The Levites, the brethren of Asaph and Obededom, these were left before the ark to minister there: Obededom also the son of Jeduthun ; or Ethan, which some take to be another Obededom; but the ו , "vau" may be explanative, "even Obededom": and Hosah to be porters ; these he left to be doorkeepers of the ark. read more
And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests ,.... These he left, having appointed them to be before the tabernacle of the Lord, in the high place that was at Gibeon ; namely, the tabernacle of Moses, which was removed from Nob thither in the days of Saul, and continued there to the times of Solomon, 1 Chronicles 21:28 . read more
To offer burnt offerings unto the Lord ,.... Which was the work of the priests only to do: upon the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening ; the lambs of the daily sacrifice, which were a burnt offering, and only to be offered on the brasen altar at the tabernacle: and to do according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel ; with regard to them, and all other sacrifices, see Exodus 29:38 . read more
And with them ,.... That is, with Zadok, and the priests with him at Gibeon: he left Heman and Jeduthun : or Ethan, two principal singers: and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name ; see 1 Chronicles 16:18 . to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever ; to praise him for his benefits, flowing from his grace and mercy continually. read more
And with them Heman and Jeduthun, with trumpets and cymbals ,.... Or with them were the trumpets and cymbals, as Kimchi; or, as Piscator supplies it, with them he "left" the trumpets and cymbals: for those that should make a sound ; by striking upon them: and with musical instruments of God ; sacred ones, such as were devoted to his service, as psalteries and harps; the Syriac and Arabic versions carry the sense of the words quite differently, that these men did not sing with those... read more
Zadok the priest - Both Zadok and Abiathar were high priests at this time: the former David established at Gibeah, or Gibeon, where the ark had been all the days of Saul; and the latter he established at Jerusalem, where the ark now was: so there were two high priests, and two distinct services; but there was only one ark. How long the service at Gibeon was continued we cannot tell; the principal functions were no doubt performed at Jerusalem. read more
Musical instruments of God - Ad canendum Deo , "to sing to God." - Vulgate. Των ωδων του Θεου , "of the sons of God." - Septuagint. The Syriac is remarkable: "These were upright men who did not sing unto God with instruments of music, nor with drums, nor with listra, nor with straight nor crooked pipes, nor with cymbals; but they sang before the Lord Almighty with a joyous mouth, and with a pure and holy prayer, and with innocence and integrity." The Arabic is nearly the same. None... read more
These verses give the now new-ordained distribution of priests and Levites, to minister and to attend to the service of praise before the ark. And the first of them may be considered to mark an important step in advance in the crystallizing of the world's ecclesiastical institutions. Asaph and his brethren of song are left there before the ark of the covenant… to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required . A permanent local ministry and choir are thus established,... read more
Obed-edom with their brethren . Explanation is needed of the plural pronoun "their." Either another name is wanted with Obed-edom, or tacit reference is made to "Asaph and his brethren," as though the name Asaph had not been followed in its own place by the clause "and his brethren." Keil draws attention to the "three score and two" of 1 Chronicles 26:8 , in connection with the three score and eight of this place; and it has been proposed to make up this number by some of the sons of ... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Chronicles 16:37-43
The worship of God is not only to be the work of a solemn day now and then, brought in to grace a triumph; but it ought to be the work of every day. David therefore settles it here for a constancy, puts it into a method, which he obliged those that officiated to observe in their respective posts. In the tabernacle of Moses, and afterwards in the temple of Solomon, the ark and the altar were together; but, ever since Eli's time, they had been separated, and still continued so till the temple... read more