1 Chronicles 6:48

1Ch_6:31; 1Ch_6:48

And these are they whom David let over the service of song lit the house of the Lord.

The ministry of song

I. Song an element of Christian worship.

II. Song an expression of human feeling.

III. Song a power for which its possessors are responsible. (J. Wolfendale.)

Religious worship

I. Worship varied in its forms.

II. Lively in its spirit.

III. Orderly in its method.

IV. Universal in its participation. (J. Wolfendale.)

.

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch 6:48. Their brethren were appointed, &c. — Such of them as had no skill in singing were otherwise employed; being porters, keepers of the vessels of the sanctuary, occupied in preparing the sacrifices, and such like things. It is observable, that in all the genealogies of the Levites, there is not a word said of the sons of Moses and their posterity, he having no ambition to prefer them unto any great office.

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

The Levites are called the singers brethen because they came of the same stock.

Read Num. 4:4.

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

Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service--Those of them who were endowed with musical tastes and talents were employed in various other departments of the temple service.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(48) Their brethren also the Levites.—That is, the Levites who were not musicians—the remaining Levites.

Appointed.—Literally, given—that is, to Aaron and his sons as their assistants; Num_3:9 (Heb.), “And thou shalt give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons, given are they to him from amongst the sons of Israel.” The word is nethûnîm. (Comp. nethînim, an identical form, as the name of a well-known class of Temple-servants.)

Tabernacle.—Rather, dwelling-place (mishkan).

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

48, 49 (= 33, 34 according to the Heb. division). The distinction between Levites and Aaronites

48. Their brethren also the Levites] R.V. And their brethren the Levites, i.e. and the other Levites.

appointed] Heb. given, in allusion to Num_3:9; Num_18:6.

unto all manner of service] R.V. for all the service.

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.

Brethren. All the other Levites, who were not Cantors. (Menochius)

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).

The Levites; such of them as had no skill in singing were otherwise employed.

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

The all manner of service, from that of the three "leaders of song" on their "cymbals of brass" (1Ch_15:19) down through the other Levitical grades, is fully illustrated in many places. (1Ch_15:18-24 1Ch_16:37-42 1Ch_23:2-32 1Ch_25:1-8 1Ch_26:1-26)

Vers. 48, 49.

Levites and priests.

These two verses contain a brief account of the offices of the two orders of ministry in the Jewish Church.

I LESSONS PECULIAR TO THE OLD COVENANT. Nothing was more prominent or important in Israel than the provision alluded to in this passage. We are reminded:

1. That amongst the chosen people there was a consecrated tribe, andwithin this a consecrated family.

2. That thus a provision was made for perpetual temple worship andappointed sacrifices.

3. That, in obedience to these prescribed ordinances, Israel abode beneaththe favour of Jehovah.

II LESSONS GENERALLY APPLICABLE TO THE RELIGIOUS LIFE.

1. Order and decency are becoming in the service of a righteous and holyGod. It is possible to regard the form and neglect the substances but it is also possible to despise the form and so to lose the substance.

2. In the service of God, the most menial office is honourable, whilst theloftiest office can never be executed by man otherwise than imperfectly and unworthily.

3. Under the Christian dispensation, all believers are ministers and priests,daily serving in God"s spiritual temple, and offering, through the Divine Mediator and Intercessor, spiritual and acceptable sacrifices. Every. family and every individual has an appointed office and ministration. T.

The honourableness of lesser service.

It is a familiar thought to the Christian that what is done to others is really done unto Christ. Upon it rests our Divine Master"s observation, and to it he gives his Divine approval. And we are permitted even to consider that such approval may rest upon so small and so simple a thing as the offering of "a cup of water." We have the corresponding teaching from the older dispensation suggested in this verse. What was done in the old tabernacle service was done unto God, and was accepted of him. Common work, porters" work, scavengers" work, all the wide circle of commonplace Levites" work, servants" work, was as truly service to God as the offerings of priests and the chantings of the singers. Two things may be fully opened and contrasted.

I MAN"S ESTIMATE OF THE GREAT AND SMALL. To him the great is that which makes a large figure to the eye, and man has in every age a set of arbitrary standards by which he judges the great and small.

II GOD"S ESTIMATE. To him its mere world figure and relation are of little significance. Things are judged according to their capacity for expressing character, quality, principle, virtue. To God a thing is miserably small that can offer no sphere for the utterance of a soul"s love, and loyalty, and obedience, and unselfishness, and trust. So often to God man"s high things are low, man"s first things are last. Nothing has character in itself. It gains character only by the spirit in which it is done. Then we ask what spirit is it which can give greatness or littleness to our human actions. There are certainly these two:

(1) loyalty to God and the right; and

(2) service to others.

St. Paul argues that the "lesser services" have the honourable stamp of superior necessity and usefulness. Porters" work in the temple bore directly on decency and cleanliness, and cultivated the idea of the pure and the orderly in God"s worship. As well do without priests as without Levites. "Careful less to please thee much than to serve thee perfectly. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Their associates, the Levites, were assigned to do

This can be translated in active form. AT: "God had assigned their associates, the Levites, to do" or "It was the duty of their fellow workers, the Levites, to do" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

assign

works

tabernacle

house of God

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.