1 Chronicles 15:17
in 1 Chronicles 15So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his brothers, Asaph son of Berechiah; from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah;
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
KJV
So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 15
Commentary
4 notes on this verseSo the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel,.... The grandson of Samuel the prophet, 1Ch 6:33. and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; a famous singer, often mentioned in the Psalms, 1Ch 6:39. and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; the same with the son of Kishi, 1Ch 6:44, these were the chief of the singers.
This site's exposition
to be the singers with
on 1 Chronicles 15:16-19
David orders a choir for the first time in this book, and three of the names appointed here carry forward into the Psalter's own titles: Heman, Asaph and Ethan head the psalms later ascribed to their houses, Asaph's across Psalms 50 and 73 to 83, Heman's at Psalm 88, Ethan's at Psalm 89. Fourteen more Levites of the second degree fill out the choir under them, several of whom also serve as porters when they are not singing. The three principals sound cymbals of brass, the instrument that keeps time for everything else, and John Gill notes it as the detail Paul draws on for the noisy cymbal of 1 Corinthians 13:1.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint . . . the singers with instruments--These eminent Levites were instructed to train the musicians and singers who were under them, for the solemn procession. The performers were ranged in three choirs or bands, and the names of the principal leaders are given (1Ch 15:17, 18, 21), with the instruments respectively used by each.
- Heman - Asaph - Ethan - These were the three chief musicians in the time of David; see 1Ch 6:31.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
And with them, their brethren the second in rank second in rank to them as gate sentries.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעֲמִ֣ידוּ | vaiyaamidu | and they appointed | H5975 → | 521 times |
| הַלְוִיִּ֗ם | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| אֵ֚ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הֵימָ֣ן | heiman | Heman | H1968 → | 16 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יוֹאֵ֔ל | yoel | Joel | H3100 → | 20 times |
| וּמִ֨ן־ | umin- | and of | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| אֶחָ֔יו | ʾechav | relatives his | H251 → | 630 times |
| אָסָ֖ף | ʾasaf | Asaph | H623 → | 34 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בֶּֽרֶכְיָ֑הוּ ס | berekhyahu | Berekiah | H1296 → | 11 times |
| וּמִן־ | umin- | and of | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| בְּנֵ֤י | benei | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| מְרָרִי֙ | merari | Merari | H4847 → | 36 times |
| אֲחֵיהֶ֔ם | ʾacheihem | relatives their | H251 → | 630 times |
| אֵיתָ֖ן | ʾeitan | Ethan | H387 → | 7 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| קֽוּשָׁיָֽהוּ׃ | kushayahu | Kushaiah | H6984 → |
וַיַּעֲמִ֣ידוּand they appointed
vaiyaamiduH5975 →521 times
הַלְוִיִּ֗םthe Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
אֵ֚ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
הֵימָ֣ןHeman
heimanH1968 →16 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
יוֹאֵ֔לJoel
yoelH3100 →20 times
וּמִ֨ן־and of
umin-H4480 →1188 times
אֶחָ֔יוrelatives his
ʾechavH251 →630 times
אָסָ֖ףAsaph
ʾasafH623 →34 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
בֶּֽרֶכְיָ֑הוּ סBerekiah
berekhyahuH1296 →11 times
וּמִן־and of
umin-H4480 →1188 times
בְּנֵ֤י[the] descendants of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
מְרָרִי֙Merari
merariH4847 →36 times
אֲחֵיהֶ֔םrelatives their
ʾacheihemH251 →630 times
אֵיתָ֖ןEthan
ʾeitanH387 →7 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
קֽוּשָׁיָֽהוּ׃Kushaiah
kushayahuH6984 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 73:1Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
- Luke 12:32
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
- Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- James 4:8
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Matthew 5:8
Through
1 Chronicles 15:19The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 25:6
All these were under the direction of their fathers for the music of the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 25:6
Through
1 Chronicles 6:39Heman’s kinsman was Asaph, who served at his right hand:
it leads to
- Ezra 2:41
The singers: the descendants of Asaph, 128.
- Nehemiah 7:44
The singers: the descendants of Asaph, 148.
- Ezra 2:41
About 1 Chronicles
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonAsaphA Levitical chief musician appointed by David over the temple song (1 Chr 16); twelve psalms bear his name (Ps 50, 73–83).
- PersonDivided kingdom (date contested)JoelProphet, son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1); his locust-plague oracle widens into the Day of the LORD and the promise of the Spirit poured…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament.