1 Chronicles
Verse 1. Houses, or magnificent palaces, which afterwards caused him to be ashamed, seeing the ark was lodged under skins. 2 Kennicott. 7:10.—For it, entirely new. The old tabernacle was left at Gabaon. Calmet. D.
EXPLANATIONS
1 Chronicles 15
Historical chapter commentary
1 Chronicles
Verse 2. Levites, of the family of Caath, verse 13, Numbers 4:5. He was rendered more cautious by the death of Oza. Calmet.—For ever, as long as this law subsists. Bible.
1 Chronicles
Verse 5. Brethren. Relations. D.
1 Chronicles
Verse 8. Elisaphan, a Caathite, (Exodus 6:18, 22) as well as Hebron and Oziel. Calmet.—Perhaps Caath was also called by the first name. D.
1 Chronicles
Verse 12. Sanctified. Free from every legal uncleanness, continent, and washed. Calmet.
1 Chronicles
Verse 13. Struck us. He partakes in the misfortune of Oza. Bible.—The law through ignorance. You must attend and give proper directions. Menochius.—Hebrew “because we did not seek him with judgment,” ( D.) or, “after the due order.” Prot.
1 Chronicles
Verse 17. Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were masters of the first band of musicians, in the reign of David. They played on the cymbals of brass, verse 19.
1 Chronicles
Verse 18. Ben. His name is omitted, verse 20, and in the Septuagint The Syriac, and so forth have “the son of Jaziel:” but we find the 9th Psalm addressed “to Ben, chief of the hand of young women,” who sung and played on nables, verse 20. Calmet.—And Jaziel, called Oziel, verse 20, as the Septuagint have here. Bible.
1 Chronicles
Verse 20. Zacharias, and so forth presided over the second band, with nables, and Mathathias over the third, which had instruments of eight strings. The priests sounded the trumpets, (verse 24.) which Chonenias directed all the music, in this solemn processions. Calmet.—Psalteries. Lit. “nables.” Bible.—The Vulg. sometimes renders it psalterion, at other times lyra, ( Menochius.) or symphonia. Saint Jerome ad Dard. Tirinus.—Some have supposed that the word denotes bagpipes; but it was a stringed instrument made of wood. Calmet.—Hebrew “with nebalim over halamoth,” concerted things, or virgins, (Psalms 67:26) who sung the mysterious words of God. Bible.
1 Chronicles
Verse 21. Ozaziu does not occur before. Septuagint have Ozias both here and verse 18, after Jehiel. Bible.—Of victory, such as was customary on the like occasions.—For the octave. Hebrew hasheminith, according to the Jews, means an instrument of eight strings; so when ten is mentioned, the Septuagint frequently supply “strings.” Psalms 32:2. Menochius.—Hebrew “they had guitars, and presided over the eighth band to intone. All the bands formed four choirs, distinguished by their instruments, the cymbal, nable, cinnor, (or guitar) and trumpets. Calmet.
1 Chronicles
Verse 22. The prophecy. Singing praises to God is here called prophecy: the more, because these singers were often inspired men. Challoner.—Hebrew Massa signifies a song, ( Bible.) elevation, ( Calmet.) burden. Syr. So the Vulg. has onus Moab, and so forth the burden or dreadful prediction against Moab. Calmet.—Prophecy often denotes no more than a melodious canticle. 1 Kennicott. 10:10. Bible.—Chonenias directed all this music. Septuagint simply style him “prince of the Levites, prince of the musicians” ( Calmet.) or αρχων των ωδων (who gave out the songs) “because he was intelligent.” Bible.
1 Chronicles
Verse 24. Jehias is called Jehiel, verse 18 and 21. He, Obededom, Barachias, and Elcana, (verse 23.) were probably the four chief porters who attended the ark in arms; and others were, afterwards, stationed at the temple. Calmet. 9:17. The two former took part also in the music, verse 21. Calmet.—Perhaps two preceded and two went behind the ark, to keep off the crowd. Menochius.
1 Chronicles
Verse 26. Rams, in thanksgiving, that they had not been treated like Oza. Calmet.—The Jews pretend that the ark was no burden to the Levites. Tirinus.—Love makes all duties easy. Bible.
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Verse 27. Linen. Hebrew “a cloak of byssus,” or of the finest white linen. D.—Bysus has often occurred before in the Vulg. but we find the Hebrew buts, here for the first time. It probably denotes the brilliant yellow silk taken from the fish pinna, of which S. Basil speaks. Hexa. vii. Justinian was clothed with it, on account of its rarity and brightness. Procop. de fabric. Yet as it would hardly assume any colour but black, it was not so much sought after as the silk of Persia. Not only David, but all the Levites, were thus richly adorned; as the latter were at the dedication of the temple. 2 Chronicles 2:14. There was a manufactory of this byssus established by David. Calmet. 4:21. That of Egypt was white, and is called schesch, or “cotton.” Exodus 16:4. Calmet.—Ephod. Septuagint “a stole of byssus,” or a long silken robe, ( Bible.) which has been already expressed; ( Tirinus.) or rather, the ephod was only a girdle, which was not peculiar to the sacred ministers. 1 Kennicott. 2:18. Calmet.—Samuel, though a child, wore one. Worthington.
1 Chronicles
Verse 29. Heart, and reproached him for appearing without his regal ornaments, ( Bible. 2 Kennicott. 6:20) as if he had been naked. No reproach could have been more unfounded, as we see David had on a robe of byssus, with the ephod. Calmet.