The Canonical Column, Book 13: 1 Chronicles

We now continue our journey through the Canonical Column with the thirteenth book of the biblical canon–1 Chronicles. For those encountering this series for the first time and wondering what the Canonical Column is, I highly recommend first reviewing my introduction to the Canonical Column (or this summary of the mystery if you prefer a shorter overview). Without this foundational understanding, it will be difficult to fully grasp or contextualize the information presented in this analysis.

Suffice it to say that the Canonical Column refers to a divinely designed structural framework and prophetic network embedded within the Bible which bears witness to the final form of the biblical canon—testifying to its 39–27 book division, identifying all 66 books within it, and even delineating the exact order in which they would appear. In this sense, it may be likened to an internal measuring line that God deliberately placed within his Word, allowing us to determine objectively which canon of Scripture is the correct one.

As established in previous installments, every book of the Bible is confirmed by two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column—one drawn from the Law (Genesis 12–50 or Leviticus) and the other from the Prophets (Isaiah).¹ In the case of 1 Chronicles, its two witnesses are Genesis 24 and Isaiah 13. Both of these chapters function within their respective branches of the Canonical Column as figurative types of the book of 1 Chronicles. To this end, each has been divinely embedded with textual allusions to specific passages within 1 Chronicles and intentionally sequenced as the thirteenth chapter in its branch of the framework, reflecting 1 Chronicles’ ordinal position as the thirteenth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible at large. As we will see, it is by the mouth of these two witnesses that the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordained placement of the book of 1 Chronicles are firmly established.

Table of Contents anchor

The book of 1 Chronicles

The book of 1 Chronicles marks a noticeable shift in tone and theological emphasis within the narrative of Israel’s history. Whereas the books of 1–2 Kings focus heavily on both the Northern and Southern kingdoms—with a strong prophetic emphasis on covenant failure, idolatry, and national judgment—1 Chronicles narrows its scope almost exclusively to the kingdom of Judah, placing renewed emphasis on the Davidic line, the temple, and proper worship. This makes Chronicles more than just a retelling; it is a theological reconstruction of Israel’s story, aimed at giving hope and identity to a post-exilic generation.

Chronicles opens with nine chapters of genealogies, grounding the restored people of Judah in their covenantal heritage. From there, it recounts the reign of David, emphasizing his preparations for the building of the temple—something largely absent in the Samuel-Kings narrative. The chronicler portrays David as a paradigmatic king, a man after God’s own heart, whose legacy centers on his deep desire to establish a dwelling place for the LORD. By focusing on temple worship, Levitical duties, and the unbroken Davidic lineage, 1 Chronicles reaffirms God’s faithfulness to His covenant with David, even after the trauma of exile.

Authorship & Dating

Jewish tradition, as preserved in the Talmud (Baba Bathra 15a), attributes the authorship of Chronicles to Ezra the scribe, and many conservative scholars have accepted this as plausible. The anonymous compiler—often referred to as “the Chronicler”—appears to have drawn from a wide array of earlier biblical sources, including the books of Samuel and Kings, along with official genealogical records, temple archives, and prophetic writings. His editorial hand is evident not only in what he includes, but also in what he omits, deliberately shaping the narrative to emphasize covenant faithfulness, proper worship, and the enduring significance of the Davidic line.

The composition of 1–2 Chronicles likely occurred during the late 5th or early 4th century BC, in the post-exilic period, when the Jewish people had returned from Babylonian captivity and were in the process of reestablishing their identity in the land of Judah. If true, this would make 1 Chronicles one of the latest books of the Old Testament to have been penned. The Chronicler’s intent was not simply to retell history, but to theologically reinterpret it—showing that God’s promises to David and to Israel still stood, despite the nation’s past failures.

