1 CHRONICLES CHAPTER 16
Moving the Ark to Jerusalem (Continued)
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ESV Study Bible writes, “The brief account in 2 Sam 6:17-20 of the ark’s arrival Jerusalem and the festivities that followed is greatly expanded by details of David’s provisions for worship (1 Chron 16:4-7, 37-42) and a psalm of praise (vv. 8-36). Worship before the ark as the primary symbol of God’s presence and power (see v. 11 and Num 10:35) is the principal theme of this chapter. The implicit message for the Chronicler’s own audience is that such worship, diligently undertaken, will transform and embolden them as they call upon God’s strength. This chapter also leads up to the first high point of Chronicles, the dynastic promise to David (1 Chron 17:10-14). A reciprocal relationship of divine blessing and human obedience can be seen in this arrangement: (chs 11-12) God raises David to kingship over Israel; (ch 13) David’s first attempt to retrieve the ark; (ch 14) God exalts David in Jerusalem and over the Philistines; (chs 15-16) David’s second (successful) attempt to retrieve the ark; (ch 17) God promises David a perpetual dynasty.”
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They brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent that David had pitched for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in God’s presence. When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh. Then he handed out to each and every Israelite man and woman a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake.
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NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible reminds us, “This pitched tent is distinguished from the tent of meeting (i.e., the sanctuary constructed in the time of Moses). That latter tent was at this time still in Gibeon…and remained there until the building of the temple. The tent shrine mentioned in this verse was specifically erected to house the ark.”
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On the food David distributed, the same source adds, “loaf of bread. Refers to a round-shaped loaf of bread. It may be that two or three of these constituted a normal meal (1 Sa 10:3, unless Saul is being given a double portion), while prison fare and charity provision was only one (1 Sa 2:36; Jer 37:21). cake of dates. A traditional translation but of uncertain etymology and meaning. It only occurs here and in the parallel passage in 2 Sa 6:19. cake of raisins. Could apparently be made with any dried fruit and was likely a block or ball of compressed dried fruit.”
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He appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of Yahweh to invoke, to thank, and to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel. Asaph was the leader, Zechariah was second-in-command, followed by Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel. The latter were to play the harps and lyres, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.
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ESV Study Bible notes, “David institutionalizes what he initiated in 15:16 for the procession: a permanent, daily ministry of worship by the Levites before the ark (16:6, 37), as well as in connection with the sacrifices, held at that time in Gibeon (vv. 39-42). The musicians who took part in the procession (15:17-21) are assigned to this duty or to Gibeon (16:39, 41). Their task is to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord. This is a comprehensive description of worship through prayer and song, expressed above all in the Psalms.”
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David’s Song of Thanks
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NLT Illustrated Study Bible writes, “David’s song of thanksgiving is a composite of three psalms: 16:8-22 draws from Ps 105:1-15; 1 Chr 16:23-33 draws from Ps 96; and 1 Chr 16:34-38 draws from Ps 106:1, 47-48. The composer made several adjustments to the sources to fit this occasion. The Temple did not exist when the ark was brought to Jerusalem, so the Chronicler says that strength and joy fill his dwelling (1 Chr 16:27) instead of ‘his sanctuary’ (Ps 96:6) and requires the worshiper to come into his presence (1 Chr 16:29) instead of ‘into his courts’ (Ps 96:8). The name ‘Abraham’ (Ps 105:9) is also changed to Israel (1 Chr 16:13) to focus specifically on the nation as the fulfillment of promises to Abraham. The hymn does not mention the judgment of the earth (Ps 96:10, 13; cp 1 Chr 16:30, 33) because it was not relevant to the dedication of the Ark.”
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On the Chronicler’s weaving and modification of psalms, ESV Study Bible remarks, “It can be seen as expressing the thoughts of praise and gratitude evoked by this successful transfer of the ark to Jerusalem, while also addressing some lively concerns of the Chronicler’s own postexilic community.”
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NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible adds, “The contextualization of different psalms is well-known in Scripture, both through insertion into narrative texts and from historical comments made in the headings to various psalms. This has no parallel in the ancient Near East. In Mesopotamia, the historical background to a hymn might be inferred from its content, but hymns of praise are not inserted into narrative texts as they are here. Admittedly, however, nothing matching the genre and scope of Chronicles is known from the ancient Near East.”
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Then on that day, for the very first time, David appointed the singing of praises to Yahweh by Asaph and his relatives:
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Give thanks to Yahweh;
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call on His name!
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Make His accomplishments known among the nations.
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Sing to Him; sing praise to Him!
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Tell about His wonderful deeds.
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Glory in His holy name;
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let the hearts of those who seek Yahweh rejoice!
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Seek Yahweh and His strength;
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seek His presence continually!
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Remember the wondrous deeds He performed,
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His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced.
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O children of Israel His servant,
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Jacob’s descendants His chosen ones.
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He is Yahweh our God;
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He carries out judgment throughout the earth.
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Remember His covenant forever,
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the word that He commanded for a thousand generations,
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the covenant that He made with Abraham,
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the oath He swore to Isaac.
