David F. Payne on the Purpose and Methods of the Chronicler

The following article is now available in PDF:

David F. Payne, "The Purpose and Methods of the Chronicler," Faith and Thought 93.2 (1963): 64-73.

Dr Payne makes a defence of the histocity of Chroncles and concludes:

These various considerations suggest that the Chronicler was a serious historian, who sought to give his readers a reliable account of certain aspects of the history of Judah and the dynasty of David. That there are certain difficulties in his account―though their number and importance should not be exaggerated―must be admitted; but an examination of the rest of the evidence, and an assessment of the Chronicler’s methods, render it most unlikely that he was prepared to invent material to suit some purpose of theological outlook or propa­ganda. We may therefore place confidence in the reliability of his information, even when it is unsupported by Samuel-Kings.

My thanks to Dr Payne for his kind permission to republish his article.