1 Chronicles 6:31 kjv
And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.
1 Chronicles 6:31 nkjv
Now these are the men whom David appointed over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after the ark came to rest.
1 Chronicles 6:31 niv
These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark came to rest there.
1 Chronicles 6:31 esv
These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the LORD after the ark rested there.
1 Chronicles 6:31 nlt
David assigned the following men to lead the music at the house of the LORD after the Ark was placed there.
1 Chronicles 6 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Chr 15:16 | David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers with musical instruments... | David organizing musicians for the Ark's arrival |
| 1 Chr 16:4 | He appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise... | Levites appointed for praise ministry |
| 1 Chr 9:33 | These are the singers, heads of fathers’ households of the Levites, who lived in the chambers of the temple free from other service, for they were engaged in their work day and night. | Dedicated Levitical singers |
| 2 Sam 6:17 | So they brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it... | Ark settled in Jerusalem |
| Ps 26:8 | O Lord, I love the habitation of Your house, And the place where Your glory dwells. | Love for God's dwelling |
| Ps 27:4 | One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to inquire in His temple. | Desire for God's presence in worship |
| Exo 25:8 | “And they shall construct a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them.” | God desiring to dwell with His people |
| Num 3:6-8 | “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, so that they may serve him." | Levites dedicated to priestly service |
| 1 Chr 23:5 | 4,000 were gatekeepers, and 4,000 were praising the Lord with the musical instruments... | Large number of Levites in worship |
| 2 Chr 5:12-14 | ...and the musical Levites, all of them, stood east of the altar...when the trumpeters and singers were to make themselves heard with one voice praising and thanking the Lord...the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. | Music bringing God's glory |
| Neh 12:45 | They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers. | Post-exilic re-establishment of service |
| Psa 149:1 | Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones. | Call to praise with song |
| Col 3:16 | Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. | Music as teaching and thanksgiving |
| Eph 5:19 | speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; | Corporate spiritual singing |
| 1 Cor 14:40 | But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner. | Order in worship |
| Rom 12:1 | Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. | Total life as worship |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. | Believers as priests called to proclaim praise |
| Rev 21:3 | And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be among them," | God's ultimate dwelling with His people |
| Acts 2:46-47 | Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. | Early church communal praise |
| Heb 13:15 | Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. | Sacrifice of praise for New Covenant believers |
| Joel 2:28-29 | “It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy... Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days." | Prophetic singing linked to the Spirit |
| 1 Sam 10:5-6 | “As you come there to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre before them, and they will be prophesying." | Music in prophetic contexts |
1 Chronicles 6 verses
1 Chronicles 6 31 Meaning
1 Chronicles 6:31 highlights King David's pivotal role in establishing and organizing the Levitical service of song in the house of the Lord. This significant event occurred after the Ark of the Covenant, God's dwelling symbol, was brought to rest in Jerusalem. The verse underscores David's dedication to proper worship and his strategic assignment of specific Levites to lead the musical component of divine service, marking a formalization of worship practices in ancient Israel before the building of the Temple.
1 Chronicles 6 31 Context
This verse is situated within a lengthy genealogy of the Levites in 1 Chronicles chapter 6. This chapter meticulously traces the priestly and Levitical lines, emphasizing their divinely ordained roles in the service of the sanctuary. The Chronicler, writing for a post-exilic community, stressed the importance of correct worship, a proper priesthood, and the meticulous order established by David, aiming to guide his audience back to these foundational practices. Verses 31-48 specifically detail the appointment of chief singers—Heman, Asaph, and Ethan/Jeduthun—and their families, establishing the framework for Temple music. The historical context relates to David's bringing the Ark to Jerusalem, a momentous event that symbolized God's presence at the heart of the kingdom and prompted the formal organization of worship.
