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1 Chronicles 15:27

in 1 Chronicles 15

Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the director of music for the singers. David also wore a linen ephod.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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: and David had upon him an ephod of linen.

KJV

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.

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This verse in 1 Chronicles 15

Commentary

7 notes on this verse
“Fine linen” (byssus) is here first spoken of as used for dress. It seems to have been reserved for nobles of the highest rank Est 8:15, for kings, and for priests 2Ch 5:12. David’s robe was probably worn, like that of the high priest, immediately under the ephod, and may, like that, have reached the feet.

This site's exposition

clothed with a robe of

David dresses like the men who carry and sing, in fine linen, and adds a linen ephod besides, a priestly garment worn by a king who held no priestly office. Fine linen is first used for dress anywhere in Scripture at this verse, later reserved in the text for nobility, royalty and priests; the commentators read David's choice as a deliberate lowering of his own robes into the company of the Levites he is honoring. Chenaniah, named master of the song here, is dressed and numbered among the singers rather than set above them.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Linen - With a linen ephod. This circumstance is repeated, because it was an unusual thing for one, who was no Levite, to wear a Levitical garment.
And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

That we serve a good master, who delights to have his servants sing at their work. That times of public reformation are, and should be, times of public rejoicing. Those are unworthy of the ark that are not glad of it.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

a robe of fine linen--Hebrew, Butz--is rather supposed in the later books to denote cotton. an ephod--a shoulder-garment, a cincture or cape over his dress. It was worn by the priests, but was not so peculiar to them as to be forbidden others (1Sa 2:18;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

A robe of fine linen - A robe made of בוץ buts, probably the tuft or beard of the Pinna Magna, a species of muscle found every where on the shores of the Mediterranean, growing sometimes, as I have seen, to a foot and a half in length. I have seen a pair of gloves made of this very rich stuff; the color is a deep dark yellow, something inclining to what is called the lilac. The buts or byssus was not heard of in Israel before the time of David: after that it is frequently mentioned.

The words behind it

18 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.

  • וְדָוִ֞ידand David

    vedavidH1732 →999 times

  • מְכֻרְבָּ֣ל׀[was] wrapped

    mekhurbalH3736 →

  • בִּמְעִ֣ילin a robe of

    bimilH4598 →

  • בּ֗וּץfine linen

    butzH948 →

  • וְכָל־and all

    vekholH3605 →5413 times

  • הַלְוִיִּם֙the Levites

    halviyimH3881 →291 times

  • הַנֹּשְׂאִ֣יםwho were carrying

    hanoseimH5375 →656 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הָאָר֔וֹןthe ark

    haaronH727 →202 times

  • וְהַמְשֹׁ֣רְרִ֔יםand the singers

    vehamshorerimH7891 →86 times

  • וּכְנַנְיָ֛הand Kenaniah

    ukhenanyahH3663 →3 times

  • הַשַּׂ֥רthe leader

    hasarH8269 →421 times

  • הַמַּשָּׂ֖אthe lifting up

    hamasa'H4853 →66 times

  • הַמְשֹֽׁרְרִ֑יםthe singers

    hamshorerimH7891 →86 times

  • וְעַל־and [was] on

    veal-H5921 →5755 times

  • דָּוִ֖ידDavid

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • אֵפ֥וֹדan ephod of

    ʾefodH646 →

  • בָּֽד׃linen

    badH906 →

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

Related verses

8 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

2 Chronicles 5:12all the Levitical singers—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps, and lyres, accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets.3 works1 Samuel 2:18Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.2 works2 Samuel 6:14And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before the LORD,2 worksPsalms 137:3for there our captors requested a song; our tormentors demanded songs of joy: “Sing us a song of Zion.”2 works1 Chronicles 15:22Chenaniah the head Levite was the director of the music because he was highly skilled.2 worksEzra 3:10When the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their positions to praise the LORD, as David king of Israel had prescribed.2 works
The other 2 cross-references, with their words ▾
Isaiah 3:23and their mirrors, linen garments, tiaras, and shawls.2 works2 Chronicles 23:13And she looked out and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, while the singers with musical instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason, treason!”1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    2 Samuel 6:14

    And David, wearing a linen ephod, danced with all his might before the LORD,

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 2:18

      Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.

    • Exodus 15:20

      Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.

    • Psalms 149:3

      Let them praise His name with dancing, and make music to Him with tambourine and harp.

    • Psalms 150:4

      Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute.

    • Judges 11:34

      And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 2:18

    Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 3:1

      And the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. Now in those days the word of the LORD was rare and visions were scarce.

    • Exodus 28:4

      These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and…

    • 1 Samuel 2:11

      Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy began ministering to the LORD before Eli the priest.

About 1 Chronicles

Cedars Are Cut Down for the Jerusalem Temple, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Cedars Are Cut Down for the Jerusalem Temple, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
1 Chronicles: the study guide →Read 1 Chronicles 15 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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.

Read on in 1 Chronicles 15 →