1 Chronicles 16 in Hebrew & English

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Tenakh Study · Read 1 Chronicles in Hebrew and English, one chapter per page. Our Tenakh study meets every Wednesday at 7 pm (Central Time) on Zoom. Text us for the Zoom link. Our Messianic Jewish notes appear below each passage; tap Commentary above to hide them. The full commentary on this chapter is on our 1 Chronicles commentary page.

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Tenakh Study · 1 Chronicles 16:1–43

1 Chronicles, Chapter 16

דברי הימים א טז

The Ark is set in the tent David pitched, with offerings and gifts of bread and wine for the people; Asaf and his brethren are appointed to give thanks, David gives them his psalm of thanks, and Asaf, Oved-Edom, Tzadok, Heman and Yedutun are left to serve before the Ark and at Givon.

16:1So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.

אוַיָּבִ֨יאוּ֙ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיַּצִּ֣יגוּ אֹת֔וֹ בְּת֣וֹךְ הָאֹ֔הֶל אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽטָה־ל֖וֹ דָּוִ֑יד וַיַּקְרִ֛יבוּ עֹל֥וֹת וּשְׁלָמִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֥י הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

16:2And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Hashem.

בוַיְכַ֣ל דָּוִ֔יד מֵהַעֲל֥וֹת הָעֹלָ֖ה וְהַשְּׁלָמִ֑ים וַיְבָ֥רֶךְ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃

16:3And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.

גוַיְחַלֵּק֙ לְכָל־אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵאִ֖ישׁ וְעַד־אִשָּׁ֑ה לְאִישׁ֙ כִּכַּר־לֶ֔חֶם וְאֶשְׁפָּ֖ר וַאֲשִׁישָֽׁה׃

Commentary · 16:1–3

Bread, meat and wine before the Ark

These verses match 2 Samuel 6:17–19, and our 2 Samuel commentary covers the procession, Uzza, Oved-Edom and Michal at the window. David brings the offerings (the kohanim did the service) and blesses the people “in the name of Hashem” (16:2), the work the Torah gives the sons of Aharon (Numbers 6:27). David is not a kohen of Aharon’s line, yet he stands between Hashem and Israel and blesses them. Where the line between king and kohen runs comes back at the end of chapter 18.

Hebrew lesson: אֶשְׁפָּר וַאֲשִׁישָׁה (eshpar va’ashishah). Every Israelite, “both man and woman,” goes home with a loaf, an eshpar and an ashishah (16:3). The words are rare; the Talmud reads them as a portion of meat, “one-sixth of a bullock,” and a cake, “one-sixth of an ephah” (Pesachim 36b). Peace offerings are eaten by the one who brings them, and David makes the whole nation his guests, as Yeshua would feed the crowds and send them away full (Matthew 14:19–20).

Read more in the full commentary →

Asaf and his brethren appointed

16:4And he appointed certain of the Levi’im (Levites) to minister before the ark of Hashem, and to record, and to thank and praise Hashem God of Israel:

דוַיִּתֵּ֞ן לִפְנֵ֨י אֲר֧וֹן יְהוָ֛ה מִן־הַלְוִיִּ֖ם מְשָׁרְתִ֑ים וּלְהַזְכִּיר֙ וּלְהוֹד֣וֹת וּלְהַלֵּ֔ל לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

16:5Asaf (Asaph) the chief, and next to him Zecharyah (Zechariah), Ye’i’el (Jeiel), and Shemiramot (Shemiramoth), and Yechi’el (Jehiel), and Matityah (Mattithiah), and Eli’av (Eliab), and Benayahu (Benaiah), and Oved-Edom (Obed-edom): and Ye’i’el with psalteries and with harps; but Asaf made a sound with cymbals;

האָסָ֥ף הָרֹ֖אשׁ וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ זְכַרְיָ֑ה יְעִיאֵ֡ל וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת וִֽיחִיאֵ֡ל וּמַתִּתְיָ֡ה וֶאֱלִיאָ֡ב וּבְנָיָהוּ֩ וְעֹבֵ֨ד אֱדֹ֜ם וִֽיעִיאֵ֗ל בִּכְלֵ֤י נְבָלִים֙ וּבְכִנֹּר֔וֹת וְאָסָ֖ף בַּֽמְצִלְתַּ֥יִם מַשְׁמִֽיעַ׃

16:6Benayahu also and Yachazi’el (Jahaziel) the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

ווּבְנָיָ֥הוּ וְיַחֲזִיאֵ֖ל הַכֹּהֲנִ֑ים בַּחֲצֹצְר֣וֹת תָּמִ֔יד לִפְנֵ֖י אֲר֥וֹן בְּרִית־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

David’s psalm of thanks

16:7Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank Hashem into the hand of Asaf and his brethren.

זבַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא אָ֣ז נָתַ֤ן דָּוִיד֙ בָּרֹ֔אשׁ לְהֹד֖וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה בְּיַד־אָסָ֖ף וְאֶחָֽיו׃

Commentary · 16:4–7

Asaf and the Levi’im: to remember, to thank, to praise

Here Chronicles leaves Samuel behind. David sets up a standing service of song before the Ark and names the singers. The Levi’im are appointed לְהַזְכִּיר (lehazkir), “to cause to remember” (the English “to record”); לְהוֹדוֹת (lehodot), “to give thanks”; and לְהַלֵּל (lehallel), “to praise” (16:4). The song that follows does all three in order: it calls Israel to remember (16:12, 15), it opens and closes with hodu (16:8, 34), and it ends with the people’s praise (16:36). The kohanim keep their own part, the trumpets the Torah gives them “for a memorial before your God” (Numbers 10:10): Levi’im with harps, kohanim with trumpets, as the Torah divides the work.

Asaf is a Levite of the line of Gershom, and his psalms are the ones that ask “how long?” and remember the sanctuary in ruins (Psalm 74, 79). The man who would give words to the exile is the first appointed to sing before the Ark. Beside him stands Oved-Edom, in whose house the Ark rested three months; the man who kept the Ark in his house now keeps its gate.

Seder Olam Rabbah (chapter 14) records that from this day the Levi’im sang this psalm before the Ark every morning and evening, for forty-three years until the Temple was built. That is why the paragraph Hodu laHashem in our morning prayers is 1 Chronicles 16:8–36, word for word.

Read more in the full commentary →

16:8Give thanks unto Hashem, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people.

חהוֹד֤וּ לַֽיהוָה֙ קִרְא֣וּ בִשְׁמ֔וֹ הוֹדִ֥יעוּ בָעַמִּ֖ים עֲלִילֹתָֽיו׃

16:9Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him, talk you of all His wondrous works.

טשִׁ֤ירוּ לוֹ֙ זַמְּרוּ־ל֔וֹ שִׂ֖יחוּ בְּכָל־נִפְלְאֹתָֽיו׃

16:10Glory you in His holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek Hashem.

יהִֽתְהַֽלְלוּ֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם קָדְשׁ֔וֹ יִשְׂמַ֕ח לֵ֖ב מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

16:11Seek Hashem and His strength, seek His face continually.

יאדִּרְשׁ֤וּ יְהוָה֙ וְעֻזּ֔וֹ בַּקְּשׁ֥וּ פָנָ֖יו תָּמִֽיד׃

16:12Remember His marvellous works that He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth;

יבזִכְר֗וּ נִפְלְאֹתָיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה מֹפְתָ֖יו וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיהוּ׃

16:13O you seed of Israel His servant, you children of Ya’akov (Jacob), His chosen ones.

יגזֶ֚רַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עַבְדּ֔וֹ בְּנֵ֥י יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּחִירָֽיו׃

16:14He is Hashem our God; His judgments are in all the earth.

ידה֚וּא יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ בְּכָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ מִשְׁפָּטָֽיו׃

16:15Be you mindful always of His covenant; the word which He commanded to a thousand generations;

טוזִכְר֤וּ לְעוֹלָם֙ בְּרִית֔וֹ דָּבָ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה לְאֶ֥לֶף דּֽוֹר׃

16:16Even of the covenant which He made with Avraham (Abraham), and of His oath unto Yitzchak (Isaac);

טזאֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּרַת֙ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֔ם וּשְׁבוּעָת֖וֹ לְיִצְחָֽק׃

16:17And has confirmed the same to Ya’akov for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant,

יזוַיַּעֲמִידֶ֤הָ לְיַעֲקֹב֙ לְחֹ֔ק לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם׃

16:18Saying, “Unto you will I give the land of Kena’an (Canaan), the lot of your inheritance”;

יחלֵאמֹ֗ר לְךָ֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֔עַן חֶ֖בֶל נַחֲלַתְכֶֽם׃

16:19When you were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.

