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
And his brother H251 Asaph, H623 who stood H5975 on his right hand, H3225 even Asaph H623 the son H1121 of Berachiah, H1296 the son H1121 of Shimea, H8092
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 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 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 So the singers, H7891 Heman, H1968 Asaph, H623 and Ethan, H387 were appointed to sound H8085 with cymbals H4700 of brass; H5178 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 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 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 And Berechiah H1296 and Elkanah H511 were doorkeepers H7778 for the ark. H727 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
Moreover David H1732 and the captains H8269 of the host H6635 separated H914 to the service H5656 of the sons H1121 of Asaph, H623 and of Heman, H1968 and of Jeduthun, H3038 who should prophesy H5012 H5030 with harps, H3658 with psalteries, H5035 and with cymbals: H4700 and the number H4557 of the workmen H582 H4399 according to their service H5656 was: Of the sons H1121 of Asaph; H623 Zaccur, H2139 and Joseph, H3130 and Nethaniah, H5418 and Asarelah, H841 the sons H1121 of Asaph H623 under the hands H3027 of Asaph, H623 which prophesied H5012 according to the order H3027 of the king. H4428 Of Jeduthun: H3038 the sons H1121 of Jeduthun; H3038 Gedaliah, H1436 and Zeri, H6874 and Jeshaiah, H3470 Hashabiah, H2811 and Mattithiah, H4993 six, H8337 under the hands H3027 of their father H1 Jeduthun, H3038 who prophesied H5012 with a harp, H3658 to give thanks H3034 and to praise H1984 the LORD. H3068 Of Heman: H1968 the sons H1121 of Heman; H1968 Bukkiah, H1232 Mattaniah, H4983 Uzziel, H5816 Shebuel, H7619 and Jerimoth, H3406 Hananiah, H2608 Hanani, H2607 Eliathah, H448 Giddalti, H1437 and Romamtiezer, H7320 Joshbekashah, H3436 Mallothi, H4413 Hothir, H1956 and Mahazioth: H4238 All these were the sons H1121 of Heman H1968 the king's H4428 seer H2374 in the words H1697 of God, H430 to lift up H7311 the horn. H7161 And God H430 gave H5414 to Heman H1968 fourteen H702 H6240 sons H1121 and three H7969 daughters. H1323 All these were under the hands H3027 of their father H1 for song H7892 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 with cymbals, H4700 psalteries, H5035 and harps, H3658 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of God, H430 according to the king's H4428 order H3027 to Asaph, H623 Jeduthun, H3038 and Heman. H1968
And he set H5975 the Levites H3881 in the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 with cymbals, H4700 with psalteries, H5035 and with harps, H3658 according to the commandment H4687 of David, H1732 and of Gad H1410 the king's H4428 seer, H2374 and Nathan H5416 the prophet: H5030 for so was the commandment H4687 of H3027 the LORD H3068 by H3027 his prophets. H5030
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 16
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 16 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 16
1Ch 16:1-6. David's Festival Sacrifice and Liberality to the People.
2. he blessed the people in the name of the Lord—The king commended their zeal, supplicated the divine blessing upon them, and ordered the remains of the thank offerings which had been profusely sacrificed during the procession, to be distributed in certain proportions to every individual, that the ceremonial might terminate with appropriate festivities (De 12:7).
3. flagon of wine—The two latter words are a supplement by our translators, and the former is, in other versions, rendered not a "flagon," but a "cake," a confection, as the Septuagint renders it, made of flour and honey.
4-6. he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord—No sooner was the ark deposited in its tent than the Levites, who were to officiate in the choirs before it, entered upon their duties. A select number of the musicians were chosen for the service from the list (1Ch 15:19-21) of those who had taken a prominent part in the recent procession. The same arrangement was to be observed in their duties, now that the ark again was stationary; Asaph, with his associates, composing the first or principal company, played with cymbals; Zechariah and his colleagues, with whom were conjoined Jeiel and Obed-edom, forming the second company, used harps and similar instruments.
5. Jeiel—the same as Aziel (1Ch 15:20).
6. Benaiah also and Jahaziel—The name of the former is mentioned among the priests (1Ch 15:24), but not the latter. The office assigned to them was that of blowing trumpets at regular intervals before the ark and in the tabernacle.
1Ch 16:7-43. His Psalm of Thanksgiving.
7. Then on that day David delivered first this psalm—Among the other preparations for this solemn inauguration, the royal bard had composed a special hymn for the occasion. Doubtless it had been previously in the hands of Asaph and his assistants, but it was now publicly committed to them as they entered for the first time on the performance of their sacred duties. It occupies the greater part of this chapter (1Ch 16:8-36), and seems to have been compiled from other psalms of David, previously known to the Israelites, as the whole of it will be found, with very slight variations, in Ps 96:1-13; 105:1-15; 106:47, 48. In the form, however, in which it is given by the sacred historian, it seems to have been the first psalm given for use in the tabernacle service. Abounding, as it does, with the liveliest ascriptions of praise to God for the revelation of His glorious character and the display of His marvellous works and containing, as it does, so many pointed allusions to the origin, privileges, and peculiar destiny of the chosen people, it was admirably calculated to animate the devotions and call forth the gratitude of the assembled multitude.
36. all the people said, Amen—(Compare Ps 72:19, 20; 106:48). In the former, the author of the doxology utters the "amen" himself, while in the latter the people are exhorted to say "amen." This may arise from the fact that the latter psalm originally concluded with the injunction to say "amen." But in this historical account of the festival, it was necessary to relate that the people obeyed this injunction on the occasion referred to, and therefore the words "let them praise," were altered into "and they praised" [Bertheau].
37-42. So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord Asaph and his brethren, &c.—The sequel of the chapter describes the appointment of the sacred musicians and their respective duties.
38. Obed-edom with their brethren—Hosah, mentioned at the close of the verse, and a great number besides (see on 1Ch 26:1).
to be porters—doorkeepers.
39, 40. And Zadok … before the tabernacle … at Gibeon—While the above-mentioned officers under the superintendence of Abiathar, were appointed to officiate in Jerusalem, whither the ark had been brought, Zadok and the priests subordinate to him were stationed at Gibeon to perform the sacred service before the ancient tabernacle which still remained there.
40. continually morning and evening—as the law enjoined (Ex 29:38; Nu 28:3, 6).
and do according to all that is written in the law—(See Nu 28:1-31). Thus, in the time of David, the worship was performed at two places, where the sacred things that had been transmitted from the age of Moses were preserved. Before the Ark in Jerusalem, Asaph and his brethren officiated as singers, Obed-edom and Hosah served as doorkeepers, and Benaiah and Jahaziel blew the trumpets. While at the tabernacle and burnt offering in Gibeon, Heman and Jeduthun presided over the sacred music, the sons of Jeduthun were door keepers, and Zadok, with his suite of attendant priests, offered the sacrifices.