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1 Chronicles 9:33

in 1 Chronicles 9

Those who were musicians, the heads of Levite families, stayed in the temple chambers and were exempt from other duties because they were on duty day and night.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And these are the singers, heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites, who dwelt in the chambers and were free from other service; for they were employed in their work day and night.

KJV

And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night.

This verse in 1 Chronicles 9

Commentary

6 notes on this verse
The singers - No names follow, and it is thought that they have fallen out. Were free - “Free,” i. e. from any special duties besides those of supervision, which was so arranged among the overseers that someone exercised it during every part of both day and night.

This site's exposition

in charge of the articles used in worship

on 1 Chronicles 9:28-34

Some Levites counted the articles whenever they were brought in or taken out, and others kept the flour, wine, oil, frankincense, and spices. Kohathites were responsible for preparing the rows of the showbread every Sabbath. The musicians were exempt from other duties because they were on duty day and night.

This site's exposition

Those who were musicians, the heads

Barnes notes that no names follow the heading and holds that they have fallen out of the text. He reads the singers' freedom as release from other work, so that an overseer was on duty at every hour. Wesley ties the watch to the morning and evening services.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

That work - Either composing or ordering sacred songs; or actually singing; or teaching others to sing them. Day and night - Continually, and particularly in the morning and evening, the two times appointed for solemn service. Thus was God continually praised, as it is fit he should be, who is continually doing us good.
And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

They remained in the chambers of the temple, that they might closely and constantly attend it, and were therefore excused from all other services. It should seem, some companies were continually singing, at least at stated hours, both day and night. Thus was God continually praised, as it is fit he should be who is continually doing good.

The words behind it

12 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְאֵ֣לֶּהand these

    veelehH428 →746 times

  • הַ֠מְשֹׁרְרִיםthe singers

    hamshorerimH7891 →86 times

  • רָאשֵׁ֨י[the] chiefs of

    rasheiH7218 →599 times

  • אָב֧וֹתfathers

    ʾavotH1 →1212 times

  • לַלְוִיִּ֛םof the Levites

    lalviyimH3881 →291 times

  • בַּלְּשָׁכֹ֖ת[were] in the rooms

    baleshakhotH3957 →47 times

  • פְּטוּרִ֑יםset free

    petirimH6362 →

  • כִּֽי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • יוֹמָ֥םby day

    yomamH3119 →

  • וָלַ֛יְלָהand night

    valaylahH3915 →

  • עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם[was] on them

    ʾaleihemH5921 →5755 times

  • בַּמְּלָאכָֽה׃in the work

    bamelakhahH4399 →167 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Chronicles

King David Playing the Harp, Gerard van Honthorst, 1622. Public domain.
King David Playing the Harp, Gerard van Honthorst, 1622. Public domain.

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.