Amplified Bible
1 Chronicles 15:16
16Then David told the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives as the singers, with instruments of music—harps, lyres, and cymbals—to play loudly and to raise sounds of joy [with their voices].
1 Chronicles 15:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.
- New International Version (NIV)David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.
- English Standard Version (ESV)David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.
Context of 1 Chronicles 15:16
14So the priests and the Levites consecrated (dedicated) themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord. Then David told the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives as the singers, with instruments of music—harps, lyres, and cymbals—to play loudly and to raise sounds of joy [with their voices]. 17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel, and from his relatives, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and from the sons of Merari their relatives, Ethan the son of Kushaiah, 18and with them their relatives of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.
Read all of 1 Chronicles 151 Chronicles 15:16 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִיד֮ לְשָׂרֵ֣י הַלְוִיִּם֒ לְהַֽעֲמִ֗יד אֶת־אֲחֵיהֶם֙ הַמְשֹׁ֣רְרִ֔ים בִּכְלֵי־שִׁ֛יר נְבָלִ֥ים וְכִנֹּר֖וֹת וּמְצִלְתָּ֑יִם מַשְׁמִיעִ֥ים לְהָרִֽים־בְּק֖וֹל לְשִׂמְחָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to the chiefשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- of the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- to appointעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: appointH5975
- their brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-relativeH251
- the singersשִׁירshîyr shûr · to singH7891
- with instrumentsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
- of musickשִׁירshîyr shîyrâh · songH7892
- psalteriesנֵ֫בֶלnebel nêbel · harpH5035
- and harpsכִּנּוֹרkinnôr · lyreH3658
- and cymbalsמְצִלְתַּיִםmetsêleth · cymbalH4700
- soundingשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: proclaimH8085
- by lifting upרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
- the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
- with joyשִׂמְחָהώimchâh · joyH8057
Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 15:16
- 2 Chronicles 30:12Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them one heart to do that which the king and the officials had commanded by the word of the Lord.
- Ezra 7:24We also inform you that it is not authorized to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants or other servants of this house of God.
- Isaiah 49:23Kings will be your attendants, And their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth And lick the dust of your feet; And you shall know [with an understanding based on personal experience] that I am the Lord; For they shall not be put to shame who wait and hope expectantly for Me.
- 1 Chronicles 15:12and he said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites; consecrate yourselves, both you and your relatives, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.
- Acts 14:23When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they believed [and joyfully accepted as the Messiah].
- 1 Timothy 3:1This is a faithful and trustworthy saying: if any man [eagerly] seeks the office of overseer (bishop, superintendent), he desires an excellent task.
- 2 Timothy 2:2The things [the doctrine, the precepts, the admonitions, the sum of my ministry] which you have heard me teach in the presence of many witnesses, entrust [as a treasure] to reliable and faithful men who will also be capable and qualified to teach others.
- 1 Chronicles 15:27David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who carried the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah, director of the music of the singers. David also wore an ephod (a priestly upper garment) of linen.
- 1 Chronicles 6:31Now these are those whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the Lord after the ark [of the covenant] rested there.
- 1 Chronicles 13:8David and all Israel celebrated [joyfully] before God with all their might, with songs, lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
- 1 Chronicles 16:43Then all the people departed, each to his house, and David returned [home] to bless his household.
- 1 Chronicles 23:5and 4,000 were gatekeepers, and 4,000 [musicians] were to praise the Lord with the instruments which David made for giving praise.
- 1 Chronicles 25:1Moreover, David and the commanders of the army selected for the [temple] service some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals. The list of the musicians who performed their service was as follows:
- 2 Chronicles 29:28The entire congregation worshiped, the singers also sang, and the trumpets sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
- Nehemiah 12:36and his brothers, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went in front of them.
- Nehemiah 12:46For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders of singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God.
Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 15:16
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16The singers - Singing had long been recognized as appropriate to religious ceremonies Exodus 15:21; Judges 5:1; 1 Chronicles 13:8; but this is the first occasion on which we find the duty of conducting musical services expressly laid on the Levites. Henceforth, the services of the tabernacle and the temple were regularly choral, and a considerable section of the Levites was trained in musical knowledge, and set apart to conduct this portion of the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-18This is the first of three lists of Levitical musicians (see 1 Chronicles 15:19–22; 16:4–6). This list provides the names of the three leaders (Heman, Asaph, and Ethan; see 1 Chronicles 6:33–47) along with their assistants.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-2416-24. 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…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Chronicles 15:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
Amplified Bible — © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
Commentaries