English Standard Version
1 Chronicles 15:16
16David 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)David also ordered the Levite leaders to appoint a choir of Levites who were singers and musicians to sing joyful songs to the accompaniment of harps, lyres, and cymbals.
Context of 1 Chronicles 15:16
14So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord. 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. 17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18and with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel.
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 30:12The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.
- Ezra 7:24We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on anyone of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
- Isaiah 49:23Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame."
- 1 Chronicles 15:12and said to them, "You are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites. Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.
- Acts 14:23And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
- 1 Timothy 3:1The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
- 2 Timothy 2:2and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
- 1 Chronicles 15:27David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers. And David wore a linen ephod.
- 1 Chronicles 6:31These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the Lord after the ark rested there.
- 1 Chronicles 13:8And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.
- 1 Chronicles 16:43Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.
- 1 Chronicles 23:54,000 gatekeepers, and 4,000 shall offer praises to the Lord with the instruments that I have made for praise."
- 1 Chronicles 25:1David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals. The list of those who did the work and of their duties was:
- 2 Chronicles 29:28The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
- Nehemiah 12:36and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.
- Nehemiah 12:46For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and 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
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