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1 Chronicles Chapter Fifteen

 

1 Chronicles 15 Outline of Contents

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem (v.1~29)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

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 1 Chronicles 15:1 and which was done in a very honourable and joyful manner 1 Chronicles 15:24 though David for his behaviour was despised by Michal his wife in her heart 1 Chronicles 15:29.

 

1 Chronicles 15:1  David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it.

   YLT  1And he maketh for himself houses in the city of David and prepareth a place for the ark of God and stretcheth out for it a tent.

And David made him houses in the city of David .... With the help of the masons and carpenters Hiram sent him 1 Chronicles 14:1 the royal palace is meant with all the apartments in it which were many and large as so great a family he had required and with all the out houses to it necessary for his servants and their offices:

and prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched for it a tent; see 2 Samuel 6:17.

 

1 Chronicles 15:2   2 Then David said “No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites for the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever.”

   YLT  2Then said David `None [are] to carry the ark of God except the Levites for on them hath Jehovah fixed to carry the ark of God and to serve Him -- unto the age.'

Then David said .... Either within himself or to his ministers and courtiers about him:

none ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites; he saw his former mistake in employing those that were not Levites in bringing up the ark from Kirjathjearim and bringing it in a cart and not on the shoulders of the Levites and so miscarried in his attempt 2 Samuel 6:1 and perhaps had since more diligently consulted the law of God about this matter:

for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God and to minister unto him for ever; as long as the Levitical dispensation lasted as appears from Numbers 1:50.

 

1 Chronicles 15:3  3 And David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place which he had prepared for it.

   YLT  3And David assembleth all Israel unto Jerusalem to bring up the ark of Jehovah unto its place that he had prepared for it.

And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem .... The chief and heads of the people:

to bring up the ark of the Lord; from the house of Obededom where it had been three months and for the sake of which his house was blessed and which David heard of; and this encouraged him to take this step to fetch it from thence: unto his place which he had prepared for it; 1 Chronicles 15:1.

 

1 Chronicles 15:4  4 Then David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites:

   YLT  4And David gathereth the sons of Aaron and the Levites.

Verses 4-10

And David assembled the children of Aaron and the Levites. Whose business it was to bear the ark when there was any occasion for it: and from hence to the end of 1 Chronicles 15:10 an account is given of the Levites and their number employed in this affair:

of the sons of Kohath; a son of Levi that is of his posterity; for his immediate sons and so those of the rest after mentioned had been dead ages ago; the principal of those at this present time was Uriel and his kindred or those of the same family with him were one hundred and twenty: of those of Merari another son of Levi the chief was Asaiah with two hundred and twenty of his relations: of those of Gershon another son of Levi was Joel and his brethren were one hundred and thirty: of the posterity of Elizaphan a grandson of Kohath Exodus 5:18 the most noted was Shemaiah who had two hundred of his family with him: and of those of Hebron the son of Kohath Exodus 6:18 Eliel was the most famous and he had eighty of his kindred with him: and of those of Uzziel another son of Kohath in a different line from Elizaphan who also was a son of Uzziel was Amminadab the chief who had one hundred and twelve of his kindred with him: the number of Levites in all gathered together were eight hundred and sixty two besides their chiefs.

 

1 Chronicles 15:5  5 of the sons of Kohath Uriel the chief and one hundred and twenty of his brethren;

   YLT  5Of sons of Kohath: Uriel the chief and his brethren a hundred and twenty.

 

1 Chronicles 15:6  6 of the sons of Merari Asaiah the chief and two hundred and twenty of his brethren;

   YLT  6Of sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief and his brethren two hundred and twenty.

 

1 Chronicles 15:7  7 of the sons of Gershom Joel the chief and one hundred and thirty of his brethren;

   YLT  7Of sons of Gershom: Joel the chief and his brethren a hundred and thirty.

 

1 Chronicles 15:8  8 of the sons of Elizaphan Shemaiah the chief and two hundred of his brethren;

   YLT  8Of sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief and his brethren two hundred.

 

1 Chronicles 15:9  9 of the sons of Hebron Eliel the chief and eighty of his brethren;

   YLT  9Of sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief and his brethren eighty.

 

1 Chronicles 15:10  10 of the sons of Uzziel Amminadab the chief and one hundred and twelve of his brethren.

   YLT  10Of sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief and his brethren a hundred and twelve.

 

1 Chronicles 15:11  11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests and for the Levites: for Uriel Asaiah Joel Shemaiah Eliel and Amminadab.

   YLT  11And David calleth to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests and to the Levites to Uriel Asaiah and Joel Shemaiah and Eliel and Amminadab

And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests .... See 2 Samuel 8:17.

and for the Levites for Uriel Asaiah and Joel Shemaiah and Eliel and Amminadab; the six chiefs before mentioned.

 

1 Chronicles 15:12  12 He said to them “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves you and your brethren that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.

