1 And David made H6213 him houses H1004 in the city H5892 of David, H1732 and prepared H3559 a place H4725 for the ark H727 of God, H430 and pitched H5186 for it a tent. H168
2 Then David H1732 said, H559 None ought to carry H5375 the ark H727 of God H430 but the Levites: H3881 for them hath the LORD H3068 chosen H977 to carry H5375 the ark H727 of God, H430 and to minister H8334 unto him for H5704 ever. H5769
3 And David H1732 gathered H6950 all Israel H3478 together H6950 to Jerusalem, H3389 to bring up H5927 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 unto his place, H4725 which he had prepared H3559 for it.
4 And David H1732 assembled H622 the children H1121 of Aaron, H175 and the Levites: H3881
5 Of the sons H1121 of Kohath; H6955 Uriel H222 the chief, H8269 and his brethren H251 an hundred H3967 and twenty: H6242
6 Of the sons H1121 of Merari; H4847 Asaiah H6222 the chief, H8269 and his brethren H251 two hundred H3967 and twenty: H6242
7 Of the sons H1121 of Gershom; H1647 Joel H3100 the chief, H8269 and his brethren H251 an hundred H3967 and thirty: H7970
8 Of the sons H1121 of Elizaphan; H469 Shemaiah H8098 the chief, H8269 and his brethren H251 two hundred: H3967
9 Of the sons H1121 of Hebron; H2275 Eliel H447 the chief, H8269 and his brethren H251 fourscore: H8084
10 Of the sons H1121 of Uzziel; H5816 Amminadab H5992 the chief, H8269 and his brethren H251 an hundred H3967 and twelve. H8147 H6240
11 And David H1732 called H7121 for Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 the priests, H3548 and for the Levites, H3881 for Uriel, H222 Asaiah, H6222 and Joel, H3100 Shemaiah, H8098 and Eliel, H447 and Amminadab, H5992
12 And said H559 unto them, Ye are the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of the Levites: H3881 sanctify H6942 yourselves, both ye and your brethren, H251 that ye may bring up H5927 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 unto the place that I have prepared H3559 for it.
13 For because ye did it not at the first, H7223 the LORD H3068 our God H430 made a breach H6555 upon us, for that we sought H1875 him not after the due order. H4941
14 So the priests H3548 and the Levites H3881 sanctified H6942 themselves to bring up H5927 the ark H727 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478
15 And the children H1121 of the Levites H3881 bare H5375 the ark H727 of God H430 upon their shoulders H3802 with the staves H4133 thereon, as Moses H4872 commanded H6680 according to the word H1697 of the LORD. H3068
16 And David H1732 spake H559 to the chief H8269 of the Levites H3881 to appoint H5975 their brethren H251 to be the singers H7891 with instruments H3627 of musick, H7892 psalteries H5035 and harps H3658 and cymbals, H4700 sounding, H8085 by lifting up H7311 the voice H6963 with joy. H8057
17 So the Levites H3881 appointed H5975 Heman H1968 the son H1121 of Joel; H3100 and of his brethren, H251 Asaph H623 the son H1121 of Berechiah; H1296 and of the sons H1121 of Merari H4847 their brethren, H251 Ethan H387 the son H1121 of Kushaiah; H6984
18 And with them their brethren H251 of the second H4932 degree, Zechariah, H2148 Ben, H1122 and Jaaziel, H3268 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehiel, H3171 and Unni, H6042 Eliab, H446 and Benaiah, H1141 and Maaseiah, H4641 and Mattithiah, H4993 and Elipheleh, H466 and Mikneiah, H4737 and Obededom, H5654 and Jeiel, H3273 the porters. H7778
19 So the singers, H7891 Heman, H1968 Asaph, H623 and Ethan, H387 were appointed to sound H8085 with cymbals H4700 of brass; H5178
20 And Zechariah, H2148 and Aziel, H5815 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehiel, H3171 and Unni, H6042 and Eliab, H446 and Maaseiah, H4641 and Benaiah, H1141 with psalteries H5035 on Alamoth; H5961
21 And Mattithiah, H4993 and Elipheleh, H466 and Mikneiah, H4737 and Obededom, H5654 and Jeiel, H3273 and Azaziah, H5812 with harps H3658 on the Sheminith H8067 to excel. H5329
22 And Chenaniah, H3663 chief H8269 of the Levites, H3881 was for song: H4853 he instructed H3256 about the song, H4853 because he was skilful. H995
23 And Berechiah H1296 and Elkanah H511 were doorkeepers H7778 for the ark. H727
24 And Shebaniah, H7645 and Jehoshaphat, H3146 and Nethaneel, H5417 and Amasai, H6022 and Zechariah, H2148 and Benaiah, H1141 and Eliezer, H461 the priests, H3548 did blow H2690 H2690 with the trumpets H2689 before H6440 the ark H727 of God: H430 and Obededom H5654 and Jehiah H3174 were doorkeepers H7778 for the ark. H727
25 So David, H1732 and the elders H2205 of Israel, H3478 and the captains H8269 over thousands, H505 went H1980 to bring up H5927 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 out of the house H1004 of Obededom H5654 with joy. H8057
26 And it came to pass, when God H430 helped H5826 the Levites H3881 that bare H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD, H3068 that they offered H2076 seven H7651 bullocks H6499 and seven H7651 rams. H352
27 And David H1732 was clothed H3736 with a robe H4598 of fine linen, H948 and all the Levites H3881 that bare H5375 the ark, H727 and the singers, H7891 and Chenaniah H3663 the master H8269 of the song H4853 with the singers: H7891 David H1732 also had upon him an ephod H646 of linen. H906
28 Thus all Israel H3478 brought up H5927 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 with shouting, H8643 and with sound H6963 of the cornet, H7782 and with trumpets, H2689 and with cymbals, H4700 making a noise H8085 with psalteries H5035 and harps. H3658
29 And it came to pass, as the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 came H935 to the city H5892 of David, H1732 that Michal H4324 the daughter H1323 of Saul H7586 looking out H8259 at a window H2474 saw H7200 king H4428 David H1732 dancing H7540 and playing: H7832 and she despised H959 him in her heart. H3820
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
1Ch 15:1-24. David Brings the Ark from Obededom.
