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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - 1 Chronicles 15:19 - 15:19
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These singers formed three choirs, according to the instruments they played. Heman, Asaph, and Ethan played brazen cymbals לְהַשְׁמִיעַ (1Ch 15:19); Benaiah and the seven who follow played nablia (psalteria) עֲלָמֹות עַל (1Ch 15:20); while the last six played lutes (harps) לְנַצֵּחַ הַשְּׁמִינִית עַל (1Ch 15:21). These three Hebrew words plainly denote different keys in singing, but are, owing to our small acquaintance with the music of the Hebrews, obscure, and cannot be interpreted with certainty. נַצֵּחַ, going over from the fundamental signification glitter, shine, into the idea of outshining and superior capacity, overwhelming ability, might also, as a musical term, denote the conducting of the playing and singing as well as the leading of them. The signification to direct is here, however, excluded by the context, for the conductors were without doubt the three chief musicians or bandmasters (Capellenmeister), Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, with the cymbals, not the psaltery and lute players belonging to the second rank. The conducting must therefore be expressed by לְהַשְׁמִיעַ, and this word must mean “in order to give a clear tone,” i.e., to regulate the tune and the tone of the singing, while לְנַצֵּחַ signifies “to take the lead in playing;” cf. Del. on Psa 4:1. This word, moreover, is probably not to be restricted to the singers with the lutes, the third choir, but must be held to refer also to the second choir. The meaning then will be, that Heman, Asaph, and Ethan had cymbals to direct the song, while the other singers had partly psalteries, partly lutes, in order to play the accompaniment to the singing. The song of these two choirs is moreover distinguished and defined by עֲלָמֹות עַל and הַשְּׁמִינִית עַל. These words specify the kind of voices; עֲלָמֹות עַל after the manner of virgins, i.e., in the soprano; הַשְּׁמִינִית עַל, after the octave, i.e., in bass - al ottava bassa. See Del. on Psa 6:1; Psa 46:1. In 1Ch 15:22-24 the still remaining priests who were engaged in the solemn procession are enumerated.