1 Chronicles’ witnessing chapters in the Canonical Column

The two witnessing chapters of 1 Chronicles within the Canonical Column are Genesis 24 and Isaiah 13. These chapters have been divinely embedded with various allusions to scenes, imagery, and language from the book of 1 Chronicles. As with every book attested by the Canonical Column, these chapters have been intentionally designed and meticulously placed within their respective branches of the Canonical Column to bear witness to the canonicity of the book of 1 Chronicles–establishing it as the thirteenth book of the divinely sanctioned biblical canon.²

Context of Genesis 24

Genesis 24 recounts the mission of Abraham’s servant to find a wife for Isaac—a pivotal moment in the covenantal narrative, as it secures the next generation in the promised line. This chapter, the longest in the book of Genesis, is rich with themes of divine providence, covenant continuity, and servant obedience. Abraham, now advanced in age, entrusts his unnamed servant with the solemn task of selecting a wife from his own kin rather than from the surrounding Canaanite peoples. The servant, in turn, demonstrates deep faith and reliance on God, praying for a clear sign to identify the chosen woman.

The events that unfold—centered on Rebekah’s kindness, hospitality, and willingness to leave her homeland—highlight God’s providential hand in guiding the affairs of His covenant people. This chapter is not merely a romantic narrative; it functions as a theological bridge, ensuring the forward movement of the Abrahamic promise through Isaac’s line.

Within the Canonical Column, Genesis 24 prophetically mirrors the themes of 1 Chronicles by emphasizing the continuity of covenantal succession, the significance of careful preparation for what is to come, and the faithful stewardship of sacred trust. Just as Abraham’s servant prepares for and facilitates the next stage in God’s redemptive plan, so too does David in 1 Chronicles prepare the way for Solomon, ensuring the proper establishment of temple worship and royal continuity in Judah.

Genesis 24 -> 1 Chronicles

As the thirteenth chapter of The Circumcision (which functions within the Canonical Column as a figurative type of the Old Testament canon), Genesis 24 has been deliberately designed by God to serve as a figurative type of the book of 1 Chronicles—ordained before the foundation of the world to become the thirteenth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible. Accordingly, this chapter has been divinely embedded with allusions and echoes of various kinds to specific scenes and passages that God, in his perfect foreknowledge, knew would be found within the book of 1 Chronicles. The comparative table below documents a selection of the most notable of these allusions, with explanations provided in the accompanying footnotes.

Genesis 24	1 Chronicles
And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.3 (Genesis 24:1)	So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king over Israel. (1 Chronicles 23:1)
And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had. Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. . . . The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.4 (Genesis 24:2-4; 7)	David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and before his people. (1 Chronicles 22:17-28)
The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.5 (Genesis 24:7)	Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel: (1 Chronicles 28:4)
Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.6 (Genesis 24:13-14)	And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate! (1 Chronicles 11:17)
And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.7 (Genesis 24:31)	And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obededom, and all that he had. (1 Chronicles 13:14)
And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.8 (Genesis 24:36)	Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things. (1 Chronicles 28:11-12)
And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.9 (Genesis 24:48)	And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king. (1 Chronicles 29:20)
And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.10 (Genesis 24:60)	And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David, And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword. (1 Chronicles 21:5)

Context of Isaiah 13

Isaiah 13 marks the beginning of a new section in the book of Isaiah, where the prophet delivers a series of oracles against the nations. This chapter opens with a burden against Babylon, the rising imperial power that would later serve as God’s instrument of judgment against Judah. Though Babylon had not yet become the dominant world empire at the time of Isaiah’s writing, the prophet foresees its eventual downfall with startling clarity. He speaks of a coming “day of the LORD” in which Babylon will be overthrown in divine wrath, its glory reduced to desolation, and its proud city left to become the haunt of wild beasts.

The judgment described in Isaiah 13 is cosmic and cataclysmic in scale—filled with apocalyptic imagery and divine fury. Yet beneath the surface lies a thread of hope for Israel, as Babylon’s fall is implicitly tied to the restoration of God’s people. The very nation that would take Judah into captivity will, in due time, be judged for its own pride and violence. Thus, the chapter establishes a prophetic pattern: God uses nations to judge His people, but those nations will not escape judgment themselves.

Within the Canonical Column, Isaiah 13 reflects the theological core of 1 Chronicles, which is written in the shadow of exile and implicitly addresses the consequences of Babylon’s rise. Though 1 Chronicles never directly mentions the Babylonian captivity, its heavy emphasis on Davidic covenant, temple preparation, and Levitical order functions as a spiritual counterpoint to Babylonian destruction. It reassures the post-exilic community that Babylon’s dominance was temporary, and that God’s promises to David endure. The alignment of Isaiah 13 with 1 Chronicles thus underscores the reality of judgment on the one hand, and the unwavering continuity of God’s redemptive plan on the other.

