1 Tawarikh 15:10-24

15:10 From the descendants of Uzziel: Amminadab the leader and 112 of his relatives.

15:11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, along with the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 15:12 He told them: “You are the leaders of the Levites’ families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves and bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel up to the place I have prepared for it. 15:13 The first time you did not carry it; that is why the Lord God attacked us, because we did not ask him about the proper way to carry it.” ¹  15:14 The priests and Levites consecrated themselves so they could bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15:15 The descendants of Levi carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, just as Moses had ordered according to the divine command.

15:16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully. ²  15:17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari, ³  Ethan son of Kushaiah; 15:18 along with some of their relatives who were second in rank, including Zechariah, ⁴  Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

15:19 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 15:20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to the alamoth style; ⁵  15:21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style, ⁶  as led by ⁷  the director; 15:22 Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, was in charge of transport, for he was well-informed on this matter; ⁸  15:23 Berechiah and Elkanah were guardians ⁹  of the ark; 15:24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer the priests were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; Obed-Edom and Jehiel were also guardians ¹⁰  of the ark.

[15:13]  ¹ tn Heb “because for what was at first [i.e., formerly] you [were] not, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him concerning the procedure.”

[15:16]  ² tn Heb “causing to be heard to lift up with a voice of joy.”

[15:17]  ³ tn The Hebrew text adds, “their brothers.”

[15:18]  ⁴ tc The Hebrew text adds בֶּן (ben, “son”) here; the word is omitted in three Hebrew mss and most LXX mss. If the word is original, perhaps the name of Zechariah’s father was accidentally omitted. Some English versions treat the word as an additional name in the list (“Ben”; e.g., KJV, ASV, NASB).

[15:20]  ⁵ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word עֲלָמוֹת (’alamot) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See HALOT 835-36 s.v. עַלְמָה.

[15:21]  ⁶ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See HALOT 1562 s.v. שְׁמִינֹי.

[15:21]  ⁷ tn Heb “for” or “according to.”

[15:22]  ⁸ tn Heb “and Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, with lifting up, supervising with lifting up, for he was well-informed.” The precise nuance of מַשָּׂא (masa’, “lifting up”) is unclear. Some understand it as a reference to supervising the singing and music (e.g., NIV: “Kenaniah…was in charge of the singing”; NEB: “Kenaniah…was precentor in charge of the music”).

[15:23]  ⁹ tn Heb “gatekeepers.”

[15:24]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “gatekeepers.”