THE FIRST BOOK OF THE
CHRONICLES

1 Chronicles 16

1David's festival sacrifice, and liberality to the people. 4He appointeth a band of singers and music to praise the Lord. 7The psalm of thanksgiving. 37He appointeth ministers, porters, priests, and musicians, to attend continually on the ark.


1SO theya brought the 1ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and 2they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings 3before God.

a 2 Sam. 6:17.

1 That is, the ark of the covenant, made to the honor of God.

2 Understand this of extraordinary and special offerings which David and the people of Israel offered at this time.

3 See 1 Chron. 13 on verse 8.

2And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he 4blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

4 That is, he let the people return home to their own dwelling places, praying unto God for them.

3And heb dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and 5a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.

b 2 Sam. 6:19.

5 Namely, a piece of beef roasted on the fire, as the Hebrew word is interpreted by some. See 2 Sam. 6 on verse 19.

4¶And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:

5Asaph the chief, and 6next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;

6 Hebr. his second.

6Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets 7continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

7 That is, every day at certain hours.

7¶Then on that day David delivered 8first this psalm to thank the LORD 9into the hand of Asaph and his 10brethren.

8 Hebr. in the head; that is, in the beginning, or the first time. This is such to be understood that David first delivered this psalm to the Levites to praise the Lord therewith in the public service of God; after that he composed more psalms and delivered them to the Levites to be sung. See 2 Sam. 23:1.

9 Hebr. by the hand.

10 That is, kinsmen.

811Give thanks unto the LORD, 12call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

11 This verse, and the fourteen following verses, are a part of the 105th Psalm; compare them together.

12 Other, preach.

9Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.

1013Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.

13 As if he said: Remember that this is a special favor of God, that it is given to you to seek the Lord; therein you may rejoice indeed.

11Seek the LORD and his 14strength, seek 15his face continually.

14 That is, after the strong and almighty God. See 2 Chron. 6:41.

15 Namely, of the LORD, Who manifested His presence above the ark between the cherubims. See Joshua 4:13, etc.

12Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the 16judgments of his mouth;

16 That is, the punishments and plagues, which He commanded Moses to announce to Pharaoh and the Egyptians, which are described in Exodus chapters 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12.

13O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14He is the LORD our God; 17his judgments are in all the earth.

17 That is, although He is a Governor over the entire world, yet Israel is His peculiar and proper people by grace. Or, his judgments, that is, His punishments, which He has caused to come upon the enemies of His people, are made known and become famous throughout the entire world.

15Bec ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he 18commanded to a thousand generations;

c Gen. 17:9.

18 Or, instituted. See Psalm 105 on verse 8.

16Even of the covenant whichd he made 19with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;

d Gen. 26:3.

19 See Gen. 15:18 in the exposition.

17And hathe confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

e Gen. 28:13; 35:11.

18Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, 20the lot of your inheritance;

20 That is, the land measured and divided with a line. See of this phrase Deut. 32:9.

19When ye were but 21few, even a 22few, and strangers in it.

21 Hebr. people or men of number, that is, people who could easily be counted, because they were few. See Gen. 34:30; Deut. 4:27; 33:6.

22 Namely, in respect to the great number of the Canaanites.

20And when 23they went 24from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;

23 Namely, your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as ye may read of them in the book of Genesis from the eleventh chapter to the end of the book.

24 That is, from one people to another.

21He sufferedf no man to do them 25wrong: yea, he 26reproved 27kings for their sakes,

f Genesis 12; 20; Exodus 7; 8; 9; 10; 11.

25 Or, to oppress them.

26 Or, he reviled, he rebuked.

27 Namely, the king of Egypt, Gen. 12:17, and the king at Gerar, Gen. 20:3.

22Saying, 28Touch not mine 29anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

28 On the understanding that it is not unto evil; that is, do no hurt to Mine anointed ones.

29 That is, My prophets, as immediately follows. For, the prophets were endowed with the anointing of the Holy Ghost; as God has also commanded to anoint Elisha outwardly. And here are first understood Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who may be called prophets, because the Lord revealed Himself unto them, and communed with them, in order that they would likewise instruct others concerning the will of God. Gen. 20:7 Abraham is called a prophet. Concerning Isaac, see Gen. 27:4, 28, 29, 39, 40, and of Jacob, Genesis 49. As concerning the anointing of the Holy Ghost, the same may likewise be understood of all the elect and faithful, who have received the anointing of the Holy Ghost, 1 John 2:27.

