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Texts -- 1 Chronicles 15:1-28 (NET)

Context
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem
15:1 David constructed buildings in the City of David ; he then prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 15:2 Then David said , “Only the Levites may carry the ark of God , for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to serve before him perpetually . 15:3 David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the Lord up to the place he had prepared for it. 15:4 David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites : 15:5 From the descendants of Kohath : Uriel the leader and 120 of his relatives . 15:6 From the descendants of Merari : Asaiah the leader and 220 of his relatives . 15:7 From the descendants of Gershom : Joel the leader and 130 of his relatives . 15:8 From the descendants of Elizaphan : Shemaiah the leader and 200 of his relatives . 15:9 From the descendants of Hebron : Eliel the leader and 80 of his relatives . 15:10 From the descendants of Uzziel : Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives . 15:11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar , along with the Levites Uriel , Asaiah , Joel , Shemaiah , Eliel , and Amminadab . 15:12 He told them: “You are the leaders of the Levites ’ families . You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel up to the place I have prepared for it. 15:13 The first time you did not carry it; that is why the Lord God attacked us, because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it.” 15:14 The priests and Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel . 15:15 The descendants of Levi carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles , just as Moses had ordered according to the divine command . 15:16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians ; they were to play various instruments , including stringed instruments and cymbals , and to sing loudly and joyfully . 15:17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel ; one of his relatives , Asaph son of Berechiah ; one of the descendants of Merari , Ethan son of Kushaiah ; 15:18 along with some of their relatives who were second in rank , including Zechariah , Jaaziel , Shemiramoth , Jehiel , Unni , Eliab , Benaiah , Maaseiah , Mattithiah , Eliphelehu , Mikneiah , Obed-Edom , and Jeiel , the gatekeepers . 15:19 The musicians Heman , Asaph , and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals ; 15:20 Zechariah , Aziel , Shemiramoth , Jehiel , Unni , Eliab , Maaseiah , and Benaiah were to play the harps according to the alamoth style; 15:21 Mattithiah , Eliphelehu , Mikneiah , Obed-Edom , Jeiel , and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style, as led by the director ; 15:22 Kenaniah , the leader of the Levites , was in charge of transport , for he was well-informed on this matter; 15:23 Berechiah and Elkanah were guardians of the ark ; 15:24 Shebaniah , Joshaphat , Nethanel , Amasai , Zechariah , Benaiah , and Eliezer the priests were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God ; Obed-Edom and Jehiel were also guardians of the ark . 15:25 So David , the leaders of Israel , and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the house of Obed-Edom with celebration . 15:26 When God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant , they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams . 15:27 David was wrapped in a linen robe , as were all the Levites carrying the ark , the musicians , and Kenaniah the supervisor of transport and the musicians ; David also wore a linen ephod . 15:28 All Israel brought up the ark of the Lord’s covenant ; they were shouting , blowing trumpets , sounding cymbals , and playing stringed instruments .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • CHRONICLES, BOOKS OF

    [ebd] The two books were originally one. They bore the title in the Massoretic Hebrew Dibre hayyamim, i.e., "Acts of the Days." This title was rendered by Jerome in his Latin version "Chronicon," and hence "Chronicles." In the Sep...
    [isbe] CHRONICLES, BOOKS OF - kron'-i-k'-ls (dibhere ha-yamim, "The Words of the Days"; Septuagint paraleipomenon: 1. The Name 2. The Position of Chronicles in the Old Testament 3. Two Books, or One? 4. The Contents 5. Sources Bibl...

  • Music

    [ebd] Jubal was the inventor of musical instruments (Gen. 4:21). The Hebrews were much given to the cultivation of music. Their whole history and literature afford abundant evidence of this. After the Deluge, the first mention of ...
    [isbe] MUSIC - mu'-zik: I. IMPORTANCE 1. The Sole Art Cultivated 2. A Wide Vocabulary of Musical Terms 3. Place in Social and Personal Life 4. Universal Language of Emotions 5. Use in Divine Service 6. Part at Religious Reformation...
    [smith] The most ancient music. --The inventor of musical instruments, like the first poet and the first forger of metals, was a Cainite. We learn from (Genesis 4:21) that Jubal the son of Lamech was "the father of all such as handl...
    [nave] MUSIC Teachers of, 1 Chr. 15:22; 25:7, 8; 2 Chr. 23:13. Physical effect of, on people, 1 Sam. 16:15, 16, 23. Discoursed during the offering of sacrifices, 2 Chr. 29:27, 28. Precentor, Neh. 12:42. Chief musician, Neh. 12:...