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He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree;
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to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
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saying, “I will give the land of Canaan to you,
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as your portion for your inheritance.”
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When they were few in number,
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very few indeed, and foreign residents in it,
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they wandered from nation to nation,
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and from one kingdom to another.
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He didn’t allow anyone to oppress them;
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He rebuked kings for their sake,
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saying, “Don’t touch My anointed ones!
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Don’t harm My prophets!”
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Sing to Yahweh, all the earth!
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Proclaim His salvation day after day!
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Declare His glory among the nations,
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His marvelous deeds among all peoples!
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Because Yahweh is great and greatly to be praised;
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He is to be feared above all gods.
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For all the gods of the nations are worthless,
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NET Bible points out the following textual note here, “The Hebrew word…(ʾelilim, ‘worthless’) sounds like…(ʾelohim, ‘gods’). The sound play draws attention to the statement. Many modern English translations render this term as ‘idols’ here.”
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but Yahweh made the heavens.
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Majesty and splendor emanate from Him;
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strength and joy are in His place.
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Ascribe to Yahweh, all you families of the nations;
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ascribe splendor and strength to Yahweh.
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Ascribe to Yahweh the glory that is due His name;
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bring an offering and come before Him.
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Worship Yahweh in the splendor of His holiness.
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Tremble before Him all the earth!
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The world is established, it can’t be moved.
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Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
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Let them say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns!”
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Let the sea and everything in it shout;
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let the field and everything in it rejoice!
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Then the trees in the forest will sing for joy before Yahweh,
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because He comes to judge the earth.
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Give thanks to Yahweh because He is good;
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His steadfast love endures forever.
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Then say, “Save us, God of our salvation;
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gather us and rescue us from the nations,
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so that we may give thanks to Your holy name,
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and rejoice in Your praise!”
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May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be praised,
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from everlasting to everlasting!
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Then all the people said, “Amen!” and “Praise Yahweh!”
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I briefly interrupted the song in verse 26 in order to include NET Bible’s text note that, although the actual Hebrew word used to describe the “gods of the nations” is “worthless.” However, many English translations render it as “idols” instead. ESV even renders as “worthless idols.” As I’ve mentioned before, many translations have a propensity to deny that other “gods” are real entities in any sense due to a misguided fear that admitting such is the equivalent of legitimizing polytheism. It isn’t (however we won’t rehash all that here). This has many unfortunate side effects, one of which is the erroneous idea that ancient Near Eastern peoples literally believed the idols they made were gods. This isn’t so. It would be far more accurate to say that these peoples believed their gods would inhabit the idols which they made. Not that the idol was the god. ESV Archaeology Study Bible includes the following correction in their commentary of v. 26:
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“The OT prophets consistently define idols as deaf, blind, mute, worthless, ineffective, and man-made. Interestingly, even non-Israelites who worshiped them were well aware that a human cannot create a god. For a statue to become a living manifestation of the divine, it had to undergo a ritual known in Mesopotamia as ‘Washing and Opening of the Mouth.’ Artisans would create the image in the temple workshop, after which a small team of priests would ‘bring it to life’ (through a two-day ritual). The ‘god’ gestated in a ‘womb’ (a trough) and was ritually ‘born’ the next morning. Its mouth was then opened (cleansed), its eyes and ears were animated, and it was proclaimed a living being. The statue was then dressed, adorned, and installed in the temple. A team of priests would care for the ‘god,’ feeding it regularly, changing its clothes, putting it to bed, and walking it in the morning.”
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Worship at Jerusalem and Gibeon
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So David left Asaph and his relatives there before the ark of Yahweh’s covenant to minister before the ark regularly and in accordance with the daily requirements, including Obed-Edom and 68 of his relatives. Jeduthun’s son Obed-Edom and Hosah were gatekeepers. David left the priest Zadok and his fellow priests before Yahweh’s tabernacle, which was at the high place at Gibeon, to offer burnt offerings regularly to Yahweh on the altar of burnt offering- morning and evening- in accordance with everything written in the law of Yahweh, which He had commanded Israel to observe. Heman, Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to Yahweh were also with them- because His steadfast love endures forever. Heman and Jeduthun had trumpets and cymbals for the music and the other instruments used in praising God. Jeduthun’s sons were stationed at the gate.
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ESV Study Bible writes, “Besides ministering before the ark, the Levites are also appointed to assist at the Mosaic tabernacle at Gibeon by offering praise at the times of sacrifice. Solomon will move the tabernacle into the temple at the time of its dedication (2 Chron 5:5).”
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Then all the people left to return to their homes and David returned home to bless his family.
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NET Bible mentions, “Heb ‘to bless his house.’ Elsewhere when ‘house’ is the object of ‘bless,’ it refers to a household or family. See, for example, 1 Chr 13:14; 17:27. However, since …(bet, ‘house’) refers to a literal house or home earlier in the verse and to David’s palace in 17:1, one might translate here, ‘David went to pronounce a blessing on [i.e., dedicate] his house [i.e., palace].’”
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Click here to go to chapter 17