New King James Version
1 Chronicles 15:16
16Then 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.
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 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 sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord. 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. 17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of their brethren, the sons of Merari, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18and with them their brethren of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, 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
People and places in 1 Chronicles 15:16
Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 15:16
- 2 Chronicles 30:12Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the Lord.
- Ezra 7:24Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God.
- Isaiah 49:23Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.”
- 1 Chronicles 15:12He said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.
- Acts 14:23So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
- 1 Timothy 3:1This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
- 2 Timothy 2:2And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
- 1 Chronicles 15:27David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music master with the singers. David also wore a linen ephod.
- 1 Chronicles 6:31Now these are the men whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the Lord, after the ark came to rest.
- 1 Chronicles 13:8Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.
- 1 Chronicles 16:43Then all the people departed, every man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.
- 1 Chronicles 23:5four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments, “which I made,” said David, “for giving praise.”
- 1 Chronicles 25:1Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was:
- 2 Chronicles 29:28So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
- Nehemiah 12:36and his brethren, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. Ezra the scribe went before them.
- Nehemiah 12:46For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
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