1 Chronicles 15:16

“And David spake to the chief of the Levites, etc.] The six before mentioned, (<131511>1 Chronicles 15:11) to appoint their brethren to be the singers; before the ark, as they brought it up: with instruments of music, psalteries, and harps, and cymbals; which were used in those times, (see <100605>2 Samuel 6:5 13:8) sounding by lifting up the voice with joy; the instrumental music was to be attended with vocal music, and that very sonorous and loud, and performed with all tokens of inward joy and gladness, as the occasion required.”

“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 (Ch1 15:17-18, Ch1 15:21), with the instruments respectively used by each. "Ben" (Ch1 15:18) is omitted (Ch1 15:20). Either it was used merely as a common noun, to intimate that Zechariah was the son of Jaaziel or Aziel, or Ben is the same as Azaziah [Ch1 15:21].”

“The singers - Singing had long been recognized as appropriate to religious ceremonies Exodus 15:21; Jdg 5:1; 1 Chronicles 13:8; but this is the first occasion on which we find the duty of conducting musical services expressly laid on the Levites. Henceforth, the services of the tabernacle and the temple were regularly choral, and a considerable section of the Levites was trained in musical knowledge, and set apart to conduct this portion of the national worship. return to 'Top of Page'”

“15:16-18 This is the first of three lists of Levitical musicians (see 15:19-22; 16:4-6). This list gave the names of the three leaders (Heman, Asaph, and Ethan; see 6:33-47) along with their assistants.”

“And David: Ch2 30:12; Ezr 7:24-28; Isa 49:23 chief: Ch1 15:12; Act 14:23; Ti1 3:1-15; Ti2 2:2; Tit 1:5 the singers: Ch1 15:27, Ch1 15:28, Ch1 6:31-38, Ch1 13:8, Ch1 16:42, Ch1 23:5, Ch1 25:1-6; Ch2 29:28-30; Neh 12:36, Neh 12:46; Psa 87:7, Psa 149:3, Psa 150:3, Psa 150:4 lifting up: Ch2 5:13; Ezr 3:10, Ezr 3:11; Neh 12:43; Psa 81:1, Psa 92:1-3, Psa 95:1, Psa 100:1; Jer 33:11 1 Chronicles 15:17”

“David gave the princes of the Levites a further charge to appoint singers with musical instruments for the solemn procession, which they accordingly did. שׁיר כּלי, instruments to accompany the song. In Ch1 15:16 three kinds of these are named: נבלים, nablia, ψαλτήρια, which Luther has translated by psalter, corresponds to the Arabic santir, which is an oblong box with a broad bottom and a somewhat convex sounding-board, over which strings of wire are stretched; an instrument something like the cithara. כּנּרות, harps, more properly lutes, as this instrument more resembled our lute than the harp, and corresponded to the Arabic catgut instrument el ‛ûd (l-cûd); cf. Wetzstein in Delitzsch,…”