four thousand were doorkeepers, and four thousand praised Yahweh with the instruments which I made for giving praise.”
Parallel Translations
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four thousand were doorkeepers, and four thousand praised Yahweh with the instruments which I made for giving praise.”
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Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.
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and four thousand were doorkeepers; and four thousand praised the LORD 'with the instruments which I made to praise therewith.'
Cross-references (17)
Passages linked to 1 Chronicles 23:5 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Chronicles 8:14 He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their offices, to praise and to minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required; the doorkeepers also by their divisions at every gate, for David the man of God had so commanded.
- 2 Chronicles 29:25-26 He set the Levites in Yahweh’s house with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was from Yahweh by his prophets. The Levites stood with David’s instruments, and the priests with the trumpets.
- Psalms 87:7 Those who sing as well as those who dance say, “All my springs are in you.”
- Amos 6:5 who strum on the strings of a harp; who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;
- 1 Kings 10:12 The king made of the almug trees pillars for Yahweh’s house, and for the king’s house, harps also and stringed instruments for the singers; no such almug trees came or were seen, to this day.
- 1 Chronicles 6:31-48 These are they whom David set over the service of song in Yahweh’s house, after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon had built Yahweh’s house in Jerusalem. They performed the duties of their office according to their order. These are those who served, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel. His brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea, the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah, the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi. On the left hand their brothers the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. Their brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of God’s house.
- 1 Chronicles 9:17-27 The gatekeepers: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brothers (Shallum was the chief), who previously served in the king’s gate eastward. They were the gatekeepers for the camp of the children of Levi. Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brothers, of his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent. Their fathers had been over Yahweh’s camp, keepers of the entry. Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, and Yahweh was with him. Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper of the door of the Tent of Meeting. All these who were chosen to be gatekeepers in the thresholds were two hundred twelve. These were listed by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer ordained in their office of trust. So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of Yahweh’s house, even the house of the tent, as guards. On the four sides were the gatekeepers, toward the east, west, north, and south. Their brothers, in their villages, were to come in every seven days from time to time to be with them: for the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were in an office of trust, and were over the rooms and over the treasuries in God’s house. They stayed around God’s house, because that duty was on them; and to their duty was its opening morning by morning.
- 1 Chronicles 9:33 These are the singers, heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, who lived in the rooms and were free from other service; for they were employed in their work day and night.
- 1 Chronicles 15:16-24 David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers with instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up their voices with joy. So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; and with them their brothers of the second rank, Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers. So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of bronze to sound aloud; and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth; and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead. Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the singing. He taught the singers, because he was skillful. Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark. Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, blew the trumpets before God’s ark; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.
- 1 Chronicles 16:38 and Obed-Edom with their brothers, sixty-eight; Obed-Edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be doorkeepers;
- 1 Chronicles 16:41-42 and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to Yahweh, because his loving kindness endures forever; and with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate.
- 1 Chronicles 25:1-7 Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals. The number of those who did the work according to their service was: of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah. The sons of Asaph were under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied at the order of the king. Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Yahweh with the harp. Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these were under the hands of their father for song in Yahweh’s house, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the service of God’s house: Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king. The number of them, with their brothers who were instructed in singing to Yahweh, even all who were skillful, was two hundred eighty-eight.
- 1 Chronicles 26:1-12 For the divisions of the doorkeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh. Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, and Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him. Sons were also born to Shemaiah his son, who ruled over the house of their father; for they were mighty men of valor. The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers were valiant men, Elihu, and Semachiah. All these were of the sons of Obed-Edom: they and their sons and their brothers, able men in strength for the service: sixty-two of Obed-Edom. Meshelemiah had sons and brothers, valiant men, eighteen. Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him chief), Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, and Zechariah the fourth. All the sons and brothers of Hosah were thirteen. Of these were the divisions of the doorkeepers, even of the chief men, having offices like their brothers, to minister in Yahweh’s house.
- 2 Chronicles 20:19-21 The Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, with an exceedingly loud voice. They rose early in the morning, and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in Yahweh your God, so you will be established! Believe his prophets, so you will prosper.” When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to Yahweh, and give praise in holy array, as they go out before the army, and say, “Give thanks to Yahweh; for his loving kindness endures forever.”
- 2 Chronicles 35:15 The singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the gatekeepers were at every gate. They didn’t need to depart from their service, because their brothers the Levites prepared for them.
- Ezra 7:7 Some of the children of Israel, including some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
- Nehemiah 7:73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their cities. When the seventh month had come, the children of Israel were in their cities.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Hebrew, I made, meaning David.
Hebrew, I made, meaning David.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 1Ch 23:5 Moreover four thousand [were] porters; and four…
1Ch 23:5 Moreover four thousand [were] porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, [said David], to praise [therewith].
Ver. 5. Moreover four thousand were porters.] Quos barbare vocant Sacristas.
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And four thousand praised the Lord.] Whereof some were teachers, {1Ch 25:7} and some scholars.
Which I made,] i.e., Invented, {Amo 6:6} and appointed to be used in the temple by God’s commandment. {1Ch 29:1-30 1Ch 25:1-31}
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.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Porters; whose office was to take the charge of…
Porters; whose office was to take the charge of all the gates of the temple and its courts, that no forbidden or unclean person might enter there, and of the courts them selves, and of several chambers or buildings belonging to the temple and the service thereof: these also were to do their work by turns.