  • Ark

    [nave] ARK 1. Noah's. Directions for building of, Gen. 6:14-16. Noah and family preserved in, Gen. 6:18; 7:8; Matt. 24:38; Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:20. Animals saved in, Gen. 6:19, 20; 7:1-16. 2. Of Bulrushes, Ex. 2:3. 3. In the Tab...

  • Kirjath-jearim

    [ebd] city of jaars; i.e., of woods or forests, a Gibeonite town (Josh. 9:17) on the border of Benjamin, to which tribe it was assigned (18:15, 28). The ark was brought to this place (1 Sam. 7:1, 2) from Beth-shemesh and put in ch...

  • BEAUTY

    [isbe] BEAUTY - bu'-ti: The space allotted to this topic allows liberty only for the statement of two problems to students of the Bible. They should give distinct attention to the interblending of aesthetics with ethics in the Scri...

  • PORT; PORTER

    [isbe] PORT; PORTER - port, por'-ter: "Port" in the sense of "gate" (of a city or building) is obsolete in modern English, and even in the King James Version is found only in Neh 2:13. "Porter," as "gate-keeper," however, is still ...

  • PSALMS, BOOK OF

    [isbe] PSALMS, BOOK OF - samz, (tehillim, "praises," cepher tehillim, "book of praises"; Psalmoi, Psalterion): I. INTRODUCTORY TOPICS 1. Title 2. Place in the Canon 3. Number of Psalms 4. Titles in the Hebrew Text II. AUTHORSHIP AN...

  • WORSHIP

    [isbe] WORSHIP - wur'-ship (Anglo-Saxon: weorthscipe, wyrthscype, "honor," from weorth, wurth, "worthy," "honorable," and scipe, "ship"): 1. Terms 2. Old Testament Worship 3. New Testament Worship 4. Public Christian Worship LITERA...

  • Obed-edom

    [ebd] servant of Edom. (1.) "The Gittite" (probably so called because he was a native of Gath-rimmon), a Levite of the family of the Korhites (1 Chr. 26:1, 4-8), to whom was specially intrusted the custody of the ark (1 Chr. 15:18...
    [isbe] OBED-EDOM - o'-bed-e'-dom (`obhedh 'edhowm (2 Ch 25:24), `obhedd 'edhom (2 Sam 6:10; 1 Ch 13:13,14; 15:25), but elsewhere without hyphen, "servant of (god) Edom"; so W. R. Smith, Religion of Semites (2), 42, and H. P. Smith,...
    [nave] OBED-EDOM 1. Korhite Levite. Doorkeeper of the ark, 1 Chr. 15:18, 24; 26:4-8. David leaves ark with, 2 Sam. 6:10; 1 Chr. 13:13, 14. Ark removed from, 2 Sam. 6:12; 1 Chr. 15:25. Appointed to sound with harps, 1 Chr. 15:21....

  • Benaiah

    [ebd] built up by Jehovah. (1.) The son of Jehoiada, chief priest (1 Chr. 27:5). He was set by David over his body-guard of Cherethites and Pelethites (2 Sam. 8:18; 1 Kings 1:32; 1 Chr. 18:17). His exploits are enumerated in 2 Sam...
    [isbe] BENAIAH - be-na'-ya, be-ni'-a (benayah, benayahu, "Yahweh has built." Compare HPN, 182, 265, 268): (1) Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada of Kabzeel (compare Josh 15:21), was a man of "mighty deeds" and was more honorable than any...
    [smith] (made by the Lord). The son of Jehoiada the chief priest, (1 Chronicles 27:5) of the tribe of Levi, though a native of Kabzeel, (2 Samuel 23:20) set by David, (1 Chronicles 11:25) over his body-guard. (2 Samuel 8...
    [nave] BENAIAH 1. Son of Jehoiada, commander of the Cherethites and Pelethites, 2 Sam. 8:18; 1 Kin. 1:38. A distinguished warrior, 2 Sam. 23:20-23; 1 Chr. 11:22-25; 27:5, 6. Loyal to Solomon, 1 Kin. 1:2; 4:4. 2. An Ephraimite, a...

