1 Chronicles 15:20

1Ch 15:20 And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth;

Ver. 20. On Alamoth.] {See Trapp on "Psa 46:1" Title}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch 15:20. With psalteries on Alamoth — Or, with Alamoth, which is thought by many to be the name of an instrument of music; or of a certain tune, or note, or part in music. Houbigant renders the words with psalteries, of a deeper sound. The certain signification of the expression is not now known.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15:20 harps: Hebrew adds according to Alamoth. Alamoth is probably a melody, believed to be sung in the soprano range (related to Hebrew ‘almah, “young woman”).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

This was an instrument of music, or a certain tune, whereunto they accustomed to sing Psalms.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 20. With psalteries on Alamoth] Some suppose that the word signifies virgins, or women singers, the persons mentioned here being appointed to accompany them with psalteries, and preside over them.

The Vulgate says arcana cantabant, they sang secret things or mysteries; probably prophetic hymns.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

THE ARK.

V. Two warders of the Ark.

VI. The king, with the heads of the nation.

(20) The eight harpers. Perhaps Maaseiah or Benaiah belongs to the next verse. This would give seven (comp. 1Ch_15:24) in each band.

Aziel should be Jaaziel, as in 1Ch_15:18.

Jehiel.—God liveth. Jeiel=Jeuel (1Ch_9:6; 1Ch_9:35), Remembered of God.

With psalteries on Alamoth.—“With harps after the mode of maidens:” that is, probably, of soprano compass or pitch. The same expression occurs in the heading of Psalms 46

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. on Alamoth] R.V. set to Alamoth; cp. Psalms 46 (title) R.V.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah,.... Who were eight of the second degree; Aziel is the same with Jaaziel, Ch1 15:18 and Ben is left out, in whose room Azaziah, in the next verse, seems to be put; Ben is thought to be sick or dead before they came to execute their office, and whom the father of Kimchi takes to be the same with him who is expressed in the title of Psa 9:1 which title is, "on Muthlabben", or the death of Ben: these were appointed to sound

with psalteries on Alamoth; psalteries were another kind of instruments of music; and Alamoth was either the beginning of a song, to the tune of which those instruments played, or the tune itself, and the note of it; either the treble or counter tenor, a shrill sound, like that of organs, which this word sometimes signifies, see Psa 46:1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Psalteries on Alamoth - Probably, psalteries whose tone resembled the voices of girls (עלמות ‛ălâmôth). Compare the “female flutes” of the Lydians.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Zacharias, &c., presided over the second band, with nables, and Mathathias over the third, which had instruments of eight strings. The priests sounded the trumpets, (ver. 24.) which Chonenias directed all the music, in this solemn processions. (Calmet) --- Psalteries. Literally, "nables." (Haydock) --- The Vulgate sometimes renders it psalterion, at other times lyra, (Menochius) or symphonia. (St. Jerome, ad Dard.) (Tirinus) --- Some have supposed that the word denotes bagpipes; but it was a stringed instrument made of wood. (Calmet) --- Hebrew, "with nebalim over halamoth," concerted things, or virgins, (Psalm lxvii. 26.) who sung the mysterious words of God. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

In this catalogue Ben is omitted, who was mentioned 1Ch 15:18. Yet others think him to be the same who is called Azaziah, 1Ch 15:21. But Ben might be some other person, who was indeed appointed for this work, as is related, 1Ch 15:17,18; and yet he might be taken off by death or sickness, or some sudden and extraordinary accident which hindered his execution of the place and work allotted for him, which might force the chief of the Levites to appoint some other in his stead, when they came to put their institution in practice, as here they did.

On Alamoth, or, with (as that particle is elsewhere used) Alamoth, which is thought to be the name of an instrument of music; or of a certain tune, or note, or part in music. The certain signification of it is not now known, nor is it necessary for us to know it. And the like may be said of Sheminith, 1Ch 15:21.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Alamoth - Or, with Alamoth which is thought to be the name of an instrument of musick; or of a certain tune, or note, or part in musick. The certain signification of it is not now known; and the like may be said of Sheminith, ver. 21.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah,.... Who were eight of the second degree; Aziel is the same with Jaaziel, Ch1 15:18 and Ben is left out, in whose room Azaziah, in the next verse, seems to be put; Ben is thought to be sick or dead before they came to execute their office, and whom the father of Kimchi takes to be the same with him who is expressed in the title of Psa 9:1 which title is, "on Muthlabben", or the death of Ben: these were appointed to sound

with psalteries on Alamoth; psalteries were another kind of instruments of music; and Alamoth was either the beginning of a song, to the tune of which those instruments played, or the tune itself, and the note of it; either the treble or counter tenor, a shrill sound, like that of organs, which this word sometimes signifies, see Psa 46:1.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

And Zechariah and Aziel, etc. Those, mentioned in the preceding verse as being gate sentries, were here transferred to become singers.

over alamoth over those instruments with which they played those psalms, entitled: “To the conductor, on alamoth, etc.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.