Author:
Originally, 1 and 2 Chronicles were one book in the Hebrew Scriptures. They were probably written by Ezra (cf.
2 Chron. 36:22-23 and
Ezra 1:1-13).
Time of Writing:
Probably after 458 B.C., during the reign of Artaxerxes the king of Persia (
Ezra 7:1), when Ezra returned from Babylon to Jerusalem (
Ezra 8:31-32).
Place of Writing:
Perhaps in Jerusalem.
Time Period Covered:
The two books cover 517 years: 1 Chronicles covers about forty-one years (excluding the forefathers' genealogy in chs. 1—9), from 1056 B.C. to 1015 B.C., that is, from the death of Saul
ch. 10) to the death of David (
29:28); 2 Chronicles covers about 476 years, from 1015 B.C. to 539 B.C., that is, from the reign of Solomon (
1:1) to the first year of Cyrus the king of Persia (
36:22).
