the catastrophe.

Throughout it is assumed that the Levitical organization had been in
existence from the days of David, to whom its foundation is ascribed.
In connexion with the installation of the ark considerable space is
devoted to the arrangements for the maintenance of the temple-service,
upon which the earlier books are silent, and elaborate notices of the
part played by the Levites and singers give expression to a view of
the history of the monarchy which the book of Kings does not share.[8]
Along with the exceptional interest taken in Levitical and priestly
lists should be noticed the characteristic preference for genealogies.
Particular prominence is given to the tribe and kings of Judah (1
Chron. ii.-iv.), and to the priests and Levites (1 Chron. vi., xv.
sq., xxiii.-xxv.; with ix. 1-34 cf. Neh. xi.). The historical value of
these lists is very unequal; a careful study of the names often proves
the lateness of the source, although an appreciation of the principles
of genealogies sometimes reveals important historical information; see
CALEB, GENEALOGY, JUDAH. But the Levitical system as it appears in its
most complete form in Chronicles is the result of the development of
earlier schemes, of which some traces are still preserved in
_Chronicles_ itself and in _Ezra-Nehemiah_. (See further LEVITES.)

The tendency of numbers to grow is one which must always be kept in
view--cf. 1 Chron. xviii. 4, xix. 18 (2 Sam. viii. 4 [but see LXX.],
x. 18), 1 Chron. xxi. 5, 25 (2 Sam. xxiv. 9, 24); consequently little
importance can be attached to details which appear to be exaggerated
(1 Chron. v. 21, xii., xxii. 14; 2 Chron. xiii. 3, 17), and are found
to be quite in accordance with similar peculiarities elsewhere (Num.
xxxi. 32 seq.; Judg. xx. 2, 21, 25).

Historical value.

But when allowance is made for all the above tendencies of the late
post-exilic age, there remains a certain amount of additional matter in
_Chronicles_ which may have been derived from relatively old sources.
These items are of purely political or personal nature and contain
several details which taken by themselves have every appearance of
genuineness. Where there can be no suspicion of such "tendency" as has
been noticed above there is less ground for scepticism, and it must be
remembered that the earlier books contain only a portion of the material
to which the compilers had access. Hence i