Worthy.Bible » Parallel » 1 Chronicles » Chapter 16 » Verse 1-43

1 Chronicles 16:1-43 King James Version (KJV)

1 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.

2 And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

3 And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.

4 And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:

5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;

6 Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.

8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.

10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.

11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

12 Remember his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

13 O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;

16 Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;

17 And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

18 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance;

19 When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.

20 And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;

21 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,

22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; show forth from day to day his salvation.

24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvelous works among all nations.

25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

27 Glory and honor are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.

28 Give unto the LORD, ye kindred of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

30 Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.

31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.

32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.

33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.

34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.

36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

37 So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required:

38 And Obededom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obededom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters:

39 And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon,

40 To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;

41 And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever;

42 And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.

43 And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.


1 Chronicles 16:1-43 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 So they brought H935 the ark H727 of God, H430 and set H3322 it in the midst H8432 of the tent H168 that David H1732 had pitched H5186 for it: and they offered H7126 burnt sacrifices H5930 and peace offerings H8002 before H6440 God. H430

2 And when David H1732 had made an end H3615 of offering H5927 the burnt offerings H5930 and the peace offerings, H8002 he blessed H1288 the people H5971 in the name H8034 of the LORD. H3068

3 And he dealt H2505 to every one H376 of Israel, H3478 both man H376 and woman, H802 to every one H376 a loaf H3603 of bread, H3899 and a good piece of flesh, H829 and a flagon H809 of wine.

4 And he appointed H5414 certain of the Levites H3881 to minister H8334 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD, H3068 and to record, H2142 and to thank H3034 and praise H1984 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel: H3478

5 Asaph H623 the chief, H7218 and next H4932 to him Zechariah, H2148 Jeiel, H3273 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehiel, H3171 and Mattithiah, H4993 and Eliab, H446 and Benaiah, H1141 and Obededom: H5654 and Jeiel H3273 with psalteries H5035 H3627 and with harps; H3658 but Asaph H623 made a sound H8085 with cymbals; H4700

6 Benaiah H1141 also and Jahaziel H3166 the priests H3548 with trumpets H2689 continually H8548 before H6440 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of God. H430

7 Then on that day H3117 David H1732 delivered H5414 first H7218 this psalm to thank H3034 the LORD H3068 into the hand H3027 of Asaph H623 and his brethren. H251

8 Give thanks H3034 unto the LORD, H3068 call H7121 upon his name, H8034 make known H3045 his deeds H5949 among the people. H5971

9 Sing H7891 unto him, sing psalms H2167 unto him, talk H7878 ye of all his wondrous H6381 works.

10 Glory H1984 ye in his holy H6944 name: H8034 let the heart H3820 of them rejoice H8055 that seek H1245 the LORD. H3068

11 Seek H1875 the LORD H3068 and his strength, H5797 seek H1245 his face H6440 continually. H8548

12 Remember H2142 his marvellous H6381 works that he hath done, H6213 his wonders, H4159 and the judgments H4941 of his mouth; H6310

13 O ye seed H2233 of Israel H3478 his servant, H5650 ye children H1121 of Jacob, H3290 his chosen ones. H972

14 He is the LORD H3068 our God; H430 his judgments H4941 are in all the earth. H776

15 Be ye mindful H2142 always H5769 of his covenant; H1285 the word H1697 which he commanded H6680 to a thousand H505 generations; H1755

16 Even of the covenant which he made H3772 with Abraham, H85 and of his oath H7621 unto Isaac; H3327

17 And hath confirmed H5975 the same to Jacob H3290 for a law, H2706 and to Israel H3478 for an everlasting H5769 covenant, H1285

18 Saying, H559 Unto thee will I give H5414 the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 the lot H2256 of your inheritance; H5159

19 When ye were but few, H4557 H4962 even a few, H4592 and strangers H1481 in it.

20 And when they went H1980 from nation H1471 to nation, H1471 and from one kingdom H4467 to another H312 people; H5971

21 He suffered H3240 no man H376 to do them wrong: H6231 yea, he reproved H3198 kings H4428 for their sakes,

22 Saying, Touch H5060 not mine anointed, H4899 and do my prophets H5030 no harm. H7489

23 Sing H7891 unto the LORD, H3068 all the earth; H776 shew forth H1319 from day H3117 to day H3117 his salvation. H3444

24 Declare H5608 his glory H3519 among the heathen; H1471 his marvellous works H6381 among all nations. H5971

25 For great H1419 is the LORD, H3068 and greatly H3966 to be praised: H1984 he also is to be feared H3372 above all gods. H430

26 For all the gods H430 of the people H5971 are idols: H457 but the LORD H3068 made H6213 the heavens. H8064

27 Glory H1935 and honour H1926 are in his presence; H6440 strength H5797 and gladness H2304 are in his place. H4725

28 Give H3051 unto the LORD, H3068 ye kindreds H4940 of the people, H5971 give H3051 unto the LORD H3068 glory H3519 and strength. H5797

29 Give H3051 unto the LORD H3068 the glory H3519 due unto his name: H8034 bring H5375 an offering, H4503 and come H935 before H6440 him: worship H7812 the LORD H3068 in the beauty H1927 of holiness. H6944

30 Fear H2342 before H6440 him, all the earth: H776 the world H8398 also shall be stable, H3559 that it be not moved. H4131

31 Let the heavens H8064 be glad, H8055 and let the earth H776 rejoice: H1523 and let men say H559 among the nations, H1471 The LORD H3068 reigneth. H4427

32 Let the sea H3220 roar, H7481 and the fulness H4393 thereof: let the fields H7704 rejoice, H5970 and all that is therein.

33 Then shall the trees H6086 of the wood H3293 sing out H7442 at the presence H6440 of the LORD, H3068 because he cometh H935 to judge H8199 the earth. H776

34 O give thanks H3034 unto the LORD; H3068 for he is good; H2896 for his mercy H2617 endureth for ever. H5769

35 And say H559 ye, Save H3467 us, O God H430 of our salvation, H3468 and gather us together, H6908 and deliver H5337 us from the heathen, H1471 that we may give thanks H3034 to thy holy H6944 name, H8034 and glory H7623 in thy praise. H8416

36 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 for ever H5769 and ever. H5769 And all the people H5971 said, H559 Amen, H543 and praised H1984 the LORD. H3068

37 So he left H5800 there before H6440 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 Asaph H623 and his brethren, H251 to minister H8334 before H6440 the ark H727 continually, H8548 as every day's H3117 work H1697 required: H3117

38 And Obededom H5654 with their brethren, H251 threescore H8346 and eight; H8083 Obededom H5654 also the son H1121 of Jeduthun H3038 and Hosah H2621 to be porters: H7778

39 And Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and his brethren H251 the priests, H3548 before H6440 the tabernacle H4908 of the LORD H3068 in the high place H1116 that was at Gibeon, H1391