  • Zechariah

    [ebd] Jehovah is renowned or remembered. (1.) A prophet of Judah, the eleventh of the twelve minor prophets. Like Ezekiel, he was of priestly extraction. He describes himself (1:1) as "the son of Berechiah." In Ezra 5:1 and 6:14 h...
    [smith] The eleventh in order of the twelve minor prophets. He is called in his prophecy the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo, whereas in the book of Ezra, (Ezra 5:1; 6:14) he is said to have been the son of Iddo. It is nat...
    [nave] ZECHARIAH 1. A Reubenite, 1 Chr. 5:7. 2. Three Levites in the days of David, 1 Chr. 9:21; 15:18, 20, 24; 16:5; 26:2, 14. 3. A Benjamite, 1 Chr. 9:37. Called Zacher in 1 Chr. 8:31. 4. Two Kohathites, 1 Chr. 24:25; 2 Chr. ...

  • Heman

    [ebd] faithful. (1.) 1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chr. 2:6, a son of Zerah, noted for his wisdom. (2.) Grandson of Samuel (1 Chr. 6:33; 15:17), to whom the 88th Psalm probably was inscribed. He was one of the "seers" named in 2 Chr. 29:14, 30,...
    [isbe] HEMAN - he'-man (heman, "faithful"): The name of two men in the Old Testament. (1) A musician and seer, a Levite, son of Joel and grandson of the prophet Samuel; of the family of the Kohathites (1 Ch 6:33), appointed by Davi...
    [smith] (faithful) Son of Zerah. (1 Chronicles 2:6; 1 Kings 4:31) Son of Joel and grandson of Samuel the prophet, a Kohathite. He is called "the singer," rather the musician, (1 Chronicles 6:33) and was the first of the thr...
    [nave] HEMAN 1. A man noted for wisdom, to whom Solomon is compared, 1 Kin. 4:31; 1 Chr. 2:6. 2. "The singer,'' a chief Levite, and musician, 1 Chr. 6:33; 15:17, 19; 16:41. The king's seer, 1 Chr. 25:5. His sons and daughters te...

  • David

    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Tact

    [nave] TACT Prov. 15:1; 25:15. In preaching, 1 Cor. 9:19-22; 2 Cor. 12:6. Of Gideon, Judg. 8:1-3. Of Saul, in managing malcontents, 1 Sam. 10:27; 11:7, 12-15. Nabal's wife, Abigail, 1 Sam. 25:18-37. In David's popular methods:...

  • Asaph

    [isbe] ASAPH - a'-saf ('acaph): Is the name of three men in the Old Testament, of whom one is the reputed author of Psalms 50 and 73 through 83. He was one of David's three chief musicians, the other two being Heman, and Ethan or J...
    [nave] ASAPH 1. Father of Joah, 2 Kin. 18:18; Isa. 36:3, 22. 2. Son of Berachiah. One of the three leaders of music in David's organization of the tabernacle service, 1 Chr. 15:16-19; 16:5-7; 25:1-9; 2 Chr. 5:12; 35:15; Neh. 12:46...