1. David made him houses in the city of David—Through the liberality of his Tyrian ally (1Ch 14:1), David was enabled to erect not only a palace for himself, but to furnish suitable accommodation for his numerous family. Where polygamy prevails, each wife has a separate house or suite of apartments for herself and children.
prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent—that is, made an entirely new one upon the model of the former. The old tabernacle, which Moses had constructed in the wilderness and which had hitherto served the purpose of a sacred covering, was to be left at Gibeon, either because of the unwillingness of the inhabitants to part with such a venerable relic, or because there was no use for it in Jerusalem, where a more solid and sumptuous edifice was contemplated. If it appear surprising that David "made him houses" before he prepared this new tabernacle, it should be remembered that he had received no divine intimation respecting such a work.
2. Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites—After the lapse of three months (1Ch 13:14) the purpose of transporting the ark to Jerusalem was resumed. Time and reflection had led to a discovery of the cause of the painful catastrophe that marred the first attempt. In preparing for the solemn procession that was now to usher the sacred symbol into its resting-place, David took special care that the carriage should be regulated in strict conformity to the law (Nu 4:5, 15; 7:9; 10:17).
3. David gathered all Israel together—Some are of opinion that this was done on one of the three great festivals, but at whatever time the ceremonial took place, it was of great importance to summon a general convocation of the people, many of whom, from the long-continued disorders of the kingdom, might have had little or no opportunity of knowing anything of the ark, which had been allowed to remain so long in obscurity and neglect.
4. David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites—The children of Aaron were the two priests (1Ch 15:11), Zadok and Abiathar, heads of the two priestly houses of Eleazar and Ithamar, and colleagues in the high priesthood (2Sa 20:25). The Levites were the chiefs of their father's house (1Ch 15:12); four belonging to the Kohathite branch, on whose shoulders the ark was to be borne; namely, Uriel, Shemaiah—descended from Elizaphan or Elzaphan—(Ex 6:22), Hebron (Ex 6:18; 1Ch 6:2), and Amminadab from Uzziel (Ex 6:22).
12. sanctify yourselves—This special sanctification, which was required on all grave and important occasions, consisted in observing the strictest abstinence, as well as cleanliness, both in person and dress (see on Ge 35:2; Ex 19:10, 15); and in the neglect of these rules no step could have been taken (2Ch 30:3).
16-24. David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint … the singers with instruments—These eminent Levites were instructed to train the musicians and singers who were under them, for the solemn procession. The performers were ranged in three choirs or bands, and the names of the principal leaders are given (1Ch 15:17, 18, 21), with the instruments respectively used by each. "Ben" (1Ch 15:18) is omitted (1Ch 15:20). Either it was used merely as a common noun, to intimate that Zechariah was the son of Jaaziel or Aziel, or Ben is the same as Azaziah [1Ch 15:21].
22. Chenaniah, chief of the Levites—He was not of the six heads of the Levitical families, but a chief in consequence of his office, which required learning, without regard to birth or family.
instructed about the song—He directed all these bands as to the proper time when each was to strike in or change their notes; or, as some render the passage, "He led the burdens, for he was skilled," that is, in the custom which it was necessary to observe in the carriage of the holy things [Bertheau].
23. Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers—who marched immediately in front, while Obed-edom and Jeiel went in the rear, of the ark.
25. So David, and the elders … and captains … went—The pious design of David in ordering all his principal ministers and officers to take part in this solemn work and imparting so much pomp and imposing ceremony to the procession, was evidently to inspire the popular mind with a profound veneration for the ark and to give the young especially salutary impressions of religion, which would be renewed by the remembrance that they had been witnesses of the august solemnity in which the king and the highest aristocracy of the land participated, vying with all other classes to do honor to the God of Israel.
26. it came to pass, &c.—(See on 2Sa 6:13-23).
they offered seven bullocks and seven rams—The Levites seem to have entered on this duty with fear and trembling; and finding that they might advance without any such indications of divine wrath as Uzza had experienced (1Ch 13:10), they offered an ox and a fatted sheep immediately after starting (2Sa 6:13), and seven bullocks and seven rams—a perfect sacrifice, at the close of the procession (1Ch 16:1). It is probable that preparations had been made for the offering of similar sacrifices at regular intervals along the way.
27. a robe of fine linen—Hebrew, Butz—is rather supposed in the later books to denote cotton.
an ephod—a shoulder-garment, a cincture or cape over his dress. It was worn by the priests, but was not so peculiar to them as to be forbidden others (1Sa 2:18; 22:18).
29. Michal … saw … David dancing and playing—His movements would be slow and solemn, suitable to the grave and solemn character of the music. Though his royal robes were laid aside, he was attired like the other officials, showing a becoming humility in the immediate presence of God. The feelings manifested by Michal were only an ebullition of spleen from a proud and passionate woman.