40 To offer H5927 burnt offerings H5930 unto the LORD H3068 upon the altar H4196 of the burnt offering H5930 continually H8548 morning H1242 and evening, H6153 and to do according to all that is written H3789 in the law H8451 of the LORD, H3068 which he commanded H6680 Israel; H3478

41 And with them Heman H1968 and Jeduthun, H3038 and the rest H7605 that were chosen, H1305 who were expressed H5344 by name, H8034 to give thanks H3034 to the LORD, H3068 because his mercy H2617 endureth for ever; H5769

42 And with them Heman H1968 and Jeduthun H3038 with trumpets H2689 and cymbals H4700 for those that should make a sound, H8085 and with musical H7892 instruments H3627 of God. H430 And the sons H1121 of Jeduthun H3038 were porters. H8179

43 And all the people H5971 departed H3212 every man H376 to his house: H1004 and David H1732 returned H5437 to bless H1288 his house. H1004


1 Chronicles 16:1-43 American Standard (ASV)

1 And they brought in the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before God.

2 And when David had made an end of offering the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah.

3 And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a portion `of flesh', and a cake of raisins.

4 And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of Jehovah, and to celebrate and to thank and praise Jehovah, the God of Israel:

5 Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;

6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 Then on that day did David first ordain to give thanks unto Jehovah, by the hand of Asaph and his brethren.

8 O give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name; Make known his doings among the peoples.

9 Sing unto him, sing praises unto him; Talk ye of all his marvellous works.

10 Glory ye in his holy name; Let the heart of them rejoice that seek Jehovah.

11 Seek ye Jehovah and his strength; Seek his face evermore.

12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

13 O ye seed of Israel his servant, Ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14 He is Jehovah our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

15 Remember his covenant for ever, The word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

16 `The covenant' which he made with Abraham, And his oath unto Isaac,

17 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant,

18 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance;

19 When ye were but a few men in number, Yea, very few, and sojourners in it;

20 And they went about from nation to nation, And from one kingdom to another people.

21 He suffered no man to do them wrong; Yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,

22 `Saying', Touch not mine anointed ones, And do my prophets no harm.

23 Sing unto Jehovah, all the earth; Show forth his salvation from day to day.

24 Declare his glory among the nations, His marvellous works among all the peoples.

25 For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols: But Jehovah made the heavens.

27 Honor and majesty are before him: Strength and gladness are in his place.

28 Ascribe unto Jehovah, ye kindreds of the peoples, Ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength;

29 Ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due unto his name: Bring an offering, and come before him: Worship Jehovah in holy array.

30 Tremble before him, all the earth: The world also is established that it cannot be moved.

31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth.

32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; Let the field exult, and all that is therein;

33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy before Jehovah; For he cometh to judge the earth.

34 O give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever.

35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, And gather us together and deliver us from the nations, To give thanks unto thy holy name, And to triumph in thy praise.

36 Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And all the people said, Amen, and praised Jehovah.

37 So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required;

38 and Obed-edom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers;

39 and Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of Jehovah in the high place that was at Gibeon,

40 to offer burnt-offerings unto Jehovah upon the altar of burnt-offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of Jehovah, which he commanded unto Israel;

41 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to Jehovah, because his lovingkindness `endureth' for ever;

42 and with them Heman and Jeduthun `with' trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and `with' instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate.

43 And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.


1 Chronicles 16:1-43 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And they bring in the ark of God, and set it up in the midst of the tent that David hath stretched out for it, and they bring near burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before God;

2 and David ceaseth from offering the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings, and blesseth the people in the name of Jehovah,

3 and giveth a portion to every man of Israel, both man and woman: to each a cake of bread, and a measure of wine, and a grape-cake.

4 And he putteth before the ark of Jehovah, of the Levites, ministers, even to make mention of, and to thank, and to give praise to Jehovah, God of Israel,

5 Asaph the head, and his second Zechariah; Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with instruments of psalteries, and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals is sounding;

6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests `are' with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 On that day then hath David given at the beginning to give thanks to Jehovah by the hand of Asaph and his brethren: --

8 Give thanks to Jehovah, call in His name, Make known among the peoples His doings.

9 Sing ye to Him, sing psalms to Him, Meditate on all His wonders.

10 Boast yourselves in His holy name, Rejoice doth the heart of those seeking Jehovah.

11 Seek ye Jehovah and His strength, Seek His face continually.

12 Remember His wonders that He did, His signs, and the judgments of His mouth,

13 O seed of Israel, His servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!

14 He `is' Jehovah our God, In all the earth `are' His judgments.

15 Remember ye to the age His covenant, The word He commanded -- To a thousand generations,

16 Which He hath made with Abraham, And His oath -- to Isaac,

17 And He establisheth it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel -- a covenant age-during.

18 Saying: To thee I give the land of Canaan, The portion of your inheritance,

19 When ye are few of number, As a little thing, and sojourners in it.

20 And they go up and down, From nation unto nation, And from a kingdom unto another people.

21 He hath not suffered any to oppress them, And reproveth on their account kings:

22 Come not against Mine anointed ones, And against My prophets do not evil.

23 Sing to Jehovah, all the earth, Proclaim from day unto day His salvation.

24 Rehearse among nations His glory, Among all the peoples His wonders.

25 For great `is' Jehovah, and praised greatly, And fearful He `is' above all gods.

26 For all gods of the peoples `are' nought, And Jehovah the heavens hath made.

27 Honour and majesty `are' before Him, Strength and joy `are' in His place.

28 Ascribe to Jehovah, ye families of peoples, Ascribe to Jehovah honour and strength.

29 Ascribe to Jehovah the honour of His name, Lift up a present, and come before Him. Bow yourselves to Jehovah, In the beauty of holiness.

30 Be pained before Him, all the earth:

31 Also, established is the world, It is not moved! The heavens rejoice, and the earth is glad, And they say among nations: Jehovah hath reigned.

32 Roar doth the sea, and its fulness, Exult doth the field, and all that `is' in it,

33 Then sing do trees of the forest, From the presence of Jehovah, For He hath come to judge the earth!

34 Give thanks to Jehovah, for good, For to the age, `is' His kindness,

35 And say, Save us, O God of our salvation, And gather us, and deliver us from the nations, To give thanks to Thy holy name, To triumph in Thy praise.

36 Blessed `is' Jehovah, God of Israel, From the age and unto the age;' And all the people say, `Amen,' and have given praise to Jehovah.

37 And he leaveth there before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, for Asaph and for his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, according to the matter of a day in its day,

38 both Obed-Edom and their brethren, sixty and eight, and Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and Hosah for gatekeepers,

39 and Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of Jehovah, in a high place that `is' in Gibeon,

40 to cause to ascend burnt-offerings to Jehovah, on the altar of burnt-offering continually, morning and evening, and for all that is written in the law of Jehovah, that He charged on Israel.