Isaiah 13 -> 1 Chronicles

As the thirteenth chapter of First Isaiah (which functions within the Canonical Column as a figurative type of the Old Testament canon), Isaiah 13 has been deliberately designed by God to serve as a figurative type of the book of 1 Chronicles—ordained before the foundation of the world to become both the thirteenth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible. Accordingly, this chapter has been divinely embedded with allusions and echoes of various kinds to specific scenes and passages that God, in his perfect foreknowledge, knew would be found within the book of 1 Chronicles. The comparative table below documents a selection of the most notable of these allusions, with explanations provided in the accompanying footnotes.

Isaiah 13	1 Chronicles
The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.11 (Isaiah 13:14)	And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads. As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh. And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host. For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God. (1 Chronicles 12:19-22)
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.12 (Isaiah 13:9)	So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it. . . . (1 Chronicles 21:14-15)
And it shall be as a chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: . . . .13 (Isaiah 13:14)	And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; . . . (1 Chronicles 12:8)
. . . . they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.14 (Isaiah 13:14)	So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him. And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city, then Joab came to Jerusalem. . . . But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host. (1 Chronicles 19:14-15; 18)
Every one that is found shall be thrust through: and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.15 (Isaiah 13:15)	Then said Saul to his armour bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. (1 Chronicles 10:4)
Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.16 (Isaiah 13:16)	And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weight a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David’s head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city, And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. (1 Chronicles 20:2-3)
Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not spare children.17 (Isaiah 13:18)	Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war. They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin. (1 Chronicles 12:1-2)

Conclusion: The Canonical Column Affirms the Canonicity and Ordinal Position of 1 Chronicles as the Thirteenth Book of the Canon

The canonicity of the book of 1 Chronicles is affirmed by its two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column: Genesis 24 and Isaiah 13. These two chapters have been deliberately structured and sequenced as the thirteenth chapter within their respective branches of the Canonical Column, in order to function as individual figurative types of the book of 1 Chronicles–the thirteenth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible at large. To this end, both chapters have been divinely embedded with direct allusions to specific passages and content that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be contained within the book of 1 Chronicles, which was ordained before the foundation of the world to become the thirteenth book of the Old Testament and biblical canon. Accordingly, the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement of the book of 1 Chronicles are established by the Canonical Column–being witnessed by both the Law & the Prophets.

