1 Chronicles 16:37-43

David Appoints Worship Leaders

16:37 David ¹  left Asaph and his colleagues there before the ark of the Lord’s covenant to serve before the ark regularly and fulfill each day’s requirements, ²  16:38 including Obed-Edom and sixty-eight colleagues. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were gatekeepers. 16:39 Zadok the priest and his fellow priests served ³  before the Lord’s tabernacle at the worship center ⁴  in Gibeon, 16:40 regularly offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord on the altar for burnt sacrifice, morning and evening, according to what is prescribed in the law of the Lord which he charged Israel to observe. ⁵  16:41 Joining them were Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the Lord. (For his loyal love endures!) ⁶  16:42 Heman and Jeduthun were in charge of the music, including the trumpets, cymbals, and the other musical instruments used in praising God. The sons of Jeduthun guarded the entrance. ⁷ 

16:43 Then all the people returned to their homes, and David went to pronounce a blessing on his family. ⁸ 

[16:37]  ¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:37]  ² tn Heb “according to the matter of the day in its day.”

[16:39]  ³ tn The word “served” is supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[16:39]  ⁴ tn Or “high place.”

[16:40]  ⁵ tn Heb “which he commanded Israel.”

[16:41]  ⁶ tn Perhaps this refers to the refrain of their songs of praise (see Ps 136). In this case one could translate, “to give thanks to the Lord with songs using the refrain, ‘For his loyal love endures.’”

[16:42]  ⁷ tn Heb “and with them, Heman and Jeduthun, trumpets and cymbals for sounding, and the instrument of song of God, and the sons of Jeduthun [were] at the gate.”

[16:43]  ⁸ tn Heb “to bless his house.” Elsewhere when “house” is the object of “bless,” it refers to a household or family. See, for example, 1 Chr 13:14; 17:27. However, since בֵּית (bet, “house”) refers to a literal house or home earlier in the verse and to David’s palace in 17:1, one might translate here, “David went to pronounce a blessing on [i.e., dedicate] his house [i.e., palace].”