יטבִּֽהְיֽוֹתְכֶם֙ מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֔ר כִּמְעַ֖ט וְגָרִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃

16:20And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;

כוַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙ מִגּ֣וֹי אֶל־גּ֔וֹי וּמִמַּמְלָכָ֖ה אֶל־עַ֥ם אַחֵֽר׃

16:21He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, He reproved kings for their sakes,

כאלֹא־הִנִּ֤יחַ לְאִישׁ֙ לְעָשְׁקָ֔ם וַיּ֥וֹכַח עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מְלָכִֽים׃

16:22Saying, “Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm.”

כבאַֽל־תִּגְּעוּ֙ בִּמְשִׁיחָ֔י וּבִנְבִיאַ֖י אַל־תָּרֵֽעוּ׃

Commentary · 16:8–22

“Remember His covenant”: the song from Psalm 105

These fifteen verses are Psalm 105:1–15 with a handful of changes, and the changes teach. Psalm 105:8 says “He has remembered His covenant for ever.” Chronicles makes it a command, “Be you mindful always of His covenant” (16:15), זִכְרוּ לְעוֹלָם (zichru le’olam). Psalm 105:12 says “when they were but a few men”; Chronicles says “when you were but few” (16:19). The song turns from them to you. The Chronicler’s readers had just lived Psalm 105 again: few, strangers, carried “from nation to nation,” and brought back to “the lot of your inheritance.” The covenant is the reason they are home.

Hebrew lesson: הוֹדוּ (hodu), “give thanks.” The root means both to thank and to confess (Leviticus 5:5). Ariel Cohen Alloro, in his video “Lord's Prayer, Our Father, Pater Nostre – אבינו שבשמים – Part 2 of 2,” says to thank is to “recognize that everything that I receive, it’s not for me.” Thanks and confession are one act, admitting that what I have came from Someone else.

“Touch not My anointed” (16:22): in the plain sense these are Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov, and the kings reproved are Pharaoh and Avimelech. The Talmud reads: “‘Touch not My anointed’: these are the schoolchildren. ‘And do My prophets no harm’: these are the Torah scholars” (Shabbat 119b). A child learning Torah is as untouchable as a king, and Yeshua spoke in the same spirit: “of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14).

Read more in the full commentary →

Sing unto Hashem, all the earth

16:23Sing unto Hashem, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation.

כגשִׁ֤ירוּ לַֽיהוָה֙ כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ בַּשְּׂר֥וּ מִיּֽוֹם־אֶל־י֖וֹם יְשׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃

16:24Declare His glory among the heathen; His marvellous works among all nations.

כדסַפְּר֤וּ בַגּוֹיִם֙ אֶת־כְּבוֹד֔וֹ בְּכָל־הָעַמִּ֖ים נִפְלְאֹתָֽיו׃

16:25For great is Hashem, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods.

כהכִּי֩ גָד֨וֹל יְהוָ֤ה וּמְהֻלָּל֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְנוֹרָ֥א ה֖וּא עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

16:26For all the gods of the people are idols: but Hashem made the heavens.

כוכִּ֠י כָּל־אֱלֹהֵ֤י הָעַמִּים֙ אֱלִילִ֔ים וַיהוָ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם עָשָֽׂה׃

16:27Glory and honour are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place.

כזה֤וֹד וְהָדָר֙ לְפָנָ֔יו עֹ֥ז וְחֶדְוָ֖ה בִּמְקֹמֽוֹ׃

16:28Give unto Hashem, you kindreds of the people, give unto Hashem glory and strength.

כחהָב֤וּ לַֽיהוָה֙ מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת עַמִּ֔ים הָב֥וּ לַיהוָ֖ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃

16:29Give unto Hashem the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and come before Him: worship Hashem in the beauty of holiness.

כטהָב֥וּ לַיהוָ֖ה כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ שְׂא֤וּ מִנְחָה֙ וּבֹ֣אוּ לְפָנָ֔יו הִשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ לַיהוָ֖ה בְּהַדְרַת־קֹֽדֶשׁ׃

16:30Fear before Him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.

לחִ֤ילוּ מִלְּפָנָיו֙ כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אַף־תִּכּ֥וֹן תֵּבֵ֖ל בַּל־תִּמּֽוֹט׃

16:31Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, “Hashem reigns.”

לאיִשְׂמְח֤וּ הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ וְתָגֵ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ וְיֹאמְר֥וּ בַגּוֹיִ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה מָלָֽךְ׃

16:32Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.

לביִרְעַ֤ם הַיָּם֙ וּמְלוֹא֔וֹ יַעֲלֹ֥ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בּֽוֹ׃

16:33Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of Hashem, because He comes to judge the earth.

