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
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
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
While those above-mentioned were to officiate before the ark on Zion, those mentioned in this and following verses are the officiating staff at Gibson. It is now brought into prominence that the ark and the tabernacle are in two separate places. The great ordinary sacrifices and services, "all that is written in the Law of the Lord," are carefully observed on the original altar ( Exodus 38:2 ) in the tabernacle. Other and special sacrifices evidently were offered in the presence of the ark.... read more
To offer burnt offerings ; i.e. the customary morning and evening sacrifices. read more
Comparing these verses with 1 Chronicles 16:4-6 and 1 Chronicles 16:37-40 , it may be supposed that we are intended to understand that of all who were set apart and who had been expressed by name (as e.g. 1 Chronicles 15:4-24 ), some were now formally appointed to serve before the ark, and some in the tabernacle at Gibeon. The confusion existing in these verses by the repetition of the preposition with, and the proper names Heman and Jeduthun, betrays some corruptness of text. The... read more
This passage is interposed by the writer of Chronicles between two sentences of the parallel passage in Samuel. It contains a detailed account of the service which David instituted at this time, a service out of which grew the more elaborate service of the temple. The language of much of the passage is remarkably archaic, and there can be no reasonable doubt that it is in the main an extract from a record of the time of David.1 Chronicles 16:5The occurrence of the name “Jeiel” twice in this... 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