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
1 Samuel 10:5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thith…
1 Chronicles 15:18 And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, a…
1 Chronicles 16:5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom: and J…
1 Chronicles 25:6-7 All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of th…
Psalms 6:1-10 O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
Psalms 12:1 Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
Psalms 33:2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
Psalms 81:1-2 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
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 15:21
On the Sheminith - According to the Targum, this signifies an instrument that sounded an octave, or, according to others, an instrument with eight strings. The Syriac and Arabic have it, instruments to sing with daily, at the third, sixth, and ninth hour; the Vulgate, an octave, for a song of victory: some think the eighth band of the musicians is intended, who had the strongest and most sonorous voices; and that it is in this sense that shelomith and lenatstseach should be understood.
John Gill on 1 Chronicles 15:21
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.
Dictionary and topics
Azaziah — Whom Jehovah strengthened. (1.) One of the Levitical harpers in the temple (1 Chr. 15:21). (2.) The father of Hoshea, who was made ruler over the Ephraimites (1 Chr. 27:20). (3.) One who had charge…
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…
Elipheleh — God will distinguish him, one of the porters appointed to play “on the Sheminith” on the occasion of the bringing up of the ark to the city of David (1 Chr. 15:18, 21).
Harp — (Heb. kinnor), the national instrument of the Hebrews. It was invented by Jubal (Gen. 4:21). Some think the word kinnor denotes the whole class of stringed instruments. It was used as an…
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”…
Jeiel — Snatched away by God. (1.) A descendant of Benjamin (1 Chr. 9:35; 8:29). (2.) One of the Levites who took part in praising God on the removal of the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chr. 16:5). (3.) 2 Chr. 29:13.…
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…
Matithiah — (gift of God).
Mikneiah — (possession of Jehovah), one of the Levites of the second rank, gatekeepers of the ark, appointed by David to play in the temple band “with harps upon Sheminith.” (1 Chronicles 15:18,21)
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…
Keil & Delitzsch on 1 Chronicles 15:21
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 Psa 6:1.
Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Chronicles 15:21
lyres: Hebrew adds according to the Sheminith. Sheminith might be related to a term meaning “octave,” suggesting a lower vocal range.
Rashi on 1 Chronicles 15:21
And Mattithiah and Eliphelehu, etc. with harps on the sheminith to conduct those musical instruments upon which they play the psalms entitled: “For the conductor, on the sheminith.”
— Servant of Edom. (1.) “The Gittite” (probably so called because he was a native of Gath-rimmon), a Levite of the family of the Korhites (1 Chr. 26:1, 4-8), to whom was specially intrusted the custody…
Obededom — (servant of Edom).
Sheminith — Eight; octave, a musical term, supposed to denote the lowest note sung by men’s voices (1 Chr. 15:21; Ps. 6; 12, title).
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…
Azaziah · 1. A harper in the temple — 1. A harper in the temple
Elipheleh · A Levite of the second — A Levite of the second
Jeiel · 4. A Levite and chorister in the tabernacle services — 4. A Levite and chorister in the tabernacle services
Mattithiah · 2. A Levite musician — 2. A Levite musician
Mikneiah · A doorkeeper of the temple, and musician — A doorkeeper of the temple, and musician
Obed-Edom · .Appointed to — .Appointed to
Tact · .In organizing the temple music — .In organizing the temple music
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).