לגאָ֥ז יְרַנְּנ֖וּ עֲצֵ֣י הַיָּ֑עַר מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה כִּי־בָ֖א לִשְׁפּ֥וֹט אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Commentary · 16:23–33

“Hashem reigns”: the song from Psalm 96

The song turns to the nations: these verses are Psalm 96, which we sing on Friday night. Chronicles drops its opening “new song,” which FFOZ notes the Bible mentions “primarily in connection with the Day of the LORD… and the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom” (End of Days, Lessons 22–23, “The Ten Tribes–Shechinah”). Where Psalm 96 says “strength and beauty are in His sanctuary,” Chronicles says “strength and gladness are in His place” (16:27). There was no sanctuary yet, only a tent, and the singers changed the words to fit what stood before them: honesty in worship, and also hope.

Hebrew lesson: יְהוָה מָלָךְ (Hashem malach), “Hashem reigns” (16:31). The verb is the past form, “has become king,” the shout raised at a coronation: “Avshalom reigns in Chevron” (2 Samuel 15:10). It announces an enthronement, and the Ark coming to rest in Tziyon is that enthronement in miniature.

Messianic reading. FFOZ hears in the elders’ song of Revelation 11:17 the synagogue refrain “The LORD reigns, the LORD has reigned, the LORD will reign forever,” and then “The ark of the covenant is revealed” (End of Days, Lesson 48, “Seven Thunders”). Here the Ark comes to rest and Israel sings Hashem malach; there the elders sing it and the Ark is seen. It was the heart of Yeshua’s preaching, “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). The son of David sits on the throne; the kingdom is Hashem’s.

Read more in the full commentary →

16:34O give thanks unto Hashem; for He is good; for His mercy endures for ever.

לדהוֹד֤וּ לַיהוָה֙ כִּ֣י ט֔וֹב כִּ֥י לְעוֹלָ֖ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

16:35And say you, “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, and glory in Your praise.”

להוְאִמְר֕וּ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֨נוּ֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׁעֵ֔נוּ וְקַבְּצֵ֥נוּ וְהַצִּילֵ֖נוּ מִן־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם לְהֹדוֹת֙ לְשֵׁ֣ם קָדְשֶׁ֔ךָ לְהִשְׁתַּבֵּ֖חַ בִּתְהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃

16:36Blessed be Hashem God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, “Amen,” and praised Hashem.

לובָּר֤וּךְ יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִן־הָעוֹלָ֖ם וְעַ֣ד הָעֹלָ֑ם וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ כָל־הָעָם֙ אָמֵ֔ן וְהַלֵּ֖ל לַֽיהוָֽה׃

Commentary · 16:34–36

“Save us, and gather us”: the song from Psalm 106

The last verses are the first verse and the last two of Psalm 106, the great confession of Israel’s sins from Egypt to the exile; David gives Asaf its frame and leaves out the confession. On the day the Ark came to Tziyon, with the kingdom at its height, Israel prayed “gather us together” (16:35). The commentators on Psalm 106 understand that David spoke of the exile by the Spirit and put the prayer for return in Israel’s mouth ahead of time. The Chronicler’s readers were the ones gathered, a first installment, still praying for the rest. So are we: the Amidah asks Hashem to “gather our exiles,” and Yeshua promised that the Son of Man “shall gather together his elect from the four winds” (Matthew 24:31).

“For His mercy endures for ever,” כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ (ki le’olam chasdo), becomes the Levi’im’s refrain. They sang it when the Ark entered Shlomo’s Temple (2 Chronicles 5:13) and when the returned exiles laid the foundation of the Second Temple (Ezra 3:11). The Chronicler’s own generation had sung these words over rubble.

“For ever and ever” (16:36) is literally “from everlasting to everlasting.” The Mishnah says that when heretics taught there is only one world, the sages ordained the doubled phrase (Mishnah Berakhot 9:5): it confesses this world and the world to come. And where Psalm 106:48 commands “let all the people say, Amen,” Chronicles reports that they did.