41 And with them `are' Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen, who were defined by name, to give thanks to Jehovah, for to the age `is' His kindness,

42 and with them -- Heman and Jeduthun -- `are' trumpets and cymbals for those sounding, and instruments of the song of God, and the sons of Jeduthun `are' at the gate.

43 And all the people go, each to his house, and David turneth round to bless his house.


1 Chronicles 16:1-43 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And they brought in the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had spread for it; and they presented burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before God.

2 And when David had ended offering up the burnt-offerings and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah.

3 And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread and a measure [of wine] and a raisin-cake.

4 And he appointed certain of the Levites to do the service before the ark of Jehovah, and to celebrate, and to thank and praise Jehovah the God of Israel:

5 Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with instruments of lutes and with harps; and Asaph sounding with cymbals;

6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 Then on that day David delivered first [this psalm] to give thanks to Jehovah through Asaph and his brethren.

8 Give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name; Make known his acts among the peoples.

9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him; Meditate upon all his wondrous works.

10 Glory in his holy name: Let the heart of them rejoice that seek Jehovah.

11 Seek Jehovah and his strength, Seek his face continually;

12 Remember his wondrous works which he hath done; His miracles, and the judgments of his mouth:

13 Ye seed of Israel his servant, Ye sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14 He, Jehovah, is our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

15 Be ye ever mindful of his covenant, The word which he commanded to a thousand generations, --

16 Which he made with Abraham, And of his oath unto Isaac;

17 And he confirmed it unto Jacob for a statute, Unto Israel for an everlasting covenant,

18 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance;

19 When ye were a few men in number, Of small account, and strangers in it.

20 And they went from nation to nation, And from one kingdom to another people.

21 He suffered no man to oppress them, And reproved kings for their sakes,

22 [Saying,] Touch not mine anointed ones, And do my prophets no harm.

23 Sing unto Jehovah, all the earth; Publish his salvation from day to day.

24 Declare his glory among the nations, His wondrous works among all peoples.

25 For Jehovah is great, and exceedingly to be praised; And he is terrible above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols; But Jehovah made the heavens.

27 Majesty and splendour are before him; Strength and gladness in his place.

28 Give unto Jehovah, ye families of peoples, Give unto Jehovah glory and strength!

29 Give unto Jehovah the glory of his name! Bring an oblation, and come before him: Worship Jehovah in holy splendour.

30 Tremble before him, all the earth: The world also is established, it shall not be moved.

31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; And let them say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth!

32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; Let the field exult, and all that is therein.

33 Then shall the trees of the forest sing out at the presence of Jehovah, For he cometh to judge the earth.

34 Give thanks unto Jehovah, for he is good; For his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever.

35 And say, Save us, O God of our salvation, And gather us, and deliver us from the nations, To give thanks unto thy holy name, To triumph in thy praise.

36 Blessed be Jehovah the God of Israel, from eternity and to eternity! And all the people said, Amen! and praised Jehovah.

37 And he left there, before the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, Asaph and his brethren, to do the service before the ark continually, as every day's duty required;

38 and Obed-Edom, and their brethren, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah as doorkeepers.

39 And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of Jehovah in the high place that was at Gibeon,

40 to offer up burnt-offerings to Jehovah on the altar of burnt-offering continually, morning and evening, and according to all that is written in the law of Jehovah, which he commanded Israel;

41 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to Jehovah, because his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever;

42 and with them, [with] Heman and Jeduthun, trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud; and the musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were at the gate.

43 And all the people departed every one to his house; and David returned to bless his household.


1 Chronicles 16:1-43 World English Bible (WEB)

1 They brought in the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt offerings and peace-offerings before God.

2 When David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace-offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh.

3 He dealt to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a portion [of flesh], and a cake of raisins.

4 He appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of Yahweh, and to celebrate and to thank and praise Yahweh, the God of Israel:

5 Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud;

6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 Then on that day David first ordained to give thanks to Yahweh, by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.

8 Oh give thanks to Yahweh, call on his name; Make known his doings among the peoples.

9 Sing to him, sing praises to him; Talk you of all his marvelous works.

10 Glory you in his holy name; Let the heart of them rejoice who seek Yahweh.

11 Seek you Yahweh and his strength; Seek his face forever more.

12 Remember his marvelous works that he has done, His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

13 You seed of Israel his servant, You children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14 He is Yahweh our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

15 Remember his covenant forever, The word which he commanded to a thousand generations,

16 [The covenant] which he made with Abraham, His oath to Isaac,

17 Confirmed the same to Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant,

18 Saying, To you will I give the land of Canaan, The lot of your inheritance;

19 When you were but a few men in number, Yes, very few, and foreigners in it;

20 They went about from nation to nation, From one kingdom to another people.

21 He allowed no man to do them wrong; Yes, he reproved kings for their sakes,

22 [Saying], Don't touch my anointed ones, Do my prophets no harm.

23 Sing to Yahweh, all the earth; Show forth his salvation from day to day.

24 Declare his glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples.

25 For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols: But Yahweh made the heavens.

27 Honor and majesty are before him: Strength and gladness are in his place.

28 Ascribe to Yahweh, you relatives of the peoples, Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength;

29 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name: Bring an offering, and come before him: Worship Yahweh in holy array.

30 Tremble before him, all the earth: The world also is established that it can't be moved.

31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let them say among the nations, Yahweh reigns.

32 Let the sea roar, and the fullness of it; Let the field exult, and all that is therein;

33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy before Yahweh; For he comes to judge the earth.

34 Oh give thanks to Yahweh; for he is good; For his loving kindness endures forever.

35 Say you, Save us, God of our salvation, Gather us together and deliver us from the nations, To give thanks to your holy name, To triumph in your praise.

36 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. All the people said, Amen, and praised Yahweh.

37 So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, Asaph and his brothers, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required;

38 and Obed-edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers;

39 and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before the tent of Yahweh in the high place that was at Gibeon,

40 to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of Yahweh, which he commanded to Israel;

41 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to Yahweh, because his loving kindness endures forever;

42 and with them Heman and Jeduthun [with] trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and [with] instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate.

43 All the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.


1 Chronicles 16:1-43 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Then they took in the ark of God and put it inside the tent which David had put up for it; and they made offerings, burned offerings and peace-offerings before God.

2 And when David had come to an end of making the burned offerings and peace-offerings, he gave the people a blessing in the name of the Lord.

3 And he gave to everyone, every man and woman of Israel, a cake of bread, some meat, and a cake of dry grapes.

4 And he put some of the Levites before the ark of the Lord as servants, to keep the acts of the Lord in memory, and to give worship and praise to the Lord, the God of Israel:

5 Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Uzziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Mattithiah and Eliab and Benaiah and Obed-edom and Jeiel, with corded instruments of music; and Asaph, with brass instruments sounding loudly;

6 And Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests, blowing horns all the time before the ark of the agreement of God.

