1 Chronicles 16:37-42

(37-42) Resumption and conclusion of the narrative suspended at 1 Chronicles 16:7.

(37) So (and) he left there. — Were the above ode interposed by the chronicler himself, he might better have written, “And David left.”

As every day’s work required. — Literally, for a day’s business in its own day — i.e., to perform the services appointed for each day. (Comp. Exodus 5:13.)

(38) And Obed-edom with (and) their brethren. — The pronoun their shows that a word or words have fallen out. It is simplest to supply “Hosah,” and render: And (he left there) Obed-edom and Hosah and their brethren, sixty-eight persons. The construction, however, is altered from that of 1 Chronicles 16:37 : “Asaph and his brethren.” (Comp. 1 Chronicles 16:39.)

Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun. — This repetition is tautologous, but hardly obscure. 1 Chronicles 26:8 assigns sixty-two members to the house of Obed-edom.

Jeduthun. — Not the Merarite minstrel (1 Chronicles 6:44, Ethan). Obed-edom was a Korhite, i.e., a Kohathite (1 Chronicles 26:1).

(39) The narrative now passes from the tent on Zion to the Mosaic tabernacle at Gibeon. The establishment of the Ark in its new abode was the inauguration of a new national sanctuary. But the old one at Gibeon was not therefore abandoned. On the contrary, David either instituted or formally recognised the priesthood of Zadok therein.

And Zadok. — The name is preceded in the Hebrew by the sign of the accusative case, and therefore depends on the verb he left (1 Chronicles 16:37).

The priest. — Par excellence — i.e., the High Priest (1 Samuel 1:9; 1 Samuel 2:11; 2 Kings 11:9; 2 Kings 11:15).

In the high place. — See 1 Kings 3:3.

(40) Continually morning and evening. — The Tamid, or regular burnt offering of a lamb at dawn and sunset, with its food offering and drink offering, as prescribed in Exodus 29:38, sqq., and Numbers 28:3, sqq.

And to do. — Literally, and for everything that is written, viz., all the other prescribed sacrifices and duties of the priests. Nothing is here said of similar duties of the priests before the Ark on Zion. But it ought not to be argued from this omission that in the chronicler’s opinion only choral services took place there. If, as we have supposed, Abiathar was attached to David’s sacred tent, sacrifice must have been offered there as well as at Gibeon. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 18:16.) The present account says nothing of this, because the writer is mainly interested in the service of song. (See 1 Kings 8:1.)

(41) The narrative returns to its principal topic — the Levitical minstrels.

And with them (Zadok and his brethren) Heman and Jeduthun. — These two masters of song ministered in the tabernacle at Gibeon, as their colleague Asaph did in the tent on Zion.

Who were expressed (enrolled) by name. — 1 Chronicles 12:31. Their names are not given here, but they may be partially included in the list of 1 Chronicles 15:19. Asaph’s corps has been individually specified at 1 Chronicles 16:5, perhaps as the more important body.

To give thanks to the Lord. — In describing the chief function of the choirs stationed at Gibeon, the chronicler repeats the liturgical formula of 1 Chronicles 16:34; probably with an allusion to odes like Psalms 136, in which these words constitute a continual refrain.

(42) And with them Heman and Jeduthun. — The last verse began with the same words, a fact which renders them suspicious here. The LXX., Syriac, and Arabic omit the proper names.

With trumpets... with musical instruments. — The prepositions are wanting in the Hebrew text, which might be rendered thus: “And with them [viz., Heman and Jeduthun] were clarions and cymbals for persons playing aloud [comp. 1 Chronicles 16:5], and instruments of sacred music.” From 1 Chronicles 15:9, compared with 1 Chronicles 16:5, it appears that the three conductors (Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun) played cymbals only, to accent the time: and from 1 Chronicles 15:24 and 1 Chronicles 16:6, we know that the clarions were blown by priests. Omitting as spurious the names of the two leaders, who are not likely to have had the custody of the various instruments of their choirs, the meaning of the verse is simply that the Levitical minstrels were provided with proper instruments to accompany their singing.

Musical instruments of God. — Literally, instruments of song of God — i.e., of sacred music. Harps and lutes are meant.

Sons of Jeduthun. — See 1 Chronicles 16:38. Obed-edom, son of Jeduthun, was a warder before the Ark. Thus the warders of both sanctuaries belonged to the same clan.