Four thousand praised the Lord with instruments; whereof two hundred and eighty-eight were persons of greater skill than their brethren, and did instruct them, and had some authority over them.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Moreover four thousand were porters,.... At the east, north,…
Moreover four thousand were porters,.... At the east, north, and south gates of the temple, in their turns:
and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments; were singers in the temple, which in all made up 38,000:
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which I made, said David, to praise therewith; which instruments he devised and ordered to be made to praise the Lord with; see Ch2 29:26.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 5. Four thousand praised the Lord] David made…
Verse 5. Four thousand praised the Lord] David made this distribution according to his own judgment, and from the dictates of his piety; but it does not appear that he had any positive Divine authority for such arrangements. As to the instruments of music which he made they are condemned elsewhere; see Am 6:5, to which this verse is allowed to be the parallel.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 1Ch 23:5. Four thousand were porters — Whose office…
1Ch 23:5. Four thousand were porters — Whose office it was to take the charge of all the gates of the temple, and its courts, that no forbidden or unclean person might enter there, and of the courts themselves, and of the several chambers and buildings belonging to the temple and the service thereof. These also were to do their work by turns. Praised the Lord with instruments — Whereof two hundred and eighty-eight persons were of greater skill than their brethren, and instructed them, and had some authority over them.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain David. Literally, "he." Septuagint, "they." Protestants, "which I made…
David. Literally, "he." Septuagint, "they." Protestants, "which I made (said David) to praise therewith." (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).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain praised the Lord with the instruments which I made--David…
praised the Lord with the instruments which I made--David seems to have been an inventor of many of the musical instruments used in the temple (Amo 6:5).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 5. porters] R.V. doorkeepers. The courses and duties of…
5. porters] R.V. doorkeepers. The courses and duties of these are given in 1Ch_26:1-19.
four thousand praised the Lord] Cp. 1Ch_25:1-31, from which it appears that there was also a picked choir consisting of 288 persons, divided into twenty-four courses, whose special duty was psalmody.
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the instruments which I made] Cp. 2Ch_29:26.
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.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (5) Moreover four thousand were porters.—Literally, and four thousand…
(5) Moreover four thousand were porters.—Literally, and four thousand (are to be) warders. (Comp. 1Ch_9:21-27.) Reuss thinks 4,000 warders too many; but the different clans went on duty in turn.
And four thousand praised the Lord . . .—Rather, and four thousand (are to be) praising the Lord with the instruments that I have made for praising. (On “praising,” see 1Ch_16:4.) We have here an interesting reference to the fact that David was not only a minstrel and inspired psalmist, but also an inventor of stringed instruments. So the prophet Amos (1Ch_6:5) speaks of the effeminate nobles of Israel, “who prattle on the mouth of the nebel, that invent themselves instruments of music, like David.” The reference is repeated in Neh_12:36.
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Which I have made.—This expression proves that 1Ch_23:4-5 should be within inverted commas, as representing a spoken decree of David. Ewald thinks that the narrative is interrupted in 1Ch_23:5 by a fragmentary quotation from an ancient poet who speaks in the name of Jehovah, characterising the musicians as “those whom I have formed to sing my praise.” (But see 2Ch_7:6.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Porters (Hebrew doorkeepers. The word is so translated in…
Porters (Hebrew doorkeepers. The word is so translated in 1Ch_15:23, 1Ch_15:24. It was the duty of these to keep the entrances of the sanctuary, by day and night, in their courses. (see also 2Ki_7:10, 2Ki_7:11) The Chaldaic equivalent of this word is rT Ezr_7:24; Dan_2:49) There is no connection between either the word or idea we have here, and those of Psa_84:11, where the Hithp. conjugation of pps; is used, and the sense of residence probably intended to be conveyed. The instruments which I made to praise. Possibly the quotation of a short sentence often on David"s lips. Men given to music may have been very conscious of it, in ancient days, as well as in modern. The language, however, does not necessarily assert that David claimed the inventing or in any similar sense the making of these musical instruments, but that he appointed them for the service of praise. What some of them were may be seen in 2Ch_5:12 psalteries, harps, trumpets" (see also 2Ch_29:25-27; Neh_12:35, Neh_12:36; Amo_6:5)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain And four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments…
1Ch_23:5
And four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made.
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Music and religion
I. The object of music. To praise therewith well expresses the attitude of the Bible towards music. Plutarch says: The chiefest and sublimest end of music is the graceful return of our thanks to the gods. In these words the wisdom of the Bible representation is vindicated. A worthy conception of God is the only thing which can give the true inspiration of music, and keep it pure and noble through all its strains. Thus music and religion ought never to be divorced.
II. Some of the features of the revelation of God which the Bible gives, and see how they agree with the best features of musical life and growth.
1. The Bible reveals God to man, and man to himself; it opens up depths of meaning which ordinary life cannot sound; it calls man the son of God; it bases itself upon the love of God, which passeth knowledge; it speaks of things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive. If we allow music any rights of its own, they must be based upon its claim to give expression which is beyond the power of words, and to utter conceptions which thought cannot formulate. It has the power to take them out of the surroundings even of the deepest thoughts, to lift their aspirations where nothing else can go, to carry them into the presence of a power of harmony and order more fundamental than the skill of the hand or the logic of the mind can represent.
2. Then there is the universality of religion. It is meant for all men: there are all grades and kinds of reception of it. The gospel of Christ is for all men; it has truths for the simple, and doctrines for the wise; it meets all nations of men, each according to its nature and its needs. So music in one way or another affects the simplest and the most cultured, appeals to the joyful and to the sorrowing, defies lines of nationality and of language, and is appropriated by all according to the needs of each.
3. The object of religion is harmony--harmony between heaven and earth, between man and man, harmony in the life of the individual, with its varying experiences. The power of man to appreciate harmony finds a response in the growing resources of the musical art; and the yearnings of man for a better existence, where life shall not clash with death, joy with sorrow, and love with hate, finds an answer in a revelation which destroys death, comforts sorrow, and makes love seen everywhere. There could be no better expression for heaven, aa the place where such a revelation finds its completion, than as the place of music. (Arthur Brooks, D. D.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.