7 Then on that day David first made the giving of praise to the Lord the work of Asaph and his brothers.

8 O give praise to the Lord; give honour to his name, talking of his doings among the peoples.

9 Let your voice be sounded in songs and melody; let all your thoughts be of the wonder of his works.

10 Have glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who are searching after the Lord be glad.

11 Let your search be for the Lord and for his strength; let your hearts ever be turned to him.

12 Keep in mind the great works which he has done; his wonders, and the decisions of his mouth;

13 O you seed of Israel his servant, you children of Jacob, his loved ones.

14 He is the Lord our God: he is judge of all the earth.

15 He has kept his agreement in mind for ever, the word which he gave for a thousand generations;

16 The agreement which he made with Abraham, and his oath to Isaac;

17 And he gave it to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an eternal agreement;

18 Saying, To you will I give the land of Canaan, the measured line of your heritage:

19 When you were still small in number, and strange in the land;

20 When they went about from one nation to another, and from one kingdom to another people;

21 He would not let anyone do them wrong; he even kept back kings because of them,

22 Saying, Put not your hand on those who have been marked with my holy oil, and do my prophets no wrong.

23 Make songs to the Lord, all the earth; give the good news of his salvation day by day.

24 Make clear his glory to the nations, and his wonders to all the peoples.

25 For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised; and he is more to be feared than all other gods.

26 For all the gods of the nations are false gods; but the Lord made the heavens.

27 Honour and glory are before him: strength and joy are in his holy place.

28 Give to the Lord, O you families of the peoples, give to the Lord glory and strength.

29 Give to the Lord the glory of his name; take with you an offering and come before him; give worship to the Lord in holy robes.

30 Be in fear before him, all the earth: the world is ordered so that it may not be moved.

31 Let the heavens have joy and let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, The Lord is King.

32 Let the sea be thundering with all its waters; let the field be glad, and everything which is in it;

33 Then let all the trees of the wood be sounding with joy before the Lord, for he is come to be the judge of the earth.

34 O give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.

35 And say, Be our saviour, O God of our salvation, and let us come back, and give us salvation from the nations, so that we may give honour to your holy name and have glory in your praise.

36 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, for ever and for ever. And all the people said, So be it; and gave praise to the Lord.

37 So he made Asaph and his brothers keep their places there before the ark of the agreement of the Lord, to do whatever had to be done before the ark at all times day by day:

38 And Obed-edom, the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, with their brothers, sixty-eight of them, to be door-keepers:

39 And Zadok the priest, with his brothers the priests, before the House of the Lord in the high place at Gibeon;

40 To give burned offerings to the Lord on the altar of burned offerings morning and evening, every day, as it is ordered in the law of the Lord which he gave to Israel;

41 And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were marked out by name to give praise to the Lord, for his mercy is unchanging for ever;

42 And Heman and Jeduthun had horns and brass instruments sounding loudly, and instruments of music for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun were to be at the door.

43 And all the people went away, every man to his house; and David went back to give a blessing to his family.

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 16

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 16 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Verses 1-3

The religious festival, and the arrangement of the sacred service before the ark of the covenant in the city of David . - This section is not found in 2nd Samuel, where the Conclusion of this whole description (1 Chronicles 16:43, Chron.) follows immediately upon the feasting of the people by the king, 1 Chronicles 16:19 and 1 Chronicles 16:20.


Verses 4-6

When the solemnity of the transfer of the ark, the sacrificial meal, and the dismissal of the people with a blessing, and a distribution of food, were ended, David set in order the service of the Levites in the holy tent on Zion. He appointed before the ark, from among the Levites, servants to praise and celebrate God, i.e., singers and players to sing psalms as a part of the regular worship. להזכּיר , literally, “in order to bring into remembrance,” is not to praise in general, but is to be interpreted according to the להזכּיר in the superscription of Ps 38 and Psalms 70:1-5, by which these psalms are designated as the appointed prayers at the presentation of the Azcarah of the meat-offering (Leviticus 2:2). הזכּיר accordingly is a denom . from אזכּרה , to present the Azcarah (cf. Del. on Psalms 38:1), and is in our verse to be understood of the recital of these prayer-songs with musical accompaniment. הודות , to confess, refers to the psalms in which invocation and acknowledgment of the name of the Lord predominates, and הלּל to those in which praise (Hallelujah) is the prominent feature. In 1 Chronicles 16:5 and 1 Chronicles 16:6 there follow the names of the Levites appointed for this purpose, who have all been already mentioned in 1 Chronicles 15:19-21 as accompanying the ark in its transmission; but all who are there spoken of are not included in our list here. Of the chief singers only Asaph is mentioned, Heman and Ethan being omitted; of the singers and players of the second rank, only nine; six of the eight nebel-players (1 Chronicles 15:20. יעיאל is a transcriber's error for יעזיאל , 1 Chronicles 15:18), and only three of the six kinnor-players; while instead of seven trumpet-blowing priests only two are named, viz., Benaiah, one of those seven, and Jehaziel, whose name does not occur in 1 Chronicles 15:24.


Verse 7

On that day David first committed it to Asaph and his sons to give thanks to Jahve. נתן is to be connected with בּיד , which is separated from it by several words, and denotes to hand over to, here to commit to, to enjoin upon, since that which David committed to Asaph was the carrying out of a business which he enjoined, not an object which may be given into the hand. ההוּא בּיּום is accented by אז . בּראשׁ , “at the beginning,” “at first,” to bring out the fact that liturgical singing was then first introduced. אחיו , the brethren of Asaph, are the Levites appointed to the same duty, whose names are given in 1 Chronicles 16:5, 1 Chronicles 16:6. But in order to give a more exact description of the ליהוה הודות committed to Asaph in vv. 8-36, a song of thanks and praise is given, which the Levites were to sing as part of the service with instrumental accompaniment. It is not expressly said that this song was composed by David for this purpose; but if Asaph with his singers was to perform the service committed to him, he must have been provided with the songs of praise (psalms) which were necessary for this purpose; and if David were in any way the founder of the liturgical psalmody, he, as a richly endowed psalm-singer, would doubtless compose the necessary liturgical psalms. These considerations render it very probable that the following psalm was a hymn composed by David for the liturgical song in the public worship. The psalm is as follows: -

8 Give thanks unto Jahve; preach His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples:

9 Sing to Him, play to Him;

Meditate upon all His wondrous works.

10 Glory ye in His holy name:

Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.

11 Seek ye the Lord, and His strength;

Seek His face continually.

12 Remember His wonders which He has done;

His wondrous works, and the judgments of His mouth;

13 O seed of Israel, His servants,

Sons of Jacob, His chosen.

14 He, Jahve, is our God;

His judgments go forth over all the earth.

