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
For by the last H314 words H1697 of David H1732 the Levites H3881 were numbered H4557 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and above: H4605 Because their office H4612 was to wait H3027 on the sons H1121 of Aaron H175 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 in the courts, H2691 and in the chambers, H3957 and in the purifying H2893 of all holy things, H6944 and the work H4639 of the service H5656 of the house H1004 of God; H430 Both for the shewbread, H3899 H4635 and for the fine flour H5560 for meat offering, H4503 and for the unleavened H4682 cakes, H7550 and for that which is baked in the pan, H4227 and for that which is fried, H7246 and for all manner of measure H4884 and size; H4060 And to stand H5975 every morning H1242 to thank H3034 and praise H1984 the LORD, H3068 and likewise at even; H6153 And to offer H5927 all burnt sacrifices H5930 unto the LORD H3068 in the sabbaths, H7676 in the new moons, H2320 and on the set feasts, H4150 by number, H4557 according to the order H4941 commanded unto them, continually H8548 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 And that they should keep H8104 the charge H4931 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and the charge H4931 of the holy H6944 place, and the charge H4931 of the sons H1121 of Aaron H175 their brethren, H251 in the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
I have set H6485 watchmen H8104 upon thy walls, H2346 O Jerusalem, H3389 which shall never H8548 hold their peace H2814 day H3117 nor night: H3915 ye that make mention H2142 of the LORD, H3068 keep not silence, H1824 And give H5414 him no rest, H1824 till he establish, H3559 and till he make H7760 Jerusalem H3389 a praise H8416 in the earth. H776
And he gathered together H622 all the princes H8269 of Israel, H3478 with the priests H3548 and the Levites. H3881 Now the Levites H3881 were numbered H5608 from the age H1121 of thirty H7970 years H8141 and upward: H4605 and their number H4557 by their polls, H1538 man by man, H1397 was thirty H7970 and eight H8083 thousand. H505 Of which, H428 twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand H505 were to set forward H5329 the work H4399 of the house H1004 of the LORD; H3068 and six H8337 thousand H505 were officers H7860 and judges: H8199 Moreover four H702 thousand H505 were porters; H7778 and four H702 thousand H505 praised H1984 the LORD H3068 with the instruments H3627 which I made, H6213 said David, to praise H1984 therewith. And David H1732 divided H2505 them into courses H4256 among the sons H1121 of Levi, H3878 namely, Gershon, H1648 Kohath, H6955 and Merari. H4847
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 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 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 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 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 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
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Aaron, H175 Thou and thy sons H1121 and thy father's H1 house H1004 with thee shall bear H5375 the iniquity H5771 of the sanctuary: H4720 and thou and thy sons H1121 with thee shall bear H5375 the iniquity H5771 of your priesthood. H3550 And thy brethren H251 also of the tribe H4294 of Levi, H3878 the tribe H7626 of thy father, H1 bring H7126 thou with thee, that they may be joined H3867 unto thee, and minister H8334 unto thee: but thou and thy sons H1121 with thee shall minister before H6440 the tabernacle H168 of witness. H5715 And they shall keep H8104 thy charge, H4931 and the charge H4931 of all the tabernacle: H168 only they shall not come nigh H7126 the vessels H3627 of the sanctuary H6944 and the altar, H4196 that neither they, nor ye also, die. H4191 And they shall be joined H3867 unto thee, and keep H8104 the charge H4931 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 for all the service H5656 of the tabernacle: H168 and a stranger H2114 shall not come nigh H7126 unto you. And ye shall keep H8104 the charge H4931 of the sanctuary, H6944 and the charge H4931 of the altar: H4196 that there be no wrath H7110 any more upon the children H1121 of Israel. H3478 And I, behold, I have taken H3947 your brethren H251 the Levites H3881 from among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 to you they are given H5414 as a gift H4979 for the LORD, H3068 to do H5647 the service H5656 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150
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.