1. Every book of the Bible has two chapters which correspond to it within the Canonical Column–one in Genesis 12-50 or Leviticus (the Law), and one in Isaiah (the Prophets). Genesis 12-50 (known in the Canonical Column as “The Circumcision”) and Isaiah 1-39 (known in the Canonical Column as “First Isaiah”) are both figurative types of the Old Testament canon–each containing 39 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 39 books of the Old Testament canon. Similarly, Leviticus (known in the Canonical Column as “An Holy Priesthood”) and Isaiah 40-66 (known in the Canonical Column as “Second Isaiah”) function as figurative types of the New Testament canon–each containing 27 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 27 books of the New Testament canon. The individual chapters within these four scaffolding branches of the Canonical Column are known as witnessing chapters, so called because they have been divinely embedded with textual allusions of various kinds to the content of the specific biblical book which occupies the same numerical position within the canonical sequence. Thus, Genesis 14 (the third chapter of The Circumcision) and Isaiah 3 (the third chapter of First Isaiah) have been divinely embedded with deliberate textual allusions to scenes, imagery, and specific passages in the book of Leviticus–the third book of the Old Testament and the Bible. Thus the witnessing chapters function as divinely designed figurative types of whatever biblical book they numerically correspond to within their specific branch of the framework. Thus the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement of all 66 books of the Bible is established by the mouth of two witnesses. ↩︎
2. The Canonical Column testifies that the Protestant biblical canon is the divinely sanctioned form of the Christian Bible that is stamped with the Lamb’s seal of messianic approval. ↩︎
3. In Genesis 24:1, Abraham is described as “old and well stricken in age,” a transitional phrase that introduces the crucial mission to secure a wife for Isaac—ensuring the continuation of the covenant line. Within the Canonical Column framework, this verse functions as a clear allusion to 1 Chronicles 23:1, where David, likewise described as aged, sets in motion another pivotal transition by making Solomon king over Israel. Both verses open with patriarchal figures who are described as old and full of days, and depict them commissioning servants to carry out a particular task for their son and heir for the purpose of ensuring covenantal continuity. It is worth noting that this notice of David’s age and succession is also unique to 1 Chronicles, not appearing in the parallel Samuel traditions—making the intentional nature of the allusion all the more apparent. ↩︎
4. In Genesis 24:2–4, 7, Abraham—as the faithful father of the covenant line—commissions his chief servant to secure a wife for Isaac, the chosen heir. He grounds the charge in God’s past faithfulness—“the LORD which took me from my father’s house”—and seals it with a promise of divine presence: “he shall send his angel before thee.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to 1 Chronicles 22:17–18, where David, likewise acting as the faithful covenant father, commands the princes of Israel to assist his son Solomon, the heir appointed to carry forward God’s purposes. David likewise assures them of divine presence: “Is not the LORD your God with you?” In both passages, a patriarch delivers a solemn charge to his servants on behalf of his covenant heir, appealing to God’s past acts and promising God’s present accompaniment as the guarantee of success. Here yet again, it should be noted that this commissioning scene in 1 Chronicles 22 is unique to the Chronicler’s account, having no parallel in the overlapping narratives of Samuel–further sharpening the the Canonical Column’s targeting and reinforcing the identification of Genesis 24 as a figurative type of the book of 1 Chronicles within its branch of the Canonical Column. ↩︎
5. In Genesis 24:7, Abraham recalls how the LORD God of heaven took him from his father’s house and swore to give the land to his descendants, expressing confidence that God would now guide the mission to find a wife for Isaac. Within the Canonical Column framework, this functions as a deliberate allusion to 1 Chronicles 28:4, where David similarly reflects on how the LORD God of Israel chose him “before all the house of my father” to be king over Israel. Both patriarchs recount God’s sovereign election and providential calling from among their father’s household, linking the past promises of God to the current task of ensuring the next generational phase of his covenantal plan. It is also significant that David’s retrospective account of his divine election is unique to 1 Chronicles, with no parallel in Samuel, further highlighting the divine intent to link Genesis 24 with the book of 1 Chronicles specifically. ↩︎
6. In Genesis 24:13–14, Abraham’s servant pauses beside a well and prays for a specific sign involving water—requesting that the young woman who offers him and his camels a drink be the one appointed for Isaac. Within the Canonical Column, this forms a poetic allusion to 1 Chronicles 11:17, where David, amid the pressures of battle, longs for water from the well of Bethlehem, crying, “Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem!” ↩︎
7. In Genesis 24:31, Laban greets Abraham’s servant with “Come in, thou blessed of the LORD,” and brings him into the house that has been prepared for him. Within the Canonical Column, this corresponds to 1 Chronicles 13:14, where the house of Obed-edom receives the ark of God, and the LORD blesses his household. Both passages link the reception of someone or something associated with the LORD to the blessing of a house, forming a clear verbal and imagistic echo between Genesis 24 and its corresponding biblical book. ↩︎