15 Remember eternally His covenant,

The word which He commanded to a thousand generations:

16 Which He made with Abraham,

And His oath to Isaac;

17 And caused it to stand to Jacob for a law,

To Israel as an everlasting covenant;

18 Saying, “To thee I give the land Canaan,

As the heritage meted out to you.”

19 When ye were still a people to be numbered,

Very few, and strangers therein,

20 And they wandered from nation to nation,

From one kingdom to another people,

21 He suffered no man to oppress them,

And reproved kings for their sake:

22 “Touch not mine anointed ones,

And do my prophets no harm.”

23 Sing unto Jahve, all the lands;

Show forth from day to day His salvation.

24 Declare His glory among the heathen,

Among all people His wondrous works.

25 For great is Jahve, and greatly to be praised;

And to be feared is He above all the gods.

26 For all the gods of the people are idols;

And Jahve has made the heavens.

27 Majesty and splendour is before Him;

Strength and joy are in His place.

28 Give unto Jahve, ye kindreds of the people,

Give unto Jahve glory and strength.

29 Give unto Jahve the honour of His name:

Bring an offering, and come before His presence;

Worship the Lord in the holy ornaments.

30 Tremble before Him, all the lands;

Then will the earth stand fast unshaking.

31 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice;

And they will say among the heathen, Jahve is King.

32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof;

Let the field exult, and all that is thereon.

33 Then shall the trees of the wood rejoice

Before the Lord; for He comes to judge the earth.

34 Give thanks unto Jahve, for He is good;

For His mercy endureth for ever.

35 And say, “Save us, God of our salvation:”

And gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen,

To give thanks to Thy holy name,

To glory in Thy praise.

36 Blessed be Jahve, the God of Israel,

From everlasting to everlasting.

And all the people said Amen, and praised Jahve.


Verses 8-36

This hymn forms a connected and uniform whole. Beginning with a summons to praise the Lord, and to seek His face (1 Chronicles 16:8-11), the singer exhorts his people to remember the wondrous works of the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:12-14), and the covenant which He made with the patriarchs to give them the land of Canaan (1 Chronicles 16:15-18), and confirms his exhortation by pointing out how the Lord, in fulfilment of His promise, had mightily and gloriously defended the patriarchs (1 Chronicles 16:19-22). But all the world also are to praise Him as the only true and almighty God (1 Chronicles 16:23-27), and all peoples do homage to Him with sacrificial gifts (1 Chronicles 16:28-30); and that His kingdom may be acknowledged among the heathen, even inanimate nature will rejoice at His coming to judgment (1 Chronicles 16:31-33). In conclusion, we have again the summons to thankfulness,combined with a prayer that God would further vouchsafe salvation; and a doxology rounds off the whole (1 Chronicles 16:34-36). When we consider the contents of the whole hymn, it is manifest that it contains nothing which would be at all inconsistent with the belief that it was composed by David for the above-mentioned religious service. There is nowhere any reference to the condition of the people in exile, nor yet to the circumstances after the exile. The subject of the praise to which Israel is summoned is the covenant which God made with Abraham, and the wonderful way in which the patriarchs were led. The summons to the heathen to acknowledge Jahve as alone God and King of the world, and to come before His presence with sacrificial offerings, together with the thought that Jahve will come to judge the earth, belong to the Messianic hopes. These had formed themselves upon the foundation of the promises given to the patriarchs, and the view they had of Jahve as Judge of the heathen, when He led His people out of Egypt,so early, that even in the song of Moses at the Red Sea (Ex. 15), and the song of the pious Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10), we meet with the first germs of them; and what we find in David and the prophets after him are only further development of these.

Yet all the later commentators, with the exception of Hitzig, die Psalmen , ii. S. ix.f., judge otherwise as to the origin of this festal hymn. Because the first half of it (1 Chronicles 16:8-22) recurs in Psalms 105:1-15, the second (1 Chronicles 16:23-33) in Psalms 96:1-13, and the conclusion (1 Chronicles 16:34-36) in Ps.Psalms 106:1, Psalms 106:47-48, it is concluded that the author of the Chronicle compounded the hymn from these three psalms, in order to reproduce the festive songs which were heard after the ark had been brought in, in the same free way in which the speeches in Thucydides and Livy reproduce what was spoken at various times. Besides the later commentators, Aug. Koehler (in the Luth. Ztschr. 1867, S. 289ff.) and C. Ehrt ( Abfassungszeit und Abschluss des Psalters , Leipz. 1869, S. 41ff.) are of the same opinion. The possibility that our hymn may have arisen in this way cannot be denied; for such a supposition would be in so far consistent with the character of the Chronicle, as we find in it speeches which have not been reported verbatim by the hearers, but are given in substance or in freer outline by the author of our Chronicle, or, as is more probable, by the author of the original documents made use of by the chronicler. But this view can only be shown to be correct if it corresponds to the relation in which our hymn may be ascertained to stand to the three psalms just mentioned. Besides the face that its different sections are again met with scattered about in different psalms, the grounds for supposing that our hymn is not an original poem are mainly the want of connection in the transition from 1 Chronicles 16:22 to v.23, and from 1 Chronicles 16:33 to v.34; the fact that in v.35 we have a verse referring to the Babylonian exile borrowed from Ps 106; and that 1 Chronicles 16:36 is even the doxology of the fourth book of Psalms, taken to be a component part of the psalm. These two latter grounds would be decisive, if the facts on which they rest were well authenticated. If. 1 Chronicles 16:36 really contained only the doxology of the fourth book of Psalms-which, like the doxologies of the first, second, and third books (Ps. 41:14; Psalms 72:18-19, and 89:53), was merely formally connected with the psalm, without being a component part of it-there could be no doubt that the author of the Chronicle had taken the conclusion of his hymn from our collection of psalms, as these doxologies only date from the originators of our collection. But this is not the state of the case. Psalms 106:48 does, it is true, occupy in our Psalter the place of the doxology to the fourth book, but belonged, as Bertheau also acknowledges, originally to the psalm itself. For not only is it different in form from the doxologies of the first three books, not having the double ואמן אמן with which these books close, but it concludes with the simple הללוּ־יהּ אמן . If the ואמן אמן connected by ו is, in the Old Testament language, exclusively confined to these doxologies, which thus approach the language of the liturgical Beracha of the second temple, as Del. Ps . p. 15 rightly remarks, while in Numbers 5:22 and Nehemiah 8:6 only אמן אמן without copulative w occurs, it is just this peculiarity of the liturgical Beracha which is wanting, both in the concluding verse of the 106th Psalm and in 1 Chronicles 16:36 of our festal hymn. Moreover, the remainder of the verse in question - the last clause of it, “And let all the people say Amen, Halleluiah,” - does not suit the hypothesis that the verse is the doxology appended to the conclusion of the fourth book by the collector of the Psalms, since, as Hengstenberg in his commentary on the psalm rightly remarks, “it is inconceivable that the people should join in that which, as mere closing doxology of a book, would have no religious character;” and “the praise in the conclusion of the psalm beautifully coincides with its commencement, and the Halleluiah of the end is shown to be an original part of the psalm by its correspondence with the beginning.”

