1 Chronicles 16:39
in 1 Chronicles 16And David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of Jehovah in the high place that was at Gibeon,
KJV
And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon,
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 16
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests,.... These he left, having appointed them to be before the tabernacle of the Lord, in the high place that was at Gibeon; namely, the tabernacle of Moses, which was removed from Nob thither in the days of Saul, and continued there to the times of Solomon, 1Ch 21:28.
This site's exposition
before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place
on 1 Chronicles 16:39-40
Zadok and his brethren minister before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place at Gibeon, where Moses' altar for burnt offering still stands and the daily morning and evening sacrifice continues according to the law. Jerusalem now holds the ark, the singers and the covenant presence; Gibeon holds the tabernacle, a full priesthood and the altar of sacrifice, worship split between two sites for the rest of David's reign. Clarke and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown both note the arrangement stood until Solomon, when 2 Chr 1:3-5 finds the king still sacrificing at Gibeon's tabernacle before the temple unites the two under one roof.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Zadok - The chief-priest at Gibeon, where the tabernacle and altar made by Moses still were, where also the ordinary sacrifices were offered, and the stated worship of God was performed, as the extraordinary worship was before the ark upon great occasions, as when God was consulted, which was to be done before the ark and by the high-priest, who was Abiathar.
These must be kept up because, however in their own nature they were inferior to the moral services of prayer and praise, yet, as they were types of the mediation of Christ, they had a great deal of honour put upon them, and the observance of them was of great consequence.
6 Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. It was a glorious day when the ark of God was safely lodged in the tent David had pitched for it. That good man had his heart much upon it, could not sleep contentedly till it was done, Ps. cxxxii.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Zadok the priest - Both Zadok and Abiathar were high priests at this time: the former David established at Gibeah, or Gibeon, where the ark had been all the days of Saul; and the latter he established at Jerusalem, where the ark now was: so there were two high priests, and two distinct services; but there was only one ark. How long the service at Gibeon was continued we cannot tell; the principal functions were no doubt performed at Jerusalem.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord Asaph and his brethren, &c.--The sequel of the chapter describes the appointment of the sacred musicians and their respective duties.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:17w-of-34
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאֵ֣ת׀ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| צָד֣וֹק | tzadok | Zadok | H6659 → | 53 times |
| הַכֹּהֵ֗ן | hakohen | the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| וְאֶחָיו֙ | veechav | and relatives his | H251 → | 630 times |
| הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים | hakohanim | the priests | H3548 → | 750 times |
| לִפְנֵ֖י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| מִשְׁכַּ֣ן | mishkan | [the] tabernacle of | H4908 → | 139 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בַּבָּמָ֖ה | babamah | at the high place | H1116 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּגִבְעֽוֹן׃ | begivon | [was] in Gibeon | H1391 → | 38 times |
וְאֵ֣ת׀and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
צָד֣וֹקZadok
tzadokH6659 →53 times
הַכֹּהֵ֗ןthe priest
hakohenH3548 →750 times
וְאֶחָיו֙and relatives his
veechavH251 →630 times
הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔יםthe priests
hakohanimH3548 →750 times
לִפְנֵ֖י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
מִשְׁכַּ֣ן[the] tabernacle of
mishkanH4908 →139 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בַּבָּמָ֖הat the high place
babamahH1116 →
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בְּגִבְעֽוֹן׃[was] in Gibeon
begivonH1391 →38 times
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
1 Kings 3:4Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for it was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar there.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 1:3
And Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon because it was the location of God’s Tent of Meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 7:5
And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
- 2 Chronicles 1:6–12
Solomon offered sacrifices there before the LORD on the bronze altar in the Tent of Meeting, where he offered a thousand burnt offerings.
- 1 Chronicles 21:29
For the tabernacle of the LORD that Moses had made in the wilderness and the altar of burnt offering were presently at the high place in Gibeon,
- Joshua 9:3
But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
- 2 Chronicles 1:3
Through
1 Chronicles 12:28and Zadok, a mighty young man of valor, with 22 commanders from his own family.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 8:17
Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe;
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 6:8
Ahitub was the father of Zadok, Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz,
- 2 Samuel 8:17
Through
1 Chronicles 15:11David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 2:35
And the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Kings 2:35
About 1 Chronicles

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
