Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 15

Verse 1

And [David] made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

And prepared a place for the ark. — This he had done before he fetched it to Obededom’s house. 1 Chronicles 13:6 See 2 Samuel 6:17 .

Verse 2

Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.

None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites. — This should have been better considered before. The law was clear. Numbers 4:5-15 Wit is best, they say, when bought.

For ever. — Let our lay preachers look to it. Ill accidents attend them, as did Uzzah and Uzziah.

Verse 3

And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.

To bring up the ark. — For by this time he saw that the fault was not in the ark, but in their miscarriages.

Verse 4

And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites:

And David assembled. — That "all things" might now "be done decently and in order," by their advice and assistance.

Verse 11

And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,

And David called for Zadok and Abiathar. — These, and those chief captains that follow, were tanquam Ephori et directores totius deductionis, directors and principal doers.

Verse 12

And said unto them, Ye [are] the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, [both] ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto [the place that] I have prepared for it.

Sanctify yourselves. — Outwardly and inwardly. Holy things are to be handled sancte magis quam scite.

Verse 13

For because ye [did it] not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.

God made a breach upon us. — See on 1 Chronicles 13:9 .

For that we sought him not. — David faulteth himself also.

After the due order. — See on 1 Chronicles 13:12 .

Verse 14

So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.

So the priests and Levites sanctified themselves. — They replied not, We sufficiently understand our duties, and need not your instruction: but did as they were commanded.

Verse 16

And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren [to be] the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

And David spake to the chief of the Levites — From hence it appeareth, saith one, that this sacred music, vocal and instrumental, was in use even before David’s time; though there be no mention made of it in the law: but David did afterwards illustrate it. 1 Chronicles 25:1-7

Verse 20

And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth;

On Alamoth. — See Trapp on " Psalms 46:1 " Title

Verse 21

And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.

Upon Sheminith. — See Trapp on " Psalms 6:1 " Title

Verse 22

And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, [was] for song: he instructed about the song, because he [was] skilful.

Because he was skilful. — In music: and haply in other arts also.

Verse 23

And Berechiah and Elkanah [were] doorkeepers for the ark.

Were doorkeepers. — To keep off any such as would rush rudely upon the ark. Procul, o procul este profani; Stand off.

Verse 25

So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obededom with joy.

With joy. — All God’s services must be performed with joy, or else they lose their lustre.

Verse 26

And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

When God helped the Levites that bare the ark. — So helped them, say the Rabbis, that they felt not any weight thereof upon their shoulders. Rather God helped there, that is, he not only spared them - Uzzah met not with such a mercy - but enabled them and relieved them. Will he not do as much for his faithful ministers

That they offered seven bullocks, — viz., At every sixth pace, 2 Samuel 6:13 because Uzzah perished when he had gone but six paces, say some. Every man that seeth another stricken, and himseff spared, is to offer sacrifice, yea, to keep a passover for himself.

Verse 27

And David [was] clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also [had] upon him an ephod of linen.

Ver. 27-29. — See on 2 Samuel 6:14-15 , …