(Note: Bertheau also rightly says: “ If in Ps 72 (as also in Ps 89 and 91) the author of the doxology himself says Amen, while in Psalms 106:48 the saying of the Amen is committed to the people, this difference can only arise from the face that Ps 106 originally concluded with the exhortation to say Amen. ” Hitzig speaks with still more decision, die Pss. (1865), ii. S. x.: “ If (in Ps 106) Psalms 106:47 is the conclusion, a proper ending is wanting; while Psalms 106:48, on the contrary, places the psalm on a level with Ps 103-105; 107. Who can believe that the author himself, for the purpose of ending the fourth book with Psalms 106:48, caused the psalm to extend to the Psalms 106:48? In the Chronicle, the people whom the verse mentions are present from 1 Chron 15:3-16:2, while in the psalm no one can see how they should come in there. Whether the verse belong to the psalm or not, the turning to all the people, and the causing the people to say Amen, Amen, instead of the writer, has no parallel in the Psalms, and is explicable only on the supposition that it comes from the Chronicle. Afterwards a Diaskeuast might be satisfied to take the verse as the boundary-stone of a book. ” )

The last verse of our hymn does not therefore presuppose the existence of the collection of psalms, nor in 1 Chronicles 16:35 is there any indubitable reference to the exilic time. The words, “Say, 'Save us, Thou God of our salvation; gather us together, and deliver us from among the heathen,' “ do not presuppose that the people had been previously led away into the Chaldean exile, but only the dispersion of prisoners of war, led away captive into an enemy's land after a defeat. This usually occurred after each defeat of Israel by their enemies, and it was just such cases Solomon had in view in his prayer, 1 Kings 8:46-50.

The decision as to the origin of this festal hymn, therefore, depends upon its internal characteristics, and the result of a comparison of the respective texts. The song in itself forms, as Hitz. l.c. S. 19 rightly judges, “a thoroughly coherent and organic whole. The worshippers of Jahve are to sing His praise in memory of His covenant which He made with their fathers, and because of which He protected them (1 Chronicles 16:18-22). But all the world also are to praise Him, the only true God (1 Chronicles 16:23-27); the peoples are to come before Him with gifts; yea, even inanimate nature is to pay the King and Judge its homage (1 Chronicles 16:28-33). Israel - and with this the end returns to the beginning-is to thank Jahve, and invoke His help against the heathen (1 Chronicles 16:34 and 1 Chronicles 16:35).” This exposition of the symmetrical disposition of the psalm is not rendered questionable by the objections raised by Koehler, l.c. ; nor can the recurrence of the individual parts of it in three different psalms of itself at all prove that in the Chronicle we have not the original form of the hymn. “There is nothing to hinder us from supposing that the author of Psalms 96:1-13 may be the same as the author of Ps 105 and 106; but even another might be induced by example to appropriate the first half of 1 Chronicles 16:8., as his predecessor had appropriated the second, and it would naturally occur to him to supply from his own resources the continuation which had been already taken away and made use of” (Hitz. l.c. ). A similar phenomenon is the recurrence of the second half of Psalms 40:17. as an independent psalm, Psalms 70:1-5. “But it is also readily seen,”continues Hitzig, “how easily the psalmist might separate the last three verses from each other (1 Chronicles 16:34-36 of the Chronicle), and set them as a frame round Ps 106. 1 Chronicles 16:34 is not less suitable in the Chronicle for the commencement of a paragraph than in Ps 107, which Psalms 107:6 would admit of no continuation, but was the proper end. On the other hand, we can scarcely believe that the chronicler compiled his song first from Ps 105, then from Psalms 96:1-13, and lastly from Ps 106, striking off from this latter only the beginning and the end.”

Finally, if we compare the text of our hymn with the text of these psalms, the divergences are of such a sort that we cannot decide with certainty which of the two texts is the original. To pass over such critically indifferent variations as פּיהוּ , 1 Chronicles 16:12, for פּיו , Psalms 105:5; the omission of the nota acc. את , 1 Chronicles 16:18, compared with Psalms 105:10, and vice versa in Psalms 96:3 and 1 Chronicles 16:24; היּער עצי , 1 Chronicles 16:33, instead of היּער כּל־עצי , Psalms 96:12, - the chronicler has in יצחק , 1 Chronicles 16:16, instead of ישׂחק , Psalms 105:9, and יעלץ , 1 Chronicles 16:32, instead of יעלז , Psalms 96:12, the earlier and more primitive form; in תּרעוּ אל בּנביאי , 1 Chronicles 16:22, instead of תּרעוּ אל לנביאי , Psalms 105:15, a quite unusual construction; and in יום אל מיּום , 1 Chronicles 16:23, the older form (cf. Numbers 30:15), instead of ליום מיּום , Psalms 96:2, as in Esther 3:7; while, on the other hand, instead of the unexampled phrase לעשׁקם אדם הנּיח , Psalms 105:14, there stands in the Chronicle the usual phrase לאישׁ הנּיח , and שׂדי dna , in Psalms 96:12 is the poetical form for the השּׂדה of 1 Chronicles 16:32. More important are the wider divergences: not so much ישׂראל זרע , 1 Chronicles 16:13, for אברהם זרע , Psalms 105:6, in which latter case it is doubtful whether the עבדּו refers to the patriarchs or to the people, and consequently, as the parallelismus membrorum demands the latter references, ישׂראל is clearly the more correct and intelligible; but rather than the others, viz., זכרוּ , 1 Chronicles 16:15, for זכר , Psalms 105:8; since זכרוּ not only corresponds to the זכרוּ of 1 Chronicles 16:11, but alto to the use made of the song for the purposes stated in the Chronicle; while, on the contrary, זכר of the psalm corresponds to the object of the psalm, viz., to exalt the covenant grace shown to the patriarchs. Connected with this also is the reading בּהיותכם , “when ye (sons of Jacob) were” (1 Chronicles 16:19), instead of בּהיותם , Psalms 105:12, “when they (the patriarchs) were,” since the narrative of what the Lord had done demanded בהיותם . Now the more likely the reference of the words to the patriarchs was to suggest itself, the more unlikely is the hypothesis of an alteration into בהיותכם ; and the text of the Chronicle being the more difficult, is consequently to be regarded as the earlier. Moreover, the divergences of 1 Chronicles 16:23 to 33 of our hymn from Psalms 96:1-13 are such as would result from its having been prepared for the above-mentioned solemn festival. The omission of the two strophes, “Sing unto Jahve a new song, sing unto Jahve, bless His name” ( Psalms 96:1 and Psalms 96:2 ), in 1 Chronicles 16:23 of the Chronicle might be accounted for by regarding that part of our hymn as an abridgment by the chronicler of the original song, when connecting it with the preceding praise of God, were it certain on other grounds that Psalms 96:1-13 was the original; but if the chronicler's hymn be the original, we may just as well believe that this section was amplified when it was made into an independent psalm. A comparison of 1 Chronicles 16:33 (Chron.) with the end of the 96th Psalm favours this last hypothesis, for in the Chronicle the repetition of בּא כּי is wanting, as well as the second hemistich of Psalms 96:13. The whole of the 13th verse recurs, with a single בּא כּי , at the end of the 98th Psalm (Psalms 98:9), and the thought is borrowed from the Davidic Psalms 9:9. The strophes in the beginning of Psalms 96:1-13, which are omitted from 1 Chronicles 16:16, often recur. The phrase, “Sing unto Jahve a new song,” is met within Psalms 33:3; Psalms 98:1, and Psalms 149:1, and חדשׁ שׁיר in Psalms 40:4, a Davidic psalm. את־שׁמו בּרכוּ is also met with in Psalms 100:4; and still more frequently את־יהוה בּרכוּ , in Psalms 103:2, Psalms 103:22; Psalms 134:1, and elsewhere, even as early as Deborah's song, Judges 5:2, Judges 5:9; while ליהוה שׁירוּ occurs in the song of Moses, Exodus 15:1. Since, then, the strophes of the 96th Psalm are only reminiscences of, and phrases which we find in, the oldest religious songs of the Israelites, it is clear that Psalms 96:1-13 is not an original poem. It is rather the re-grouping of the well-known and current thoughts; and the fact that it is so, favours the belief that all which this psalm contains at the beginning and end, which the Chronicle does not contain, is merely an addition made by the poet who transformed this part of the chronicler's hymn into an independent psalm for liturgical purposes. This purpose clearly appears in such variations as בּמקדּשׁו ותפארת , Psalms 96:6, instead of בּמקמו וחדוה , 1 Chronicles 16:27, and לחצרותיו וּבאוּ , Psalms 96:8, instead of לפניו וּבאוּ , 1 Chronicles 16:29. Neither the word מקדּשׁ nor the mention of “courts” is suitable in a hymn sung at the consecration of the holy tent in Zion, for at that time the old national sanctuary with the altar in the court (the tabernacle) still stood in Gibeon.

