1 Chronicles 15

1 Chronicles · Chapter 15

1 Chronicles 15:16

1And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.2Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.3And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.4And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites:5Of the sons of Kohath; Uriel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twenty:6Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty:7Of the sons of Gershom; Joel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and thirty:8Of the sons of Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred:9Of the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and his brethren fourscore:10Of the sons of Uzziel; Amminadab the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twelve.11And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,12And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it.13For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.14So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.15And 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.16And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.17So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;18And with them their brethren of the second degree, 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.19So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;20And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth;21And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.22And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful.23And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.24And 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: and Obededom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.25So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obededom with joy.26And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.27And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.28Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.29And 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 saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
16And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.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.And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers, with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai-YO-merH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Davidדָּוִיד֮da-VIDH1732
David

דָּוִד (da.vid) A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17; son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I); brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339); …

to [the] leaders ofלְשָׂרֵ֣יle-sa-REIH8269
ruler

שַׂר (sar) 1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain 1a) chieftain, leader 1b) vassal, noble, official (under king) 1c) captain, general, commander (military) 1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes) 1e) heads, princes (of religious office) 1f) elders (of representative leaders of people) 1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity) 1h) patron-angel 1i) Ruler of rulers (of God) 1j) warden

the Levitesהַלְוִיִּם֒hal-vi-YIMH3881
Levi

לֵוִי (le.viy.yi) Someone from the tribe of Levi living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.34; son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812); brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Judah (H3063), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783); half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); father of: Gershon (H1648), Kohath (H6955), Merari (H4847) and Jochebed (H3115) Another name of le.vi (לֵוִי "Levi" H3878) § Levite, of Levi "joined to" 1) the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah …

to appointלְהַֽעֲמִ֗ידle-ha-'a-MIDH5975H
to stand: stand

עָמַד (a.mad) : stand/stop/establish 1) to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to stand, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of 1a2) to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease 1a3) to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast 1a4) to make a stand, hold one's ground 1a5) to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright 1a6) to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against …

relatives theirאֲחֵיהֶם֙'a-chei-HEMH0251H
brother: male-sibling

אָח (ach) : male-sibling 1) brother 1a) brother of same parents 1b) half-brother (same father) 1c) relative, kinship, same tribe 1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship) 1e) (fig.) of resemblance

the singersהַמְשֹׁ֣רְרִ֔יםham-SHO-re-RIMH7891
to sing

שִׁיר (shir) 1) to sing 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sing 1a2) singer, songstresses (participle) 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to sing 1b2) singer, songstress (participle) 1c) (Hophal) to be sung

with instruments ofבִּכְלֵי־bikh-lei-H3627
article/utensil

כְּלִי (ke.li) 1) article, vessel, implement, utensil 1a) article, object (general) 1b) utensil, implement, apparatus, vessel 1b1) implement (of hunting or war) 1b2) implement (of music) 1b3) implement, tool (of labour) 1b4) equipment, yoke (of oxen) 1b5) utensils, furniture 1c) vessel, receptacle (general) 1d) vessels (boats) of paper-reed

songשִׁ֛ירshirH7892A
song

שִׁיר (shir) 1) song 1a) lyric song 1b) religious song 1c) song of Levitical choirs Also means: shi.rah (שִׁירָה "song" H7892B)

lyresנְבָלִ֥יםne-va-LIMH5035B
harp

נֵ֫בֶל (ne.vel) harp, lute, guitar, musical instrument

and harpsוְכִנֹּר֖וֹתve-khi-no-ROTH3658
lyre

כִּנּוֹר (kin.nor) lyre, harp

and cymbalsוּמְצִלְתָּ֑יִםu-me-tzil-TA-yimH4700
cymbal

מְצִלְתַּיִם (me.tse.let) cymbals

sounding aloudמַשְׁמִיעִ֥יםmash-mi-'IMH8085I
to hear: hear

שָׁמַע (sha.ma) : hear v 1) to hear, listen to, obey 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to hear (perceive by ear) 1a2) to hear of or concerning 1a3) to hear (have power to hear) 1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to 1a5) to understand (language) 1a6) to hear (of judicial cases) 1a7) to listen, give heed 1a7a) to consent, agree 1a7b) to grant request 1a8) to listen to, yield to 1a9) to obey, be obedient 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound) 1b2) to be heard of 1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed 1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound …

to raiseלְהָרִֽים־le-ha-rim-H7311A
to exalt

רוּם (rum) 1) to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be high, be set on high 1a2) to be raised, be uplifted, be exalted 1a3) to be lifted, rise 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to raise or rear (children), cause to grow up 1b2) to lift up, raise, exalt 1b3) to exalt, extol 1c) (Polal) to be lifted up 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to raise, lift, lift up, take up, set up, erect, exalt, set on high 1d2) to lift up (and take away), remove 1d3) to lift off and present, contribute, offer, contribute 1e) (Hophal) to be taken off, be abolished 1f) (Hithpolel) to exalt oneself, magnify oneself …

in a soundבְּק֖וֹלbe-KOLH6963H
voice

קוֹל (qol) : voice/shout/loud 1) voice, sound, noise 1a) voice 1b) sound (of instrument)

of joyלְשִׂמְחָֽה׃ פle-sim-CHAHH8057
joy

שִׂמְחָה (sim.chah) 1) joy, mirth, gladness 1a) mirth, gladness, joy, gaiety, pleasure 1b) joy (of God) 1c) glad result, happy issue

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.