8. In Genesis 24:36, Abraham’s servant reports that Sarah bore a son in her old age and that Abraham has given Isaac “all that he hath,” emphasizing Isaac’s full inheritance as the covenant heir. Within the Canonical Column, this corresponds to 1 Chronicles 28:11–12, where David entrusts to Solomon the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, including every detail of the Temple’s design and treasuries. In both passages, a father confers the whole of his possessions or divinely entrusted resources upon his appointed son. Here yet again, the target passage is unique to 1 Chronicles, with no parallel in Samuel, further sharpening Genesis 24’s intended target of the book of 1 Chronicles. ↩︎
9. In Genesis 24:48, Abraham’s servant responds to God’s guidance by bowing his head, worshipping the LORD, and blessing the LORD God of his master. Within the Canonical Column, this corresponds to 1 Chronicles 29:20, where the assembled congregation blesses the LORD, bows their heads, and worships before the LORD and the king. Both passages present the same triad of actions—blessing the LORD, bowing the head, and worshipping—performed in response to God’s evident direction, forming an unmistakable verbal and structural echo, reinforcing the identification of Genesis 24 as a figurative type of the book of 1 Chronicles in the Canonical Column. ↩︎
10. In Genesis 24:60, Rebekah’s family blesses her, praying that her descendants would become “thousands of millions” and conquer their enemies’ gates. Within the Canonical Column, this is an intentional allusion to 1 Chronicles 21:5, where the military census of Israel totals over 1.5 million warriors. This enumeration reflects a partial fulfillment of the blessing over Rebekah, showcasing Israel’s growth into a vast and powerful nation capable of subduing its enemies—a clear echo of the earlier prophetic pronouncement. ↩︎
11. In Isaiah 13:4, the prophet describes “the noise of a multitude in the mountains,” comparing it to “a great people” and to the tumult of “kingdoms of nations gathered together,” as the LORD himself “mustereth the host of the battle.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to 1 Chronicles 12:19–22, where warriors from Manasseh and other groups join David day by day, until his forces become “a great host, like the host of God.” Both passages employ the rare vocabulary of a divinely assembled host described as a multitude or great people, forming a clear verbal and imagistic echo linking Isaiah 13 with its corresponding biblical book. It is also significant that this description of David’s forces becoming “a great host, like the host of God” is unique to 1 Chronicles, with no parallel in Samuel, further sharpening Isaiah 13’s intended target of the book of 1 Chronicles. ↩︎
12. In Isaiah 13:9, the coming day of the LORD is described as cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, bringing desolation to the land and destroying “the sinners thereof out of it.” Within the Canonical Column, this corresponds to 1 Chronicles 21:14–15, where the LORD sends a pestilence upon Israel and dispatches His angel “to destroy” Jerusalem, resulting in the death of seventy thousand men. Both passages depict a divinely initiated act of national judgment marked by destruction and fierce wrath. ↩︎
13. In Isaiah 13:14, those fleeing divine judgment are compared to a chased roe—a hunted deer fleeing in panic and abandonment. Within the Canonical Column, this imagery functions as a clever linguistic echo to 1 Chronicles 12:8, where the Gadite warriors who joined David are described as being “as swift as the roes upon the mountains.” ↩︎
14. In Isaiah 13:14, the nations are depicted as fleeing, each man turning to his own people and retreating to his own land as judgment overtakes them. Within the Canonical Column, this corresponds to the account in 1 Chronicles 19:14–15, 18, where the Syrians and Ammonites likewise flee before Joab, Abishai, and Israel, the narrative repeatedly noting that “they fled before him” and “the Syrians fled before Israel.” ↩︎
15. In Isaiah 13:15, those caught in the judgment upon Babylon are described as being “thrust through” and “fall[ing] by the sword.” Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this passage functions as an unmistakable allusion to 1 Chronicles 10:4, where Saul, facing defeat and humiliation at the hands of the Philistines, pleads with his armor bearer to “thrust [him] through,” and ultimately “falls upon his sword.” ↩︎
16. In Isaiah 13:16, the destruction of Babylon is described in graphic detail, highlighting the horrors of conquest: “Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.” Within the Canonical Column, this passage functions as a clear and unmistakable allusion to 1 Chronicles 20:2–3, where David captures Rabbah, removes exceeding much spoil from the city, and cuts its people with saws, iron harrows, and axes. ↩︎
17. In Isaiah 13:18, the invaders’ ruthlessness is underscored through the imagery of bows, the prophet declaring: “Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb.” Within the Canonical Column, this functions as an imagistic allusion to 1 Chronicles 12:1–2, where David’s warriors are introduced as expert archers “armed with bows,” able to shoot with either hand. The deliberate nature of the allusion is further reinforced by the fact that this description of David’s bowmen is unique to 1 Chronicles, not appearing in the parallel material in Samuel, further highlighting the divine intent to target the book of 1 Chronicles specifically. ↩︎

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