2330Sing unto the LORD, 31all the earth; shew forth from day to day 32his salvation.

30 This verse, and the next ten verses, are recorded in the 96th Psalm.

31 That is, ye inhabitants of the entire land, or, ye Israelites altogether.

32 Namely, which He performs or shows towards us.

24Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.

25For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: 33he also is to be feared above all gods.

33 That is, He is more to be feared and dreaded than the gods of the heathens. The meaning is, one ought to fear and stand in awe of Him, and not the idols; for here these things are not so set one against another by way of comparison, as if the true God were to be feared, and the idols also, saying that the true God should be feared more than idols. But by an absolute opposition, thus, that we ought to fear and tremble before God, and not before idols, which can neither help or hurt. See the like opposition Luke 18:14, where the meaning is, that the publican went to his house justified and not the Pharisee.

26For all the gods of the people are 34idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

34 Hebr. elilim, that is, vanities, nothings. The apostle Paul says in 1 Cor. 8:4: “… we know that an idol is nothing …”. See Lev. 19:4.

2735Glory and honour are in his presence; 36strength and gladness are 37in his place.

35 Other, majesty, or, ornament.

36 That is, He is the Cause of strength and of gladness, or joy of the Spirit, to those in whom He dwells by His Spirit.

37 That is, with Him, namely, in heaven, or in His sanctuary, where He reveals Himself. See Psalm 96:6.

2838Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, 39give unto the LORD glory and strength.

38 That is, know and praise the Lord’s honor and might.

39 That is, acknowledge His glory and strength, giving Him that honor which belongs to Him.

29Give unto the LORD 40the glory due unto his name: 41bring an offering, and come before him: 42worship the LORD 43in the beauty of holiness.

40 That is, the honor which thou owest Him.

41 Or, bring hither the meat offering, or a gift; by a part of God’s worship, he understands the entire worship of God.

42 See Gen. 22 on verse 5.

43 That is, in the glorious sanctuary.

30Fear before him, 44all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.

44 That is, all the inhabitants of the earth.

31Let 45the heavens be glad, and let 46the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, 47The LORD reigneth.

45 That is, the angels in heaven.

46 That is, the inhabitants of the earth.

47 That is, He shows and makes it appear indeed, that He is King Who governs all things.

32Let the sea 48roar, and the 49fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.

48 Hebr. thunder; that is, gives a sound as the thunder does, that is, roar, rage, make a noise.

49 That is, all that is in it, namely, the fishes and monsters that are in it.

33Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the 50earth.

50 That is, the men on the earth.

34O giveg thanks unto the LORD; for 51he is good; forh his mercy endureth for ever.

g Psalm 107:1; 118:1; 136:1.

51 Other, for it is good.

h Psalm 136:1, etc.

35And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and 52gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, 53and glory in thy praise.

52 That is, seeing we are now united together, keep us together still, that we do not again rent asunder, as we have been formerly rent and divided. See hereof 1 Chron. 12:29. Yet this may be further understood of all future misery and calamity befalling the church of God.

53 Namely, thereof and therein, that we have cause and liberty to praise Thee.

36Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And 54all the people said, Amen, 55and praised the LORD.

54 That is, all the people showed that they assented unto and commended such kind of praise, and that which was sung, was also the desire of their heart. See Deut. 27:15.

55 Other, also praising the LORD.

37¶So 56he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and 57his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, 58as every day's work required:

56 King David.

57 That is, kinsmen, descendants.

58 Or, according to the demand of each day. Hebr. according to the word, or, the thing of the day in its day.

38And Obed-edom with 59their 60brethren, threescore and eight; Obed-edom also the son of 61Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters:

59 Namely, his, and of Hosah, of whom mention is made in the sequel.

60 That is, kinsmen, descendants.

61 Or, Jedithun.

39And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was 62at Gibeon,

62 Where the tabernacle was brought and set up, after Saul had slain the priests at Nob, 1 Sam. 22:19. See also 1 Chron. 21:29; 2 Chron. 1:3.

40To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;

41And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were 63chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever;

63 Namely, to the office of singing.

4264And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and 65with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.

64 Other, With them, namely, Heman and Jeduthun, were trumpets.

65 Or, with instruments of music of God; that is, wherewith they praised God, singing and praising holy songs and hymns upon them.

43And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned 66to bless his house.

66 That is, to pray unto God for the welfare and prosperity of it, as verse 2.