1 Chronicles 15:13-23

13 lest, as at the beginning, for ye were not present, the Lord smote us, so and now it be done, if we do any unleaveful thing. (because the first time, for ye were not present, the Lord struck us down, and so now it could be done to us again, if we do any unlawful thing.)
14 Therefore the priests and deacons were hallowed, that they should bear the ark of the Lord God of Israel. (And so the priests and the Levites purified themselves, so that they could carry the Ark of the Lord God of Israel.)
15 And the sons of Levi took the ark of God with bars upon their shoulders, as Moses commanded by the word of the Lord. (And the Levites took the Ark of God on bars upon their shoulders, as Moses commanded by the word of the Lord.)
16 And David said to the princes of (the) deacons, that they should ordain of their brethren singers in organs of musics, that is, in gitterns, and harps, and cymbals; that the sound of gladness should sound on high. (And David said to the leaders of the Levites, that they should ordain among their kinsmen singers, and players of musical instruments, that is, of lutes, and harps, and cymbals; so that the sound of gladness could be heard on high.)
17 And they ordained deacons, Heman, the son of Joel, and of his brethren, Asaph, the son of Berechiah; soothly of the sons of Merari, [the] brethren of them, they ordained Ethan, the son of Kushaiah, (And the Levites ordained Heman, the son of Joel, and of his kinsmen, Asaph, the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their kinsmen, they ordained Ethan, the son of Kushaiah;)
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;)
23 and Berechiah, and Elkanah, were porters of the ark; (and Berechiah, and Elkanah, were the guards, or the doorkeepers, for the Ark;)

1 Chronicles 15:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 15

David, having prepared a place for the ark of God, gathered the Israelites, Levites, and priests, to assist in the bringing of it up thereunto, 1Ch 15:1,13 and which was done in a very honourable and joyful manner, 1Ch 15:24-28, though David, for his behaviour, was despised by Michal his wife in her heart, 1Ch 15:29.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.