I Chronicles 15:16
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David also told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers to lift up their voices with joy, accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
And David spake to the chief of the Levites,.... The six before mentioned, Ch1 15:11. to appoint their brethren to be the singers; before the ark, as they brought it up: with instruments of music, psalteries, and harps, and cymbals; which were used in those times, see Sa2 6:5. sounding by lifting up the voice with joy; the instrumental music was to be attended with vocal music, and that very sonorous and loud, and performed with all tokens of inward joy and gladness, as the occasion required.
Open source ↗The bringing in of the ark to the city of David was a very good work; it was resolved upon (Ch1 13:4), and attempted, but not perfected; it lay by the way in the house of Obed-edom. Now this chapter gives us an account of the completing of that good work. I. How it was done more regularly than before. 1. A place was prepared for it (Ch1 15:1). 2. The priests were ordered to carry it (Ch1 15:2-15). 3. The Levites had their offices assigned them in attending on it (Ch1 15:16-24). II. How it was done more successfully than before (Ch1 15:25). 1. The Levites made no mistake in their work (Ch1 15:26). 2. David and the people met with no damp upon their joy (Ch1 15:27, Ch1 15:28). As for Michal's despising David, it was nothing (Ch1 15:29).
Open source ↗15:16-18 This is the first of three lists of Levitical musicians (see 15:19-22; 16:4-6). This list gave the names of the three leaders (Heman, Asaph, and Ethan; see 6:33-47) along with their assistants.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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David and all the Israelites were celebrating before God with all their might, with songs and on harps and lyres, with tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
and his associates—Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani—with the musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the scribe led the procession.
Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for the songs of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.
The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the LORD with one voice. They lifted up their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments, in praise to the LORD: “For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.” And the temple, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud
4,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the LORD with the instruments I have made for giving praise.”
The reason I left you in Crete was that you would set in order what was unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
And he said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it.
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout to the Rock of our salvation!
For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.