Here, therefore, the text of the Chronicle corresponds to the circumstances of David's time, while the mention of מקדּשׁ and of courts in the psalm presupposes the existence of the temple with its courts as the sanctuary of the people of Israel. Now a post-exilic poet would scarcely have paid so much attention to this delicate distinction between times and circumstances as to alter, in the already existing psalms, out of which he compounded this festal hymn, the expressions which were not suitable to the Davidic time. Against this, the use of the unusual word חדוה drow lau , joy, which occurs elsewhere only in Nehemiah 10:8, Nehemiah 10:10, and in Chaldee in Ezra 6:18, is no valid objection, for the use of the verb חדה as early as Exodus 18:9 and Job 3:6 shows that the word does not belong to the later Hebrew. The discrepancy also between 1 Chronicles 16:30 and 1 Chronicles 16:31 and Psalms 96:9-11, namely, the omission in the Chronicle of the strophe בּמישׁרים עמּים ידין (Psalms 96:10), and the placing of the clause מלך יהוה בגּוים _ ויאמרוּ after הארץ ותגל (1 Chronicles 16:31, cf. Psalms 96:10), does not really prove anything as to the priority of Psalms 96:1-13. Hitzig, indeed, thinks that since by the omission of the one member the parallelism of the verses is disturbed, and a triple verse appears where all the others are double merely, and because by this alteration the clause,”Say among the people, Jahve is King,” has come into an apparently unsuitable position, between an exhortation to the heaven and earth to rejoice, and the roaring of the sea and its fulness, this clause must have been unsuitably placed by a copyist's error. But the transposition cannot be so explained; for not only is that one member of the verse misplaced, but also the אמרוּ of the psalm is altered into ויאמרוּ , and moreover, we get no explanation of the omission of the strophe וגו ידין . If we consider ויאמרוּ (with ו consecutive), “then will they say,” we see clearly that it corresponds to וגו ירנּנוּ אז in 1 Chronicles 16:33; and in 1 Chronicles 16:30 the recognition of Jahve's kingship over the peoples is represented as the issue and effect of the joyful exultation of the heaven and earth, just as in 1 Chronicles 16:32 and 1 Chronicles 16:33 the joyful shouting of the trees of the field before Jahve as He comes to judge the earth, is regarded as the result of the roaring of the sea and the gladness of the fields. The אמרוּ of the psalm, on the other hand, the summons to the Israelites to proclaim that Jahve is King among the peoples, is, after the call, “Let the whole earth tremble before Him,” a somewhat tame expression; and after it, again, we should not expect the much stronger וגו תּכּון אף . When we further consider that the clause which follows in the Chronicle, “He will judge the people in uprightness,” is a reminiscence of Psalms 9:9, we must hold the text of the Chronicle to be here also the original, and the divergences in Psalms 96:1-13 for alterations, which were occasioned by the changing of a part of our hymn into an independent psalm. Finally, there can be no doubt as to the priority of the chronicler's hymn in 1 Chronicles 16:34-36. The author of the Chronicle did not require to borrow the liturgical formula וגו טוב כּי ליהוה הודוּ from Psalms 106:1, for it occurs in as complete a form in Psalms 97:1; Psalms 118:1, Psalms 118:29; Psalms 136:1, and, not to mention 2 Chronicles 5:13; 2 Chronicles 7:3; 2 Chronicles 20:21, is a current phrase with Jeremiah (Jeremiah 33:11), and is without doubt an ancient liturgical form. 1 Chronicles 16:35 and 1 Chronicles 16:36, too, contain such divergences from Psalms 106:47 and Psalms 106:48, that it is in the highest degree improbable that they were borrowed from that psalm. Not only is the prayer וגו הושׁיענוּ introduced by אמרוּ , but also, instead of אלהינוּ יהוה of the psalm, we have ישׁענוּ אלהי ; and to וקבּצנוּ , והצּילנוּ is added, - a change which causes the words to lose the reference to the Chaldean exile contained in the text of the Psalms. The post-exilic author of the Chronicle would scarcely have obliterated this reference, and certainly would not have done so in such a delicate fashion, had he taken the verse from Ps 106. A much more probable supposition is, that the post-exilic author of the 106th Psalm appropriated the concluding verse of David's to him well-known hymn, and modified it to make it fit into his poem. Indubitable instances of such alterations are to be found in the conclusion, where the statement of the chronicler, that all the people said Amen and praised Jahve, is made to conform to the psalm, beginning as it does with Halleluiah, by altering ויּאמרוּ into ואמר , “and let them say,” and of ליהוה והלּל into הללוּ־יהּ .

