God’s Word Translation
1 Chronicles 15:16
16David told the Levite leaders to appoint some of their relatives to serve as musicians. They were expected to play music on harps, lyres, and cymbals to produce joyful music for singing.
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 made themselves holy in order to move the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15The Levites carried God’s ark on their shoulders. They used poles as Moses had commanded according to the Lord’s instructions. David told the Levite leaders to appoint some of their relatives to serve as musicians. They were expected to play music on harps, lyres, and cymbals to produce joyful music for singing. 17So the Levites appointed Heman, son of Joel, and from his relatives they appointed Asaph, Berechiah’s son. From their own relatives, Merari’s descendants, they appointed Ethan, son of Kushaiah. 18In addition, they appointed their relatives from the second division: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah. Obed Edom and Jeiel were appointed 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, God guided the people of Judah so that they united to carry out the command which the king and the leaders gave from the Lord’s word.
- Ezra 7:24Furthermore, we are notifying you that you are forbidden to make any priest, Levite, singer, gatekeeper, servant, or worker in the temple of this God pay any taxes, fees, or tolls.
- Isaiah 49:23Then kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens will nurse you. They will bow in front of you with their faces touching the ground. They will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Those who wait with hope for me will not be put to shame.
- 1 Chronicles 15:12He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must perform the ceremonies to make yourselves holy. Then bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I prepared for it.
- Acts 14:23They had the disciples in each church choose spiritual leaders, and with prayer and fasting they entrusted the leaders to the Lord in whom they believed.
- 1 Timothy 3:1This is a statement that can be trusted: If anyone sets his heart on being a bishop, he desires something excellent.
- 2 Timothy 2:2You’ve heard my message, and it’s been confirmed by many witnesses. Entrust this message to faithful individuals who will be competent to teach others.
- 1 Chronicles 15:27David was dressed in a fine linen robe, as were all the Levites who carried the ark, the ⌞Levites who were⌟ singers, and Chenaniah, the leader of the musicians’ prophetic songs. David also wore a linen ephod.
- 1 Chronicles 6:31David put men in charge of the music in the Lord’s temple after the ark was placed there permanently.
- 1 Chronicles 13:8David and all Israel were celebrating in God’s presence with all their might, with songs, with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
- 1 Chronicles 16:43Then all the people went home. David went back to bless his family.
- 1 Chronicles 23:54,000 were appointed to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 were appointed to praise the Lord with the instruments David had made for praising God.
- 1 Chronicles 25:1David and the army commanders appointed the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to serve as prophets with lyres, harps, and cymbals. This is the list of the men who performed this service:
- 2 Chronicles 29:28The whole assembly bowed down with their faces touching the ground, singers began to sing, and the trumpets blew until the burnt offering was finished.
- Nehemiah 12:36Also, these relatives of Zechariah followed: Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani with the musical instruments of David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe led them.
- Nehemiah 12:46Long ago in the time of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the singers to lead ⌞in singing⌟ the 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
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