With the Book of Ezra and the Book of Nehemiah, the historical survey from Adam to the rebuilding of the Temple in the postexilic period is nearly complete and includes the words of many different authors who lived at different times and, in some cases, represented conflicting points of view. The work as a whole began with the Judean and the Ephraimite histories, which form part of the Pentateuch, and was continued at various intervals by Deuteronomic and priestly historians. These later writers not only used as source materials the older narratives that were available to them, but they supplemented and revised the accounts according to the ideals and institutions that were dominant when they did their work. The rewriting of the J and E histories did not, however, replace the earlier accounts, whose value and prestige were too well established for them to be put aside. Hence, the newer histories have been preserved in the Old Testament along with the older ones.
1 and 2 Kings relate the historical story as seen by an enthusiastic supporter of the Deuteronomic code of laws. Although this code includes both moral and ritualistic requirements, the later historian emphasizes ritual. Perhaps one reason for this emphasis is that ritualistic observances can be enforced in a manner that is not possible in the case of moral requirements, which involve motives, as well as overt acts. The work of supplementing and revising the older histories continued over a long period of time, with an increasing emphasis on details concerning the place, form, time, and manner of worship. Although such emphasis is expected of priestly historians, they did not ignore moral matters. They wanted, no less than the prophets, to bring the people into harmony with the will of Yahweh. But the priests' business was to conduct the various forms of worship, and it seemed obvious to them that obedience to divine commands was a prerequisite to any satisfactory relationship with Yahweh, a point of view expressed so clearly in 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah.
