2 Chronicles 29:25

2Ch 29:25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for [so was] the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.

Ver. 25. According to the commandment of the Lord.] Heb., By the hand of the Lord, by the hand of his prophets; to note, say the Hebrews here, that precepts delivered by the prophets are the very precepts of God himself.

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.

This thing was not appointed of man, but it was the commandment of God.

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

Verse 25. With cymbals, with psalteries] Moses had not appointed any musical instruments to be used in the divine worship; there was nothing of the kind under the first tabernacle. The trumpets or horns then used were not for song nor for praise, but as we use bells, i.e., to give notice to the congregation of what they were called to perform, c. But David did certainly introduce many instruments of music into God's worship, for which we have already seen he was solemnly reproved by the prophet Amos, Am 6:1-6. Here, however, the author of this book states he had the commandment of the prophet Nathan, and Gad the king's seer and this is stated to have been the commandment of the Lord by his prophets: but the Syriac and Arabic give this a different turn - "Hezekiah appointed the Levites in the house of the Lord, with instruments of music, and the sound of harps, and with the HYMNS of DAVID, and the HYMNS of GAD, the king's prophet, and of NATHAN, the king's prophet: for David sang the praises of the Lord his God, as from the mouth of the prophets." It was by the hand or commandment of the Lord and his prophets that the Levites should praise the Lord; for so the Hebrew text may be understood: and it was by the order of David that so many instruments of music should be introduced into the Divine service. But were it even evident, which it is not, either from this or any other place in the sacred writings, that instruments of music were prescribed by Divine authority under the law, could this be adduced with any semblance of reason, that they ought to be used in Christian worship? No: the whole spirit, soul, and genius of the Christian religion are against this: and those who know the Church of God best, and what constitutes its genuine spiritual state, know that these things have been introduced as a substitute for the life and power of religion; and that where they prevail most, there is least of the power of Christianity. Away with such portentous baubles from the worship of that infinite Spirit who requires his followers to worship him in spirit and in truth, for to no such worship are those instruments friendly. See the texts in the margin; also the use of the trumpets in the sanctuary, Nu 10:2, &c., and the notes there.

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

(25) He set.—Stationed, appointed. Hezekiah restored the ancient choral worship as established by David (1Ch_23:5; 1Ch_23:25).

Psalteries.—Nĕbâlîm, a kind of harp; Greek, νάβλα. νάβλίον.

Harps.—Kinnôrôth. Greek, κινύρα, a sort of lyre, or cittern, or guitar.

Gad . . . Nathan.—1Ch_29:29. This is the only place where the institution of the Levitical minstrelsy is ascribed to the injunctions of prophets; but the thing is probable in itself, considering that no important step, whether in civil or ecclesiastical matters, would be likely to be taken by an Israelite king without consulting the Divine will by means of the royal prophets, as we know, from the cuneiform documents, was the uniform practice with the Assyrian and Babylonian sovereigns. Moreover, prophecy was intimately connected with music. (See on 1Ch_25:1.)

For so was . . .—For by the hand of Jehovah was the commandment; to wit, by the hand of his prophets. David’s command was obeyed because it was Divine, having emanated from the prophets who represented Jehovah. (Comp. 2Ch_29:15, supra.)

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

25. so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets] Render, the commandment was by (through) the LORD, even by (through) his prophets. The Chronicler urges the point that David’s arrangements for Temple song were by inspiration; cp. 1Ch_28:19.

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 Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar,.... Which was wholly devoted to the Lord, and was an acknowledgment of his sovereignty over them, and of his goodness to them:

and when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also with trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel; and this was done at the time of the pouring out of the drink offering, which always attended the burnt offering; for this is a rule with the Jews, that they do not say the song but over the drink offering (o).

(o) T. Bab. Eracin, fol. 12. 1.

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

Prophet. Moses had not required music, except on some occasions, Num. x. 10. But David acted by God’s authority. The institution was designed to promote piety, and a love for religious meetings. Such sacred ceremonies are not to be considered as human inventions, for it was, &c. They command our utmost respect. C.

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).

(see 1Ch_16:4 1Ch_21:23:5 1Ch_25:1, 6 29:29; 2Ch_5:12)

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

the house of Yahweh

The word "house" represents the temple. AT: "the temple of Yahweh" (See: Metonymy)

cymbals

two thin, round metal plates that are hit together to make a loud sound. See how you translated this in 2 Chronicles 5:12. (See: Translate Unknowns)

arranging them by the command of David, Gad, the king's seer, and Nathan, the prophet

The word "command" can be translated with a verbal phrase. AT: "arranging the Levites as David, Gad, the king's seer, and Nathan, the prophet had commanded" (See: Abstract Nouns)

for the command was from Yahweh by means of his prophets

The word "command" can be translated with a verbal phrase. AT: "for Yahweh had commanded this through his prophets" (See: Abstract Nouns)

translationWords

harp

lute

David

Gad

prophet

Nathan

trumpet

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

for by the hand of the Lord was the commandment, by the hand of His prophets that the Levites should play musical instruments. It is not written in the Torah that a sacrifice requires musical accompaniment (lit., song), but it is the commandment of the Lord, which He commanded through His prophets to accompany the sacrifice with song. Our Rabbis explained in Tractate Arachin (11a): From where do we derive that the Levites are required to play musical instruments? For it is written (Num. 4:47): “the service of the service.” Which is a service that requires another service with it? This is music with a musical instrument. “And the service of raising” may also be correctly explained in reference to song, as it is written (I Chron. 15:22): “And Chenaniah, the leader of the Levites in song (בְּמַשָּׂא) etc. because he was an expert,” for he was appointed to raise the voice of the melody of the song.

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.