(37-42) Resumption and conclusion of the narrative suspended at 1Chronicles 16:7.

(37) So (and) he left there.--Were the above ode interposed by the chronicler himself, he might better have written, "And David left."

As every day's work required.--Literally, for a day's business in its own day--i.e., to perform the services appointed for each day. (Comp. Exodus 5:13.)

(38) And Obed-edom with (and) their brethren.--The pronoun their shows that a word or words have fallen out. It is simplest to supply "Hosah," and render: And (he left there) Obed-edom and Hosah and their brethren, sixty-eight persons. The construction, however, is altered from that of 1Chronicles 16:37 : "Asaph and his brethren." (Comp. 1Chronicles 16:39.)

Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun.--This repetition is tautologous, but hardly obscure. 1Chronicles 26:8 assigns sixty-two members to the house of Obed-edom.

Jeduthun.--Not the Merarite minstrel (1Chronicles 6:44, Ethan). Obed-edom was a Korhite, i.e., a Kohathite (1Chronicles 26:1-4).

(39) The narrative now passes from the tent on Zion to the Mosaic tabernacle at Gibeon. The establishment of the Ark in its new abode was the inauguration of a new national sanctuary. But the old one at Gibeon was not therefore abandoned. On the contrary, David either instituted or formally recognised the priesthood of Zadok therein.

And Zadok.--The name is preceded in the Hebrew by the sign of the accusative case, and therefore depends on the verb he left (1Chronicles 16:37).

The priest.--Par excellence--i.e., the High Priest (1Samuel 1:9; 1Samuel 2:11; 2Kings 11:9; 2Kings 11:15).

In the high place.--See 1Kings 3:3-4.

(40) Continually morning and evening.--The Tamid, or regular burnt offering of a lamb at dawn and sunset, with its food offering and drink offering, as prescribed in Exodus 29:38, sqq., and Numbers 28:3, sqq.

And to do.--Literally, and for everything that is written, viz., all the other prescribed sacrifices and duties of the priests. Nothing is here said of similar duties of the priests before the Ark on Zion. But it ought not to be argued from this omission that in the chronicler's opinion only choral services took place there. If, as we have supposed, Abiathar was attached to David's sacred tent, sacrifice must have been offered there as well as at Gibeon. (Comp. 1Chronicles 18:16. ) The present account says nothing of this, because the writer is mainly interested in the service of song. (See 1Kings 8:1-4.)

(41) The narrative returns to its principal topic--the Levitical minstrels.

And with them (Zadok and his brethren) Heman and Jeduthun.--These two masters of song ministered in the tabernacle at Gibeon, as their colleague Asaph did in the tent on Zion.

Who were expressed (enrolled) by name.--1Chronicles 12:31. Their names are not given here, but they may be partially included in the list of 1Chronicles 15:19-24. Asaph's corps has been individually specified at 1Chronicles 16:5, perhaps as the more important body.

To give thanks to the Lord.--In describing the chief function of the choirs stationed at Gibeon, the chronicler repeats the liturgical formula of 1Chronicles 16:34; probably with an allusion to odes like Psalms 136, in which these words constitute a continual refrain.

(42) And with them Heman and Jeduthun.--The last verse began with the same words, a fact which renders them suspicious here. The LXX., Syriac, and Arabic omit the proper names.

With trumpets . . . with musical instruments.--The prepositions are wanting in the Hebrew text, which might be rendered thus: "And with them [viz., Heman and Jeduthun] were clarions and cymbals for persons playing aloud [comp. 1Chronicles 16:5], and instruments of sacred music." From 1Chronicles 15:9, compared with 1Chronicles 16:5, it appears that the three conductors (Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun) played cymbals only, to accent the time: and from 1Chronicles 15:24 and 1Chronicles 16:6, we know that the clarions were blown by priests. Omitting as spurious the names of the two leaders, who are not likely to have had the custody of the various instruments of their choirs, the meaning of the verse is simply that the Levitical minstrels were provided with proper instruments to accompany their singing.

Musical instruments of God.--Literally, instruments of song of God--i.e., of sacred music. Harps and lutes are meant.

Sons of Jeduthun.--See 1Chronicles 16:38. Obed-edom, son of Jeduthun, was a warder before the Ark. Thus the warders of both sanctuaries belonged to the same clan.

Verses 37-43. - These verses give the now new-ordained distribution of priests and Levites, to minister and to attend to the service of praise before the ark. And the first of them may be considered to mark an important step in advance in the crystallizing of the world's ecclesiastical institutions. Asaph and his brethren of song are left there before the ark of the covenant... to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required. A permanent local ministry and choir are thus established, with a fixity of place on Zion, and regularity of time that had been hitherto unattainable.

16:37-43 The worship of God ought to be the work of every day. David put it into order. At Jerusalem, where the ark was, Asaph and his brethren were to minister before the ark continually, with songs of praise. No sacrifices were offered there, nor incense burnt, because the altars were not there; but David's prayers were directed as incense, and the lifting up of his hands as the evening sacrifice. So early did spiritual worship take place of ceremonial. Yet the ceremonial worship, being of Divine institution, must by no means be omitted; therefore at Gibeon, at the altars, the priests attended; for their work was to sacrifice and burn incense; and that they did continually, morning and evening, according to the law of Moses. As the ceremonies were types of the mediation of Christ, the observance of them was of great consequence. The attendance of his appointed ministers is right in itself, and encourages the people.So he left there, before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, Asaph and his brethren,.... Whom he, that is, David, had appointed for the service of it:

to minister before the ark continually; in singing the praises of God:

as every day's work required; at the time of the morning and evening sacrifice, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it.