Hierodules, Priests, Or Janitors? the Levites in Chronicles and the History of the Israelite Priesthood‪.‬

In the Chronicler's depiction of the final years of David's reign, David undertakes an ambitious administrative reorganization. (1) David prepares the Israelite nation for the accession of his successor by establishing a national civil service to assist Solomon and subsequent kings. A series of speeches delivered by David to Solomon (1 Chr 22:7-16; 28:9-10, 20-21), select leaders (1 Chr 22:17-19; 23:25), and the larger populace (1 Chr 28:2-8; 29:1-5) establishes the contours for the transition in power and for the tasks that the divinely appointed successor must undertake. (2) David's long list of appointments affects military personnel, civil officers, regional supervisors, priests, Levites, and gatekeepers. If certain documents from the ancient Near East, such as the Hittite "Instructions for Temple Officials," the "Instructions for Palace Personnel," and the "Instructions for the Royal Bodyguard," provide directions for the proper exercise of these roles, David both assigns and instructs various officials who will serve at the Jerusalem Temple and in the Israelite government. (3) Having established a considerable bureaucracy, David, with God's help, draws up a plan ([TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII.]) for the Temple and its courts, endows their construction and upkeep, and successfully urges Israel to support this project and the Temple builder himself. (4) In presenting this elaborate picture of Davidic plans, speeches, and appointments, Chronicles presents a stunning alternative to the presentation of Samuel-Kings. (5) The Deuteronomistic History presents a sequence of insurrections by David's own sons during David's latter years that threaten the unity and command of David's administration. For a time David is even forced to flee from Jerusalem until his armed forces are able to right the situation (2 Sam 15:1-20:22). David himself appears as a somewhat feeble and timeworn, if not testy, figure (1 Kgs 1:1-4). His final speech, delivered to Solomon, is not a beautiful lament or a farewell of encouragement but a summons to Solomon to use his wisdom to eliminate or wreak vengeance on the enemies of his regime (1 Kgs 2:1-10).