1 Chronicles
1 Chronicles 16
1They brought in God’s ark, and set it in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in Yahweh’s name. 3He gave to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. 4He appointed some of the Levites to minister before Yahweh’s ark, and to commemorate, to thank, and to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel: 5Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with stringed instruments and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud; 6with Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.
7Then on that day David first ordained to give thanks to Yahweh, by the hand of Asaph and his brothers.
All the people said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh.
37So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required; 38and Obed-Edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers; 39and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before Yahweh’s tabernacle in the high place that was at Gibeon, 40to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in Yahweh’s law, which he commanded to Israel; 41and 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; 42and 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. 43All the people departed, each man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.
Commentary
No commentary on this chapter yet.
What others are saying
5 commentators · 48 notes on this chapter
Matthew Henry3
Writes as a pastor rather than a critic. Expect devotional and practical application over historical or linguistic analysis, read through a Reformed covenantal frame — and expect the Old Testament to be read forward toward Christ throughout.
Why this voice is here: The most widely read English commentary for three centuries. Included as a baseline: where Henry and a modern voice diverge, the divergence itself is usually the interesting part.
It was a glorious day when the ark of God was safely lodged in the tent David had pitched for it. That good man had his heart much upon it, could not sleep contentedly till it was done, Psa 132:4, Psa 132:5. I. The circumstances of the ark were now, 1. Better…
We have here the thanksgiving psalm which David, by the Spirit, composed, and delivered to the chief musician, to be sung upon occasion of the public entry the ark made into the tent prepared for it. Some think he appointed this hymn to be daily used in the…
The worship of God is not only to be the work of a solemn day now and then, brought in to grace a triumph; but it ought to be the work of every day. David therefore settles it here for a constancy, puts it into a method, which he obliged those that officiated…
John Gill13
The most exhaustive and the most doctrinally committed here. Expect high — even supralapsarian — Calvinism applied consistently, and unusually heavy use of rabbinic and Talmudic sources for Jewish context. Where a passage bears on election or the will, Gill will read it in one direction, and knowing that in advance is the point.
Why this voice is here: The strongest Calvinist reading available in the public domain, and the best on Jewish background. Read alongside Clarke, not instead of him — between them you get both sides of the argument.
So they brought the ark of God,.... What is contained in these three verses is the same with 2 Samuel 6:17, see the notes there. See Gill on 2 Samuel 6:17. See Gill on 2 Samuel 6:18. See Gill on 2 Samuel 6:19.
And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord,.... By singing the praises of God: and to record; or bring to remembrance; to commemorate in a song the great and good things God had done for Israel as a people: and to thank and…
Asaph the chief,.... Of those that were now appointed: otherwise, of the three principal singers, Heman was the chief, and Asaph next, 1 Chronicles 6:33. and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and…
Adam Clarke11
The linguist of this set. Expect Hebrew and Greek word study, oriental custom, and geography — and an Arminian reading of grace and free will where Gill or Henry would read election. Note one real divergence: Clarke denied the eternal sonship of Christ, a position most of the tradition rejects, so read him closely on the person of Christ.
Why this voice is here: Where you want to know what a word actually says, Clarke is the one who will tell you — with the caveat above on Christ’s sonship.
He blessed the people - "He blessed the people in the name of the Word of the Lord." - T.
To every one a loaf of bread - A whole cake. A good piece of flesh; "the sixth part of an ox, and the sixth part of a hin of wine." - T. See Sa2 6:18-20; see Jarchi also.
Asaph - See the preceding chapter, Ch1 15:17 (note), etc.
Keil & Delitzsch11
The technical one, and Old Testament only. Expect Hebrew grammar, textual argument, and direct engagement with nineteenth-century critical scholarship — closer to a scholarly apparatus than a devotional read. Where a modern critic claims a text is late or composite, this is where the conservative counter-argument was made.
Why this voice is here: Old Testament only, and heavy going — but the place to look when someone asserts a passage cannot mean what it appears to.
So they brought the ark of God,.... What is contained in these three verses is the same with Sa2 6:17, see the notes there. See Gill on Sa2 6:17. See Gill on Sa2 6:18. See Gill on Sa2 6:19. . 1 Chronicles 16:4 ch1 16:4 ch1 16:4 ch1 16:4And he appointed…
Asaph the chief,.... Of those that were now appointed: otherwise, of the three principal singers, Heman was the chief, and Asaph next, Ch1 6:33. and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom…
Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests,.... These were appointed to blow with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; morning and evening.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown10
The concise option. Three authors split the canon, so the voice shifts between sections. Expect brief, sober, conservative notes that resolve difficulties rather than dwelling on them — useful for orientation, thinner than Gill or Clarke where a passage is genuinely contested.
Why this voice is here: The quickest way to see what the mainstream Reformed reading of a passage is. Start here, then go to Gill or Clarke when it matters.
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.
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…
Jeiel--the same as Aziel (Ch1 15:20).
World English Bible — Public domain