1 Chronicles 6 31 Word analysis
- אֵ֚לֶּה (
elleh): "These" – Refers specifically to the chief musicians listed immediately before (Heman, Asaph, and Ethan/Jeduthun) and their respective family lines, who were consecrated for this musical service. It underscores the precision and named assignment of roles. - הֵ֥ם (
hem): "are" (a personal pronoun acting as a copula) – Emphasizes the identity of the previously mentioned individuals, clarifying their designated function. - אֲשֶׁר (
asher): "whom" (relative pronoun) – Connects the individuals to David's action, attributing the initiation of the musical service to the king. - הֶעֱמִ֥יד (
he‘emid): "David set" / "appointed" (Hifil imperfect of עָמַד,'amad, "to stand") – Denotes establishment, ordination, or making someone stand in a position. This is an active, authoritative action by King David, showing his initiative and spiritual leadership in organizing divine service. It implies setting up a stable, enduring structure. - דָּוִיד֙ (
Dawid): "David" – The human agent chosen by God to organize and unify Israel, here acting in his capacity as spiritual leader and shepherd of God's people. His name signifies a pivotal era for worship. - עַל־יְדֵ֣י (
al-yedei): "over the service of" / "under the hand of" (literally, "upon the hand of") – A prepositional phrase indicating direct supervision or management. It highlights David's delegated authority and the assigned responsibility to these individuals. - שִׁ֖יר (
shir): "song" / "singing" – Refers to vocal musical performance. In this context, it implies more than mere entertainment; it refers to structured, corporate liturgical music as an act of worship and praise. This singing was often accompanied by instruments and carried theological weight. - בֵּית (
beit): "in the house of" – Referring to the dwelling place of God. While the Temple was not yet built, "house of the Lord" here means the tabernacle structure where the Ark was housed in Jerusalem, foreshadowing the future Temple. - יְהוָ֑ה (
YHWH): "the Lord" – The covenant name of God, emphasizing that this "house" and the service performed within it were dedicated specifically to the one true God of Israel. - מִמְּנ֥וֹחַ (
mimmenoach): "after the resting of" / "from the rest of" (from נוּחַ,nuach, "to rest") – Specifies the timing of this appointment. The "resting" of the Ark was a significant milestone, signifying stability and a settled presence of God among His people in Jerusalem. - הָאָר֖וֹן (
ha'aron): "the ark" – The Ark of the Covenant, God's mobile throne and a symbol of His presence, power, and covenant with Israel. Its settled state in Jerusalem marked a new era of stability for worship. - שָֽׁם׃ (
sham): "there" – Referring to the tent David pitched for the Ark in Jerusalem, establishing it as the central place of worship for the nation.
Words-group analysis:
- "David set over the service of song": This phrase highlights David's divine calling to establish formal, organized musical worship. It was not a casual addition but a structured 'service' or ministry (
עֲבֹדָה). This emphasis is particularly strong in Chronicles, showcasing David's visionary leadership in liturgy, reflecting the ideal king who promotes proper worship. This was not merely aesthetics but a crucial part of the divine order. - "in the house of the Lord": Signifies the sanctity and purpose of the musical service—it was directly for God, within His consecrated dwelling place. This underscores that worship is divinely centered, not human-centered. Even before the grand Temple, a designated 'house' for the Lord provided a focal point for the nation's spiritual life.
- "after the ark rested there": This phrase establishes the temporal and theological prerequisite for the formalized musical service. The Ark's arrival in Jerusalem symbolized the settled presence of God's glory among His people in His chosen city. It was only with this foundational security and central presence that the full establishment of regular, ordered worship, including its musical dimension, could be truly inaugurated. This timing marks a shift from ad-hoc worship to a more institutionalized structure centered on God's indwelling.
1 Chronicles 6 31 Bonus section
The Chronicler’s particular emphasis on Levitical musicians is a recurring theme in his work, differing from Samuel and Kings. For the post-exilic community, reinstating correct Levitical functions was paramount to restoring national and spiritual identity. The singers were seen not merely as performers but as ministering priests (1 Chr 9:33), whose service facilitated divine encounter and communal worship. Some scholarly interpretations suggest that their prophetic function (e.g., in 1 Chr 25) intertwined with their musical role, where inspired music led to spiritual insight or divine declaration. This verse therefore lays the groundwork for understanding the deep theological significance of music within biblical worship, portraying it as a crucial component of ordained service to the Lord.
1 Chronicles 6 31 Commentary
1 Chronicles 6:31 reveals a key administrative and spiritual innovation under King David's leadership. David, known as "the sweet psalmist of Israel," did not leave worship to chance or spontaneity alone; he meticulously organized it. The appointment of chief Levite musicians (Heman, Asaph, Ethan/Jeduthun and their families, as seen in subsequent verses) meant the institution of a dedicated and professional class for Temple music. This was a ministry, a sacred service (עֲבֹדָה), not just entertainment. The mention of "the house of the Lord" pre-dates Solomon's Temple but refers to the sanctuary established in Jerusalem after the Ark arrived, signifying David's foundational work in consolidating national worship around a central point. The crucial timing "after the ark rested there" shows that the stability of God's presence was the catalyst for the systematization of praise. This formalized worship was central to the national identity, expressing covenant faithfulness, and setting the stage for future Temple worship. It exemplifies that true worship often requires order, intentionality, and dedicated service.