Nehemiah 12 46

Nehemiah 12:46 kjv

For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

Nehemiah 12:46 nkjv

For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Nehemiah 12:46 niv

For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Nehemiah 12:46 esv

For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Nehemiah 12:46 nlt

The custom of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God began long ago in the days of David and Asaph.

Nehemiah 12 verses

Nehemiah 12 46 Meaning

Nehemiah 12:46 states that the practices of musical worship, specifically led by appointed directors and featuring songs of praise and thanksgiving to God, had a long-established history. These practices were rooted in the time of King David and Asaph, demonstrating a continuity of organized and divinely inspired sacred music in Israel from ancient times through the post-exilic period, emphasizing its integral role in glorifying God.

Nehemiah 12 46 Context

Nehemiah 12 documents the extensive efforts to re-establish the priestly and Levitical ministries after the return from exile, particularly focusing on the dedication of Jerusalem's wall. This chapter meticulously lists the lineages of priests and Levites who served in Jerusalem, highlighting their specific roles in worship and service. Nehemiah 12:46 specifically explains why the contemporary system of having singers and their directors was so significant and firmly established. It links the practices of worship in the post-exilic community directly to the precedents set by King David and Asaph during the height of the Israelite monarchy and early Temple worship. This historical grounding provides authority, legitimacy, and a sense of divine continuity to the revived worship life in Jerusalem, reinforcing the idea that they were not inventing new traditions but faithfully restoring ancient, God-ordained ones.

Nehemiah 12 46 Word analysis

• For (כִּי - kî): This conjunction serves as an explanation or justification for the detailed accounting of singers and their roles that precedes this verse in the chapter. It indicates that the re-establishment of musical worship was not arbitrary but rooted in divine precedent.

• in the days of David (בִּימֵי דָוִיד - bîmê Dāwîḏ): This phrase points to the golden age of Israelite worship. David was divinely chosen to consolidate the nation and was instrumental in organizing the Levitical service, specifically for the tabernacle/Temple worship, emphasizing music as a central component. His actions established foundational principles for organized public praise.

• and Asaph (וְאָסָף - wᵉ’āṣāp̄): Asaph was a chief Levite musician, prophet, and seer, head of one of the major Levitical musical guilds (along with Heman and Jeduthun) during David's reign. Mentioning him alongside David highlights his specific, divinely inspired contribution to the structure and content of Israelite worship music, signifying skilled and authoritative musical leadership.

• of old (מִקֶּדֶם - mikkēḏem): This adverbial phrase reinforces the antiquity and established nature of these practices. It signifies a long-standing, time-honored tradition that extends back into deep history, underscoring its authority and endurance across generations, linking past glory with current restoration efforts.

• there were directors of the singers (רָאשֵׁי הַשָּׁרִים - rāšê haššārîm): Literally "heads of the singers." This indicates a structured, hierarchical, and well-organized ministry of music. It signifies leadership, superintendence, and skilled professionalism in orchestrating sacred music rather than spontaneous, unorganized acts. This wasn't merely having singers, but having appointed leaders for them.

• and songs of praise (וְשִׁיר שֶׁבַח - wᵉšîr šeḇaḥ): Shir means song, shevach refers to praise, often a specific type of vocal praise. This specifies the content of the musical offerings – not entertainment, but deliberate expressions of honor, adoration, and exultation of God's character and mighty deeds.

• and thanksgiving (וְהוֹדוֹת - wᵉhôḏwōṯ): This refers to todah, acts or songs of gratitude and confession. This second dimension of the songs highlights acknowledging God's faithfulness, benefits, and salvific acts with gratitude. It's a response to His goodness, and can involve both spoken words and music.

• to God (לֵאלֹהִים - lē’lōhîm): The ultimate, singular, and divine recipient of all these organized musical offerings. All praise and thanksgiving were directed exclusively to the God of Israel, affirming monotheism and the proper object of worship.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "David and Asaph of old": This grouping establishes the historical, spiritual, and organizational lineage of Israelite worship music. It signifies divine commissioning and enduring relevance, showing that Nehemiah's reforms were not new inventions but a faithful continuation of a divinely ordered pattern set centuries earlier. This polemic against any notion of arbitrary religious innovation firmly ties the present worship to a revered, authoritative past.
  • "directors of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving": This combination highlights both the structured administration (directors) and the core purpose and content (praise and thanksgiving) of Israelite music ministry. It underscores that this was an intentional, divinely purposed ministry with clear leadership and defined expressions of worship towards God. This organized, intentional nature of worship stood in stark contrast to chaotic pagan rituals.

Nehemiah 12 46 Bonus section

The consistent emphasis on David and Asaph throughout biblical literature regarding musical worship underscores that music in Israel was a serious, organized ministry, not merely entertainment. The role of "directors" (Heads of Singers) suggests professional oversight, proper training, and adherence to specific forms and content of worship, reflecting God's nature as a God of order (1 Cor 14:33). This verse, situated amidst lists of returning families and their responsibilities, subtly underlines the importance of remembering and faithfully restoring all aspects of God's commanded service, even after the trauma of exile. It speaks to the post-exilic community's determination to rebuild not just walls, but the spiritual core of their identity through covenant fidelity and ordered worship.

Nehemiah 12 46 Commentary

Nehemiah 12:46 serves as a profound statement on the enduring and foundational role of structured musical worship within Israelite faith. In a chapter dedicated to detailing the post-exilic reconstruction of Temple services and the re-establishment of Levitical duties, this verse grounds these efforts in antiquity. It explicitly connects the current system of appointing choir directors and practicing songs of praise and thanksgiving to the revered figures of David, the organizing king, and Asaph, the inspired Levite musician. This connection emphasizes not just continuity, but legitimacy and divine authority. It reminds the returning exiles and subsequent generations that their worship practices were not recent inventions but a restoration of ancient, God-ordained traditions. The passage stresses that the core components of Israel's worship – organized leadership and corporate expressions of praise and gratitude – are timeless and centered wholly to God. This tradition ensures that future generations maintain the spirit and structure of worship designed to bring glory to the Creator.