Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 15

Verse 1

Houses, or magnificent palaces, which afterwards caused him to be ashamed, seeing the ark was lodged under skins, 2 Kings vii. 10. --- For it, entirely new. The old tabernacle was left at Gabaon. (Calmet) (Du Hamel)

Verse 2

Levites, of the family of Caath, ver. 13., and Numbers iv. 5. He was rendered more cautious by the death of Oza. (Calmet) --- For ever, as long as this law subsists. (Haydock)

Verse 5

Brethren. Relations. (Du Hamel)

Verse 8

Elisaphan, a Caathite, (Exodus vi. 18, 22.) as well as Hebron and Oziel. (Calmet) --- Perhaps Caath was also called by the first name. (Du Hamel)

Verse 12

Sanctified. Free from every legal uncleanness, continent, and washed. (Calmet)

Verse 13

Struck us. He partakes in the misfortune of Oza. (Haydock) --- The law through ignorance. You must attend and give proper directions. (Menochius) --- Hebrew, "because we did not seek him with judgment," (Du Hamel) or, "after the due order." (Protestants)

Verse 17

CHAPTER XV.

Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were masters of the first band of musicians, in the reign of David. They played on the cymbals of brass, ver. 19.

Verse 18

Ben. His name is omitted, ver. 20, and in the Septuagint. The Syriac, &c., 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, ver. 20. (Calmet) --- And Jaziel, called Oziel, ver. 20, as the Septuagint have here. (Haydock)

Verse 20

Zacharias, &c., presided over the second band, with nables, and Mathathias over the third, which had instruments of eight strings. The priests sounded the trumpets, (ver. 24.) which Chonenias directed all the music, in this solemn processions. (Calmet) --- Psalteries. Literally, "nables." (Haydock) --- The Vulgate sometimes renders it psalterion, at other times lyra, (Menochius) or symphonia. (St. 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, (Psalm lxvii. 26.) who sung the mysterious words of God. (Haydock)

Verse 21

Ozaziu does not occur before. Septuagint have Ozias both here and [in] ver. 18, after Jehiel. (Haydock) --- 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," Psalm xxxii. 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)

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, (Haydock) elevation, (Calmet) burden. (Syriac) So the Vulgate has onus Moab, &c., the burden or dreadful prediction against Moab. (Calmet) --- Prophecy often denotes no more than a melodious canticle, 1 Kings x. 10. (Haydock) --- Chonenias directed all this music. Septuagint simply style him "prince of the Levites, prince of the musicians" (Calmet) or Greek: archon ton odon (who gave out the songs) "because he was intelligent." (Haydock)

Verse 24

Jehias is called Jehiel, ver. 18., and 21. He, Obededom, Barachias, and Elcana, (ver. 23.) were probably the four chief porters who attended the ark in arms; and others were, afterwards, stationed at the temple, chap. ix. 17. The two former took part also in the music, ver. 21. (Calmet) --- Perhaps two preceded and two went behind the ark, to keep off the crowd. (Menochius)

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. (Haydock)

Verse 27

Linen. Hebrew, "a cloak of byssus," or of the finest white linen. (Du Hamel) --- Bysus has often occurred before in the Vulgate, 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 St. Basil speaks. (Hexa. vii.) Justinian was clothed with it, on account of its rarity and brightness. (Procopius, 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 Paralipomenon ii. 14. There was a manufactory of this byssus established by David, chap. iv. 21. That of Egypt was white, and is called schesch, or "cotton," Exodus xvi. 4. (Calmet) --- Ephod. Septuagint, "a stole of byssus," or a long silken robe, (Haydock) which has been already expressed; (Tirinus) or rather, the ephod was only a girdle, which was not peculiar to the sacred ministers, 1 Kings ii. 18. (Calmet) --- Samuel, though a child, wore one. (Worthington)

Verse 29

Heart, and reproached him for appearing without his regal ornaments, (Haydock; 2 Kings vi. 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)