   YLT  12and saith to them `Ye [are] heads of the fathers of the Levites; sanctify yourselves ye and your brethren and ye have brought up the ark of Jehovah God of Israel unto [the place] I have prepared for it;

And he said unto them ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites .... Of the families of the Levites heads of their fathers' houses:

sanctify yourselves both ye and your brethren; respectively under each whose numbers are before given by washing their bodies and clothes and abstaining from their wives:

that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it; 2 Samuel 6:17.

 

1 Chronicles 15:13  13 For because you did not do it the first time the Lord our God broke out against us because we did not consult Him about the proper order.”

   YLT  13because at the first [it was] not ye Jehovah our God made a breach upon us because we sought Him not according to the ordinance.'

For because ye did it not at the first .... Did not sanctify themselves as the supplement in our version directs; but rather the sense is ye were not there at first when the ark was brought from Kirjathjearim as far as the house of Obededom as they should have been; they were not then employed as was their business and therefore

the Lord our God made a breach upon us; by smiting Uzzah with death who was no Levite and touched the ark which is called his "error" and for which God smote him 2 Samuel 6:7 on which place Lud. Capellus observes the word "shal" we there render "error" signifies a "disease" in the Arabic language and might formerly design a sudden one with the Hebrew; as an apoplexy; and so the sense be that God smote Uzzah with an apoplexy of which he suddenly died:

for that we sought him not after the due order; but instead of employing the Levites to carry the ark on their shoulders it was put upon a cart.

 

1 Chronicles 15:14  14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.

   YLT  14And the priests and the Levites sanctify themselves to bring up the ark of Jehovah God of Israel;

So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves .... As they were ordered and in the manner they should:

to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel; for though it was chiefly the work of the Levites yet the priests might do it and sometimes did see Joshua 3:13.

 

1 Chronicles 15:15  15 And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders by its poles as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.

   YLT  15and sons of the Levites bear the ark of God as Moses commanded according to the word of Jehovah on their shoulder with staves above them.

And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord. Not only bare it on their shoulders but with the staves in it which rested on their shoulders see Numbers 7:9 the reason of this command that the ark should be carried on men's shoulders and not in any carriage according to MaimonidesF8Moreh Nevochim par. 3. c. 45. p. 479. was both for the honour of it and lest its form and structure should be any ways damaged.

 

1 Chronicles 15:16  16 Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music stringed instruments harps and cymbals by raising the voice with resounding joy.

   YLT  16And David saith to the heads of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers with instruments of song psalteries and harps and cymbals sounding to lift up with the voice for joy.

And David spake to the chief of the Levites .... The six before mentioned 1 Chronicles 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 2 Samuel 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.

 

1 Chronicles 15:17  17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of their brethren the sons of Merari Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

   YLT  17And the Levites appoint Heman son of Joel and of his brethren Asaph son of Berechiah and of the sons of Merari their brethren Ethan son of Kushaiah;

So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel .... The grandson of Samuel the prophet 1 Chronicles 6:33.

and of his brethren Asaph the son of Berechiah; a famous singer often mentioned in the Psalms 1 Chronicles 6:39.

and of the sons of Merari their brethren Ethan the son of Kushaiah; the same with the son of Kishi 1 Chronicles 6:44 these were the chief of the singers.

 

1 Chronicles 15:18  18 and with them their brethren of the second rank: Zechariah Ben [a] Jaaziel Shemiramoth Jehiel Unni Eliab Benaiah Maaseiah Mattithiah Elipheleh Mikneiah Obed-Edom and Jeiel the gatekeepers;

   YLT  18and with them their brethren the seconds [in rank] Zechariah Ben and Jaaziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Unni Eliab and Benaiah and Maaseiah and Mattithiah and Elipheleh and Mikneiah; and Obed-Edom and Jeiel the gatekeepers;

And with them their brethren of the second degree .... Who were next unto them both in office and skill in singing:

the fourteen following Zechariah Ben and Jaaziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel and Unni Eliab and Benaiah and Maaseiah and Mattithiah and Elipheleh and Mikneiah and Obededom and Jeiel the porters; who when they were not employed in singing were doorkeepers of the sanctuary; either they had been porters at the tabernacle in Gibeon or were so after the ark was placed in the tabernacle David prepared for it.

 

1 Chronicles 15:19  19 the singers Heman Asaph and Ethan were to sound the cymbals of bronze;

   YLT  19and the singers Heman Asaph and Ethan with cymbals of brass to sound

So the singers Heman Asaph and Ethan .... The three principal of them: these were appointed

to sound with cymbals of brass; for as there were three sorts of musical instruments 1 Chronicles 15:16 these three chief singers had one of those instruments appropriated to them one of which were the cymbals of brass to which the apostle alludes 1 Corinthians 13:1.

 

1 Chronicles 15:20  20 Zechariah Aziel Shemiramoth Jehiel Unni Eliab Maaseiah and Benaiah with strings according to Alamoth;

   YLT  20and Zechariah and Aziel and Shemiramoth and Jeheil and Unni and Eliab and Maaseiah and Benaiah with psalteries besides virgins

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 Psalm 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 Psalm 46:1.