  • Joel

    [ebd] Jehovah is his God. (1.) The oldest of Samuel's two sons appointed by him as judges in Beersheba (1 Sam. 8:2). (See VASHNI.) (2.) A descendant of Reuben (1 Chr. 5:4,8). (3.) One of David's famous warriors (1 Chr. 11:38). (4....
    [smith] (to whom Jehovah is God). Eldest son of Samuel the prophet, (1 Samuel 8:2; 1 Chronicles 6:33; 15:17) and father of Heman the singer. (B.C. 1094.) In (1 Chronicles 6:36) Authorized Version, Joel seems to be merely a ...
    [nave] JOEL 1. Son of Samuel, 1 Sam. 8:2; 1 Chr. 6:33; 15:17. Called Vashni, 1 Chr. 6:28. 2. A Simeonite, 1 Chr. 4:35. 3. A Reubenite, 1 Chr. 5:4, 8. 4. A Gadite, 1 Chr. 5:12. 5. A Kohathite Levite, 1 Chr. 6:36. 6. Descendant...

  • Maaseiah

    [ebd] the work of Jehovah. (1.) One of the Levites whom David appointed as porter for the ark (1 Chr. 15:18, 20). (2.) One of the "captains of hundreds" associated with Jehoiada in restoring king Jehoash to the throne (2 Chr. 23:1...
    [isbe] MAASEIAH - ma-a-se'-ya, ma-a-si'a (ma`aseyahu, "Yahweh's work"; Maassaia, and Massaias in the Septuagint): A name common in exilic and late monarchic times (Gray, H P N). (1) A Levite musician named in connection with David'...
    [smith] (work of the Lord), the name of four persons who had married foreign wives. In the time of Ezra, A descendant of Jeshua the priest. (Ezra 10:18) A priest, of the sons of Harim. (Ezra 10:21) A priest, of the sons of Pashur. (...
    [nave] MAASEIAH 1. A Levite musician, 1 Chr. 15:18, 20. 2. A captain of hundreds, 2 Chr. 23:1. 3. An officer of Uzziah, 2 Chr. 26:11. 4. Son of Ahaz. Slain by Zichri, 2 Chr. 28:7. 5. Governor of Jerusalem, 2 Chr. 34:8. 6. The ...

  • Ethan

    [ebd] firm. (1.) "The Ezrahite," distinguished for his wisdom (1 Kings 4:31). He is named as the author of the 89th Psalm. He was of the tribe of Levi. (2.) A Levite of the family of Merari, one of the leaders of the temple music ...
    [isbe] ETHAN - e'-than ('ethan, "firm," "enduring"; Gaithan): (1) A wise man with whom Solomon is compared (1 Ki 4:31). Called there "Ethan the Ezrahite," to whom the title of Ps 89 ascribes the authorship of that poem. (2) A "son ...
    [smith] (enduring). Ethan the Ezrahite, one of the four sons of Mahol, whose wisdom was excelled by Solomon. (1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chronicles 2:6) His name is in the title of (Psalms 89:1) Son of Kishi or Kushaiah; a Merarite Levit...
    [nave] ETHAN 1. A renowned sage, 1 Kin. 4:31. See title, Psa. 89. 2. Son of Zerah, 1 Chr. 2:6, 8. 3. Two Levites, 1 Chr. 6:42, 44; 15:17, 19.

  • Uriel

    [ebd] God is my light. (1.) A Levite of the family of Kohath (1 Chr. 6:24). (2.) The chief of the Kohathites at the time when the ark was brought up to Jerusalem (1 Chr. 15:5, 11). (3.) The father of Michaiah, one of Rehoboam's wi...
    [smith] A Kohathite Levite, son of Tahath. (1 Chronicles 6:24) Chief of the Kohathites in the reign of David. (1 Chronicles 15:5,11) (B.C. 1043.) Uriel of Gibeah was the father of Maachah or Michaiah the favorite wife of Rehob...
    [nave] URIEL 1. A Levite. Son of Tahath, 1 Chr. 6:24. 2. A Levite. Assisted in moving the ark, 1 Chr. 15:5, 11, 12. 3. Grandfather of King Abijah, 2 Chr. 13:2.

