Zecarjah · conjunction + proper noun, a man's name
Aziel
וַעֲזִיאֵ֜לva.'a.zi.'El
H5815
Aziel · conjunction + proper noun, a man's name
Shemiramoth
וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֤וֹתu.she.mi.ra.Mot
H8070
Shemiramoth · conjunction + proper noun, a man's name
Jehiel
וִֽיחִיאֵל֙vi.chi.'El
H3171
Jechiel (or Jechavel) · conjunction + proper noun, a man's name
Unni
וְעֻנִּ֣יve.'u.Ni
H6042
Unni · conjunction + proper noun, a man's name
Eliab
וֶֽאֱלִיאָ֔בve.'e.li.'Av
H446
Eliab · conjunction + proper noun, a man's name
Maaseiah
וּמַעֲשֵׂיָ֖הוּu.ma.'a.se.Ya.hu
H4641
Maasejah · conjunction + proper noun, a man's name
Benaiah
וּבְנָיָ֑הוּu.ve.na.Ya.hu
H1141
Benajah · conjunction + proper noun, a man's name
psalteries
בִּנְבָלִ֖יםbin.va.Lim
H5035
a skin-bag for liquids (from collapsing when empty) · preposition + noun, common masculine plural absolute
Alamoth
עֲלָמֽוֹתa.la.Mot
H5961
properly · noun, feminine plural absolute
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Psalms 46:1-11 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 1 Chronicles 15:1-24
Preparation is here made for the bringing of the ark home to the city of David from the house of Obed-edom. It is here owned that in the former attempt, though it was a very good work and in it they sought God, yet they sought him, not after the due order, Ch1 15:13. "We did not go about our work considerately; and therefore we sped so ill." Note, It is not enough that we do that which is good, but we must do it well - not enough that we seek God in a due ordinance, but we must seek after him, in a due order. Note, also, When we have suffered for our irregularities we must learn thereby to be more regular; then we answer the end of chastisement. Let us see how the matter was mended. 1. David…
David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint . . . the singers with instruments--These eminent Levites were instructed to train the musicians and singers who were under them, for the solemn procession. The performers were ranged in three choirs or bands, and the names of the principal leaders are given (Ch1 15:17-18, Ch1 15:21), with the instruments respectively used by each. "Ben" (Ch1 15:18) is omitted (Ch1 15:20). Either it was used merely as a common noun, to intimate that Zechariah was the son of Jaaziel or Aziel, or Ben is the same as Azaziah [Ch1 15:21].
Adam Clarke on 1 Chronicles 15:20
With psalteries on Alamoth - Some suppose that the word signifies virgins, or women singers, the persons mentioned here being appointed to accompany them with psalteries, and preside over them.
The Vulgate says arcana cantabant, they sang secret things or mysteries; probably prophetic hymns.
John Gill on 1 Chronicles 15:20
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 inst…
Dictionary and topics
Alamoth — Virgins, a musical term (1 Chr. 15:20), denoting that the psalm which bears this inscription (Ps. 46) was to be sung by soprano or female voices.
Aziel — (whom God comforts), a Levite. (1 Chronicles 15:20) The name is a shortened form of Jaaziel in ver. 18.
Benaiah — 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…
Chronicles, Books of — 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…
Eliab — To whom God is father. (1.) A Reubenite, son of Pallu (Num. 16:1, 12; 26:8, 9; Deut. 11:6). (2.) A son of Helon, and chief of the tribe of Zebulun at the time of the census in the wilderness (Num.…
Heman — 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”…
Jehiel — God’s living one. (1.) The father of Gibeon (1 Chr. 9:35). (2.) One of David’s guard (1 Chr. 11:44). (3.) One of the Levites “of the second degree,” appointed to conduct the music on the occasion of…
Kirjath-jearim — 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…
Maaseiah — 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…
Music — 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…
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, Ch1 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 Psa 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 pl…
harps: Hebrew adds according to Alamoth. Alamoth is probably a melody, believed to be sung in the soprano range (related to Hebrew ‘almah, “young woman”).
Rashi on 1 Chronicles 15:20
And Zechariah and Aziel, etc. Those, mentioned in the preceding verse as being gate sentries, were here transferred to become singers.
over alamoth over those instruments with which they played those psalms, entitled: “To the conductor, on alamoth, etc.”
Shemiramoth — Most high name. (1.) A Levite in the reign of Jehoshaphat (2 Chr. 17:8). (2.) A Levite in David’s time (1 Chr. 15:18, 20).
Shiramoth — (name of heights, i.e. Jehovah).
Unni — Afficted. (1.) A Levite whom David appointed to take part in bringing the ark up to Jerusalem from the house of Obed-edom by playing the psaltery on that occasion (1 Chr. 15:18, 20). (2.) A Levite…
Zechariah — 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…
Alamoth · A musi — A musi
Aziel · A temple musician — A temple musician
Benaiah · 3. A Leviti — 3. A Leviti
Eliab · 6. A Levite, a porter and musician — 6. A Levite, a porter and musician
Maaseiah · 1. A Levite musician — 1. A Levite musician
Shemiramoth · 1. A Levite musician — 1. A Levite musician
Tact · .In organizing the temple music — .In organizing the temple music
Unni · 1. A musician in the time of David — 1. A musician in the time of David
Zechariah (Zecharias) · 2. Three Levites in the days of David — 2. Three Levites in the days of David
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