 

1 Chronicles 15:21  21 Mattithiah Elipheleh Mikneiah Obed-Edom Jeiel and Azaziah to direct with harps on the Sheminith;

   YLT  21and Mattithiah and Elipheleh and Mikneiah and Obed-Edom and Jeiel and Azaziah with harps on the octave to oversee.

And Mattithiah and Elipheleh and Mikneiah and Obededom and Jeiel and Azaziah .... These six were appointed to sound:

with harps on the Sheminith to excel; which Sheminith some take to be an harp with eight strings or the beginning of a song or a musical tone the bass; see the title of Psalm 6:1.

 

1 Chronicles 15:22  22 Chenaniah leader of the Levites was instructor in charge of the music because he was skillful;

   YLT  22And Chenaniah head of the Levites [is] over the burden; he instructeth about the burden for he [is] intelligent.

And Chenaniah chief of the Levites was for song .... But the chief for the song were Heman Asaph and Ethan; rather

for the burden as the Targum; for the lifting up and bearing the ark:

he instructed about the song; or about the taking up and bearing the burden the ark; directing when to take it up and how far to go with it and then rest:

because he was skilful; a wise and prudent man in all things and so proper to direct in this business.

 

1 Chronicles 15:23  23 Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark;

   YLT  23And Berechiah and Elkanah [are] gatekeepers for the ark.

And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark .... Either while it was at Kirjathjearim and at Obededom's house; or rather after it was put in the tabernacle David had prepared for it; though it may be best of all to understand it that those as it was carrying went before it to keep the people from pressing to it and gazing on it.

 

1 Chronicles 15:24  24 Shebaniah Joshaphat Nethanel Amasai Zechariah Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah doorkeepers for the ark.

   YLT  24And Shebaniah and Joshaphat and Nethaneel and Amasai and Zechariah and Benaiah and Eliezer the priests are blowing with trumpets before the ark of God; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah [are] gatekeepers for the ark.

And Shebaniah and Jehoshaphat and Nethaneel and Amasai and Zechariah and Benaiah and Eliezer the priests did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God .... With the silver trumpets; one use of which was to blow with when the camps and ark of the Lord moved Numbers 10:5.

and Obededom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark; they went behind it as the others before it for the same purpose as it was bringing up.

 

1 Chronicles 15:25  25 So David the elders of Israel and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom with joy.

   YLT  25And it is David and the elders of Israel and the heads of the thousands who are going to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah from the house of Obed-Edom with joy;

So David and the elders of Israel and the captains over thousands .... He and the principal men of the nation and the officers of the army or militia:

went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy; with all demonstrations of it; for which purpose such a band of music was prepared as before described.

 

1 Chronicles 15:26  26 And so it was when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord that they offered seven bulls and seven rams.

   YLT  26and it cometh to pass in God's helping the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah that they sacrifice seven bullocks and seven rams.

And it came to pass when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord .... Not merely granted them bodily strength to carry it which did not require a great deal; but helped them to carry it with cheerfulness and without fear and so as to commit no error nor in any respect provoke his displeasure as when it was brought before from Kirjathjearim:

that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams; by way of thanksgiving besides what David offered; and this was done by the way see 2 Samuel 6:13.

 

1 Chronicles 15:27  27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen as were all the Levites who bore the ark the singers and Chenaniah the music master with the singers. David also wore a linen ephod.

   YLT  27And David is wrapped in an upper robe of fine linen and all the Levites who are bearing the ark and the singers and Chenaniah head of the burden of the singers; and on David [is] an Ephod of linen.

And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen .... For though a king he being among the singers was clothed as they; for so it follows:

and all the Levites that bare the ark and the singers and Chenaniah the master of the song; or of those that bore the burden the ark as the Targum:

with the singers; all were clothed in robes of fine linen:

David also had upon him an ephod of linen; which he had besides his linen robe and was over it; and being a shorter and tighter garment it bound the other closer to him; though some think this is explanative of the former and designs the same and is what others besides priests were on occasion allowed to wear see 1 Samuel 2:18.

 

1 Chronicles 15:28  28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn with trumpets and with cymbals making music with stringed instruments and harps.

   YLT  28And all Israel are bringing up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah with shouting and with the sound of a cornet and with trumpets and with cymbals sounding with psalteries and harps

Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting .... See 2 Samuel 6:15.

 

1 Chronicles 15:29  29 And it happened as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the City of David that Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart.

   YLT  29and it cometh to pass the ark of the covenant of Jehovah is entering in unto the city of David and Michal daughter of Saul is looking through the window and seeth king David dancing and playing and despiseth him in her heart.

And it came to pass as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window .... Of the palace to see the procession see 2 Samuel 6:16 where not only this circumstance is related and the inward contempt she had David in because of his behaviour but also what she said and what David returned in answer to it.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. 1 Chronicles 15:18 Following Masoretic Text and Vulgate; Septuagint omits Ben.