On the whole, therefore, we must regard the opinion that David composed our psalm for the above-mentioned festival as by far the most probable. The psalm itself needs no further commentary; but compare Delitzsch on the parallel psalms and parts of psalms.


Verses 37-43

Division of the Levites for the management of the public worship . - At the same time as he set up the ark in the tent erected for it on Mount Zion, David had prepared a new locality for the public worship. The Mosaic tabernacle had continued, with its altar of burnt-offering, to be the general place of worship for the congregation of Israel even during the long period when the ark was separated from it, and it was even yet to be so; and it became necessary, in order to carry on the religious service in both of these sanctuaries, to divide the staff of religious officials: and this David now undertook.

1 Chronicles 16:37-38

Before the ark he left Asaph with his brethren ( ל( nerht before the accus. obj. , according to the later usage), to serve, to minister there continually. בּיומו לדבר־יום , “according to the matter of the day on its day,” i.e., according to the service necessary for each day; cf. for this expression, Exodus 5:13, Exodus 5:19; Exodus 16:4, etc. “And Obed-edom and their brethren.” In these words there is a textual error: the plural suffix in אחיהם shows that after אדום עבד at least one name has been dropped out. But besides that, the relation in which the words, “and Obed-edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, to be porters,” stand to the preceding clause, “and Obed-edom and their brethren,” is obscure. Against the somewhat general idea, that the words are to be taken in an explicative sense, “and Obed-edom indeed,” etc., the objection suggests itself, that Obed-edom is here defined to be the son of Jeduthun, and would seem to be thereby distinguished from the preceding Obed-edom. In addition to that, in 1 Chronicles 15:21 and Obed-edom is mentioned among the singers, and in 1 Chronicles 16:24 one of the doorkeepers bears that name, and they are clearly distinguished as being different persons. On the other hand, however, the identity of the two Obed-edoms in our verse is supported by the fact that in 1 Chronicles 26:4-8 the doorkeepers Obed-edom with his sons and brethren number sixty-two, which comes pretty nearly up to the number mentioned in our verse, viz., sixty-eight. Yet we cannot regard this circumstance as sufficient to identify the two, and must leave the question undecided, because the text of our verse is defective. Jeduthun the father of Obed-edom is different from the chief musician Jeduthun (= Ethan); for the chief musician is a descendant of Merari, while the doorkeeper Jeduthun belongs to the Korahites (i.e., Kohathites): see on 1 Chronicles 26:4.

1 Chronicles 16:39-40

צדוק ואת is still dependent on the ויּעזב in 1 Chronicles 16:37. The priest Zadok with his brethren he left before the tent of Jahve, i.e., the tabernacle at the Bamah in Gibeon. For בּמה see on 2 Chronicles 1:13, and for Zadok on 2 Chronicles 6:12. It is surprising here that no priest is named as superintendent or overseer of the sacrificial worship in the tent of the ark of the covenant. But the omission is accounted for by the fact that our chapter treats properly only of the arrangement of the sacred music connected with the worship, and Zadok is mentioned as overseer of the sanctuary of the tabernacle at Gibeon only in order to introduce the statement as to the Levitic singers and players assigned to that sanctuary. Without doubt Abiathar as high priest had the oversight of the sacrificial worship in the sanctuary of the tabernacle: see on 1 Chronicles 18:16; with 1 Chronicles 16:40 cf. Exodus 29:38; Numbers 28:3, Numbers 28:6. לכל־הכּתוּב corresponds to להעלות : and in reference to all, i.e., to look after all, which was written. This refers not only to the bringing of the sacrifices prescribed, in addition to the daily burnt-offering, but in general to everything that it was the priests' duty to do in the sanctuary.

1 Chronicles 16:41-42

ועמּהם , and with them (with Zadok and his brethren) were Heman and Jeduthun, i.e., (the two other chief musicians, 1 Chronicles 15:19), with the other chosen famous, sc. singers ( בשׁמות נקּבוּ , see on 1 Chronicles 12:31). To these belonged those of the number named in 1 Chronicles 15:18-21, 1 Chronicles 15:24, who are not mentioned among those assigned to Asaph in 1 Chronicles 16:5 and 1 Chronicles 16:6, and probably also a number of others whose names have not been handed down. In 1 Chronicles 16:42, if the text be correct, וידוּתוּן הימן can only be in apposition to עמּהם : “and with them, viz., with Heman and Jeduthun, were trumpets,” etc. But, not to mention the difficulty that passages analogous and parallel to this statement are not to be found, the mention of these two chief musicians in the connection is surprising; for the musical instruments mentioned are not merely the מצלתּים (s. 1 Chronicles 15:19) played by them, but also the חצצרות which the priests blew, and other instruments. Moreover, the names Heman and Jeduthun are not found here in the lxx, and have probably been inserted in our verse by some copyist from 1 Chronicles 16:41, which likewise begins with ועמּהם . If we omit these names, then, the verse contains no other difficulty worthy of consideration, or any which would occasion or necessitate such violent alterations of the text as Berth. has proposed. The suffix in עמּהם refers to the persons mentioned in 1 Chronicles 16:41, Heman, Jeduthun, and the other chosen ones. “With them were,” i.e., they had by them, trumpets, cymbals, etc. The ל before משׁמיעים is strange, since משׁמיעים is in 1 Chronicles 15:16 connected with מצלתּים as an adjective, and in 1 Chronicles 15:19 we have להשׁמיע . But if we compare 1 Chronicles 16:5 of our chapter, where משׁמיע is predicate to Asaph, “Asaph gave forth clear notes with cymbals,” then here also למשׁמיעים in connection with מצלתּים is thoroughly justified in the signification, “and cymbals for those who gave forth the notes or the melody,” i.e., for Heman and Jeduthun. הא שׁיר כּלי are the other instruments used in the service of the song, viz., the nablia and kinnoroth . “The sons of Jeduthun for the gate,” i.e., as doorkeepers. As Obed-edom, who was doorkeeper by the ark, according to 1 Chronicles 16:38, was likewise a son of Jeduthun, here other sons of the same Jeduthun, brothers of Obed-edom, must be meant, the number of whom, if we may judge from 1 Chronicles 26:8, was very considerable; so that the members of this family were able to attend to the doorkeeping both by the ark and in the tabernacle at Gibeon.

1 Chronicles 16:43

1 Chronicles 16:43 brings the account of the transfer of the ark to a conclusion, and coincides in substance with 2 Samuel 6:19 and 2 Samuel 6:20 , where, however, there follows in addition a narrative of the scene which David had with his wife Michal. This, as res domestica , the author of the Chronicle has omitted, since the reference to it in 1 Chronicles 15:29 seemed sufficient for the design of his work. לברך is not to greet, but to bless his house, just as in 1 Chronicles 16:2 he had already pronounced a blessing on his people in the name of God.