Read more in the full commentary →

Before the Ark and at Givon

16:37So he left there before the ark of the covenant of Hashem Asaf and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required:

לזוַיַּֽעֲזָב־שָׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ אֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָ֔ה לְאָסָ֖ף וּלְאֶחָ֑יו לְשָׁרֵ֞ת לִפְנֵ֧י הָאָר֛וֹן תָּמִ֖יד לִדְבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃

16:38And Oved-Edom with their brethren, sixty and eight; Oved-Edom also the son of Yeditun (Jeduthun) and Chosah (Hosah) to be porters:

לחוְעֹבֵ֥ד אֱדֹ֛ם וַאֲחֵיהֶ֖ם שִׁשִּׁ֣ים וּשְׁמוֹנָ֑ה וְעֹבֵ֨ד אֱדֹ֧ם בֶּן־יְדִית֛וּן וְחֹסָ֖ה לְשֹׁעֲרִֽים׃

16:39And Tzadok (Zadok) the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of Hashem in the high place that was at Givon (Gibeon),

לטוְאֵ֣ת ׀ צָד֣וֹק הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְאֶחָיו֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים לִפְנֵ֖י מִשְׁכַּ֣ן יְהוָ֑ה בַּבָּמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּגִבְעֽוֹן׃

16:40To offer burnt offerings unto Hashem upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the Torah of Hashem, which He commanded Israel;

מלְֽהַעֲלוֹת֩ עֹל֨וֹת לַיהוָ֜ה עַל־מִזְבַּ֧ח הָעֹלָ֛ה תָּמִ֖יד לַבֹּ֣קֶר וְלָעָ֑רֶב וּלְכָל־הַכָּתוּב֙ בְּתוֹרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

16:41And with them Heman and Yedutun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to Hashem, because His mercy endures for ever;

מאוְעִמָּהֶם֙ הֵימָ֣ן וִֽידוּת֔וּן וּשְׁאָר֙ הַבְּרוּרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִקְּב֖וּ בְּשֵׁמ֑וֹת לְהֹדוֹת֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י לְעוֹלָ֖ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃

16:42And with them Heman and Yedutun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Yedutun were porters.

מבוְעִמָּהֶם֩ הֵימָ֨ן וִֽידוּת֜וּן חֲצֹצְר֤וֹת וּמְצִלְתַּ֨יִם֙ לְמַשְׁמִיעִ֔ים וּכְלֵ֖י שִׁ֣יר הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וּבְנֵ֥י יְדוּת֖וּן לַשָּֽׁעַר׃

16:43And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.

מגוַיֵּלְכ֥וּ כָל־הָעָ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ לְבֵית֑וֹ וַיִּסֹּ֥ב דָּוִ֖יד לְבָרֵ֥ךְ אֶת־בֵּיתֽוֹ׃

Commentary · 16:37–43

Two places of worship: before the Ark and at Givon

This is the detail only Chronicles gives. From this day until the Temple, Israel’s worship had two centers. In Yerushalayim, in David’s tent, stood the Ark, and Asaf sang before it. At Givon stood the Mishkan Moshe built in the wilderness, with Betzalel’s bronze altar, and there Tzadok offered the daily tamid, with Heman and Yedutun singing. The Presence was in one place and the altar in another. The Mishnah traces the Mishkan from Gilgal to Shiloh, Nov and Givon (Mishnah Zevachim 14:4–8), which is why the text calls Givon “the high place” without embarrassment.

Tzadok is the father of the priests of the Messianic age. FFOZ notes that in Ezekiel’s Temple only his descendants serve at the altar, “because ‘they kept charge of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me’” (End of Days, Lesson 20, “Hamon-Gog”). Faithfulness in the less glamorous place is how Tzadok’s house was chosen.

The song in Yerushalayim was new, written by David; the service at Givon was old, written by Moshe, “according to all that is written in the Torah of Hashem” (16:40). New songs, yes; a new Torah, never. We live in something like that season: the praise of Hashem goes up in Yeshua’s name among the nations, while the altar and the kohanim wait for the House. Shlomo will bring the Tent of Meeting up into the Temple (2 Chronicles 5:5), and the two services become one.

Read more in the full commentary →

Sources & method

Hebrew text: The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
English translation: The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
Verse numbers: Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 1 Chronicles they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 5, 6 and 12; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
Commentary: Written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective, in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith. It reads the passage first in its Torah setting, then with the Sages, and then with the witness of the Brit Hadashah. Its sources include the Talmud and Midrash, Rashi, Radak, Rambam, the First Fruits of Zion End of Days lessons, and teachings of Rabbi Efraim Palvanov and Ariel Cohen Alloro. Numerical readings (gematria) are offered as hints, not proofs. The notes here are short versions of our full 1 Chronicles commentary, which is a draft for our teachers to review. They are shown by default; tap Commentary to hide them.
Quiz: Written by Benei Avraham for young readers (about 11 and up). Every answer is in the chapter on this page. Answers and scores are kept only in this browser (local storage) and can be cleared with Start over.
Hebrew font: SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.

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1 Chronicles 16 (Divrei HaYamim Alef) in Hebrew and English

1 Chronicles, Chapter 16

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