should return from captivity was fulfilled. It tells of the restoration of the temple and its worship. The building of the temple had been completed about sixty years when Ezra went to Jerusalem, so that if he is the author of this book he must have gotten his information from others. There is the further purpose here of showing how the tendency of Israel to depart from Jehovah again was checked by the zeal of Ezra.  

The Jews have handed down traditions about the works that Ezra did. He is credited with rewriting the whole of the books of the Old Testament that had been written before the captivity and been destroyed when the Jews were carried to Babylon; with giving the vowel points to the Hebrew language; and with completing the canon of the Old Testament. Some of this work it is certain he did not do, but he was very probably instrumental in preserving the sacred writings of the Jews.  

10. The book of Nehemiah is closely related to Ezra and Chronicles. Some suppose that one author wrote all three. But there is not sufficient reason for giving up the view that Nehemiah wrote the book bearing his name. The historical value of the book remains the same whoever wrote it. The book shows how the walls of the city were rebuilt under the zealous leadership of Nehemiah, and how the national life of the people was resumed after the exile. This book and that of Ezra throw much light upon the political and religious condition of the Jews at this time.  

It should be borne in mind that the temple had been completed nearly seventy-five years before the walls of the city were rebuilt. During all this time the Jews were under the dominion of the Persian power.  

11. The book of Esther is not placed in its chronological order in our Bible. The events which it narrates occurred probably about 486 B. C. It gives a remarkable instance of the providence of God over his people, guarding them from the destruction threatened by their enemies. It is said by some to have been written to give an account of the origin of the feast of Purim, but this can hardly be a sufficient explanation for the existence of the book.  

SUMMARY.

1. Number of the Historical Books. How the Hebrews divided their books. The names they gave to them.

2. Names of authors and dates not given. Probable authors of the different books.

3. Not a complete history of the people given. Only those facts that are connected with redemption presented. Illustration of this. Relation of the Historical Books to the Pentateuch.

4. Purpose of Judges to show how the people were punished for departure from Jehovah. Different aspects of the period.

5. Purpose of Ruth to show a change in religion. Contrast between Ruth and Israelites.

6. Books of Samuel showing establishment of the kingdom.

7. Books of Kings showing punishment of the people for sins. Most attention paid to the wicked kings of Israel. Prophets and reformers unsuccessful.

8. Chronicles to secure fidelity to Jehovah and his worship. The author's sources of information. Objections to the book by higher critics.

9. Time and purpose of Ezra. Traditions about the author.

10. Relation and purpose of Nehemiah. Walls rebuilt.

11. Chronological order of Esther. Shows providence of God.