  • Jeiel

    [isbe] JEIEL - je-i'-el (ye`i'el, meaning unknown): (1) A Reubenite (1 Ch 5:7). (2) In 1 Ch 8:29, added in the Revised Version (British and American) from 9:35, where Kethibh is "Jeuel," an ancestor of King Saul; the King James Ver...
    [smith] (treasured of God). A Reubenite of the house of Joel. (1 Chronicles 5:7) A Merarite Levite, one of the gate-keepers to the sacred tent. (1 Chronicles 15:18) His duty was also to play the harp, ver. (1 Chronicles 15:...
    [nave] JEIEL 1. Called also Jehiel. A Reubenite, 1 Chr. 5:7. 2. A Benjamite, 1 Chr. 9:35. 3. One of David's heroes, 1 Chr. 11:44. 4. A Levite, and chorister in the tabernacle service, 1 Chr. 15:18, 21; 16:5. 5. A Levite, ancest...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • God ordered that priests should announce His movement of the people by blowing two silver trumpets because the Israelites would not watch the cloud continuously. The blasts from the trumpets would reach the farthest tents in ...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • The Philistines, as we have already seen in Judges, were Israel's primary enemy to the west at this time. Samson, too, fought the Philistines (Judg. 13-16).52There are about 150 references to the Philistines in 1 and 2 Samuel...
  • The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. W...
  • Baale-judah (v. 2) may have been the later name of Kiriath-jearim (cf. Josh. 15:9-10).76This was where the ark had evidently rested since the Israelites had moved it from Bethshemesh in Samuel's days (1 Sam. 6; cf. Ps. 132:6-...
  • David also observed that the ark's presence in Obed-edom's house resulted in blessing for its host. This made him more eager than ever to install the ark in Jerusalem.Verse 13 probably means after the priests had taken six st...
  • The people of Israel had formerly given the kingdom to David as a gift (5:1-3), but now they took that gift from him (v. 13).237David knew that Absalom was popular with the people. Evidently he fled Jerusalem to save his own ...
  • Adonijah was David's fourth son (2 Sam. 3:4) and the eldest one living at this time. Evidently he believed it was more important that the eldest son succeed David, as was customary in the Near East, than that the king of Yahw...
  • The central subject of 1 and 2 Chronicles is the temple of God. Someone evidently wrote these books at the end of the Babylonian exile to encourage the Israelites to reestablish Israel's national life in the Promised Land. In...
  • I. Israel's historical roots chs. 1-9A. The lineage of David chs. 1-3B. The house of Israel chs. 4-71. The family of Judah 4:1-232. The family of Simeon 4:24-433. The families of Transjordan ch. 54. The family of Levi ch. 65....
  • "Having established the remnant's genealogical link with the Davidic and priestly lines, he [the writer] focused on the groundwork of the Davidic promises. His design was to show how the kingly and priestly concerns came toge...
  • "In the Chronicler's eyes David's reign consisted of two great religious phases, his movement of the ark to Jerusalem (chs. 13-16) and his preparations for the building of the temple (chs. 17-19 or at least 17-22, 28, 29). Th...
  • David had learned that he had to handle the ark as God had prescribed. He had to relate to God on His terms. His preparation of a tent for the ark in Jerusalem was in harmony with God's instructions (Exod. 26). David scrupulo...
  • David provided for a full orchestra and choir to sing God's praises at his new worship center. He originated musical guilds and services.51God's presence in Israel's capital symbolized His leadership over the nation, and it b...
  • This hymn (vv. 8-36) was probably one of many that the people sang on this occasion. It expressed the hopes and thoughts of the Israelites assembled that the returned exiles needed to emulate. This thanksgiving song is a medl...
  • This is one of the saddest of the psalms. It relates the prayer of a person who suffered intensely over a long time yet continued to trust in the Lord. Heman was a wise man who was a singer in David's service and a contempora...
  • The writer of this royal psalm was Ethan, another wise Levitical musician in David's service (1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chron. 15:17-18).The occasion of writing is unclear. Judging from the content of the psalm it appears to have been ...
  • The title of this book is the name of its writer, as is true of all the prophetical books of the Old Testament.We know little about Joel, whose name means "Yahweh is God."He was the son of Pethuel, who does not appear to have...
  • 8:2 John saw someone, perhaps God, give seven trumpets to a group of seven angels standing before the heavenly throne (cf. 1:4; 3:1; 8:6; 15:1). Exactly who these angels were is not clear. Some interpreters have identified th...
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