1 Chronicles 15:20

20 and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, these sang privates in gitterns (these played lutes in Alamoth);

1 Chronicles 15:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 15:20

And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and
Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah
Who were eight of the second degree; Aziel is the same with Jaaziel, ( 1 Chronicles 15:18 ) and Ben is left out, in whose room Azaziah, in the next verse, seems to be put; Ben is thought to be sick or dead before they came to execute their office, and whom the father of Kimchi takes to be the same with him who is expressed in the title of ( Psalms 9:1 ) which title is, "on Muthlabben", or the death of Ben: these were appointed to sound

with psalteries on Alamoth;
psalteries were another kind of instruments of music; and Alamoth was either the beginning of a song, to the tune of which those instruments played, or the tune itself, and the note of it; either the treble or counter tenor, a shrill sound, like that of organs, which this word sometimes signifies, see ( Psalms 46:1 ) .

1 Chronicles 15:20 In-Context

18 and the brethren of them with them; in the second order Zechariah, and Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, porters; (and with them, their kinsmen of the second order, or degree, Zechariah, and Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and the guards, or the doorkeepers, Obededom, and Jeiel;)

19 and the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, sounding in brazen cymbals; (and the musicians, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, sounding with brass cymbals;)

20 and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, these sang privates in gitterns (these played lutes in Alamoth);

21 and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, sang in harps for the eighth (played harps for the eighth), and (also the) epinicion, that is, thankings that ought to be done to God, (the) overcomer and (the) victor;

22 and Chenaniah, the prince of deacons, and of prophecy, was sovereign to before-sing [the] melody, for he was full wise; (and Chenaniah, a leader of the Levites, led the singing by the singers, for he was very wise;)