1 Chronicles 6:31

And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(31) Set over the service of song.—Literally, made stand by the sides (hands) of song, as if to minister to the sacred music. (Comp. 1Chronicles 25:2-3, where the same peculiar phrase recurs, and Psalm 123:2, “as the eyes of slaves are unto the hand of their Lord.” Comp. also the common heading of the Psalms, “to the conductor or precentor;” Authorised Version, “chief musician.”)

In the house of the Lord.—In David’s time, a tent, as next verse declares.

After that the ark had rest.—Perhaps locative: at the restin-place of the Ark (comp. Genesis 8:9). From the time of its capture by the Philistines (2Samuel 6:17), the Ark had no certain dwelling till it was lodged in the tent which David spread for it on Mount Zion.

Benson Commentary

1 Chronicles 6:31. And these — Whose names follow, are they whom David set over the service — Appointed to minister to God by singing songs of praise in his house; after that the ark had rest — After David had brought it from the house of Obed-edom, and settled it in Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 8:17.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:1-81 Genealogies. - We have an account of Levi in this chapter. The priests and Levites were more concerned than any other Israelites, to preserve their descent clear, and to be able to prove it; because all the honours and privileges of their office depended upon their descent. Now, the Spirit of God calls ministers to their work, without any limit as to the families they came from; and then, as now, though believers and ministers may be very useful to the church, none but our great High Priest can make atonement for sin, nor can any be accepted but through his atonement.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The genealogies of David's three chief singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan or Jeduthun.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

28. the sons of Samuel—The sons of Samuel are here named Vashni and Abiah. The first-born is called Joel (1Sa 8:2); and this name is given to him in 1Ch 6:33. It is now generally thought by the best critics that, through an error of the copyists, an omission has been made of the oldest son's name, and that Vashni, which is not the name of a person, merely signifies "and the second." This critical emendation of the text makes all clear, as well as consistent with other passages relating to the family of Samuel.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

These are they, whose names here follow.

The service, Heb. the hands. Hand put for ministry or service, which is commonly performed by the hand. Thus God is frequently said to speak or command things by the hand (i.e. the ministry) of Moses. Compare 2 Chronicles 29:27.

After that the ark had rest; which was in David’s time, 2 Samuel 6:17.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And these are they,.... Who follow; the account of whom begins 1 Chronicles 6:33,

whom David set over the service of the song in the house of the Lord: whom he appointed chief musicians, and masters of the chorus, to manage and conduct that part of divine service in the sanctuary, singing the praises of God, both with vocal and instrumental music:

after the ark had rest; which was when it was brought from the house of Obededom to the city of David, and was placed in a tabernacle he provided for it, 2 Samuel 6:12, where it remained until the temple was built, when and which was the only time it was removed, whereas before it had been removed from place to place, and so till now had no rest; though some understand this of the ceasing or silence of the oracle over the ark, which was neither consulted by Solomon and his successors, nor any of the high priests afterwards (g).

(g) Vid. Marsham. Canon. Chron. Setul. 14. p. 365.

Geneva Study Bible

And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had {f} rest.

(f) After it was brought to the place where the temple would be built and was no longer carried to and fro.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

31, 32 (= 16, 17 according to the Heb. division). David’s Singers

31. the ark had rest] i.e. was brought into the city of David for a permanent resting-place.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 31-48. - In the early verses of this section we may notice, if not the first beginning, yet some of the earliest crystallization of the forms of religious services. It was given to David to settle the ark after its travels through the wilderness, its sojourn in various places since then, doubtless always within the care of some Levitical family (except when taken by enemies, 1 Samuel 4:11; 1 Samuel 5, 6.), and in especial its prolonged twenty years' sojourn at Kirjath-jearim (1 Samuel 7:1, 2; 2 Samuel 6:1-19; 1 Chronicles 13:3-14; 1 Chronicles 15:1-3; 1 Chronicles 17:5). It now had rest, though its place of rest was only within "curtains" (2 Samuel 7:2; 1 Chronicles 17:1), i.e. in a special separate tent prepared for it by David, which tent was probably the suggestion, and as it were the nucleus, of the coming grand temple itself - the house of God. The event was naturally one of great joy and thanksgiving, of which David himself was the chief leader (2 Samuel 6:17-21; 1 Chronicles 16:1-3); but it appears also that it furnished the occasion of appointing fixed choir conductors, leaders of the service of song" (1 Chronicles 16:4-7, 37, 41, 42; 1 Chronicles 25:1-7). 1 Chronicles 6:31

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

(1 Chronicles 6:16-34). The genealogies of the Levite musicians - Heman, Asaph, and Ethan. - These registers are introduced by an account of the service of the Levites about the sanctuary (1 Chronicles 6:31, 1 Chronicles 6:32), and conclude with remarks on the service of the remaining Levites (1 Chronicles 6:48, 1 Chronicles 6:49).

1 Chronicles 6:31-32

(6:16-17). "These are they whom David set for the leading of the song in the house of Jahve, after the resting of the ark," cf. 1 Chronicles 6:20, 1 Chronicles 6:22. ידי על "upon the hands," "to the hands;" that is, both for leading, and, according to arrangement. To the hands of the song, i.e., to manage the singing, to carry it on, to conduct it. הערון ממּנוח, "from the resting of the ark," i.e., from the time that the ark of the covenant, which in the prae-Davidic time had been carried about from one place to another, had received a permanent resting-place on Zion, and had become the centre of the worship instituted by David, 2 Samuel 6:17. "And they served before the dwelling of the tabernacle with song." משׁכּן לפני, "before the dwelling," for the sacrificial worship, with which the singing of psalms was connected, was performed in the court before the dwelling. The genitive מועד אהל is to be taken as explanatory: "The dwelling (of Jahve), which was the tent of the meeting (of God with His people)." מועד אהל was the usual designation of the tabernacle built by Moses, which was at first set up in Shiloh, then in the time of Saul at Nob, and after the destruction of that city by Saul (1 Samuel 22) in Gibeon (1 Chronicles 21:29). It denotes here the tent which David had erected upon Mount Zion for the ark of the covenant, because from its containing the ark, and by the institution of a settled worship in it (cf. 1 Chronicles 16:1-4.), it thenceforth took the place of the Mosaic tabernacle, although the Mosaic sanctuary at Gibeon continued to be a place of worship till the completion of the temple (1 Kings 3:4; 2 Chronicles 1:3), - "till Solomon built the house of Jahve in Jerusalem," into which the ark was removed, and to which the whole of the religious services were transferred. In their services they stood כּמשׁפּטם, according to their right, i.e., according to the order prescribed for them by David; cf. 1 Chronicles 16:52ff.