The Pulpit Commentary
These three verses rather belong to the close of the last chapter, and they carry on the parallel of 2Sa_6:1-23. in its 2Sa_6:17-19.

In the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. So 1Ch_15:1 distinctly states that David had "pitched a tent" for the ark, and evidently to be ready for its arrival. On the other hand, there is no mention of any such tent having been got in readiness in 1Ch_13:1-14. or in 2Sa_6:1-11, which give the account of the attempt that disastrously failed. The expressions which are there used would rather lead to the conclusion that David's intention was to take the sacred structure into his own home (2Sa_6:9, 2Sa_6:10; 1Ch_13:12, 1Ch_13:13), for a while, at all events. The אֹהֶל (tent) of the original designates, when Intended strictly, a haircloth covering, resting on poles or planks (Exo_26:7, Exo_26:11; Exo_36:14, Exo_36:19). The first occasion of the use of the word is found in Gen_4:20. The סֻכָּח (booth) was made of leaves and branches interwoven (Le 23:34, 40; 42; Deu_16:13). The מִשְׁכָּן (tabernacle) was the dwelling-place or pavilion, which owned to the ten inner curtains as well as the outer covering and the framework (Exo_25:9; Exo_26:1, Exo_26:12-15, etc.; Exo_39:32; Exo_40:2, Exo_40:29). The first occurrence of this word is in the first of these last-quoted references. Burnt sacrifices and peace offerings. The identical words of 2Sa_6:17, 2Sa_6:18, where the Authorized Version translates "burnt offerings and peace offerings." These were the two great sacrifices—the former speaking of atonement (Le 2Sa_1:3-9, etc.), the latter of reconciliation effected and the enjoyment of peace (Le 2Sa_3:1-5, etc.). Neither here nor in the parallel place is any mention made of the altar upon which these sacrifices were offered.

The Pulpit Commentary
He blessed the people in the name of the Lord; i.e. reverently in the Name of the Lord, and as vividly conscious of being in his presence, he pronounces blessings upon the people, and by short ejaculatory prayer and holy wish further begs for them those blessings which God only can give. In the time of David and Solomon (1Ki_8:14) the king realized far more closely the idea of the paternal relation to the people than had ever been since the time of the patriarchs of the elder days.

The Pulpit Commentary
Each little clause of this verse is replete with interest. The royal giver, who now dealt to every one of Israel, was, after all, but a channel; yes, and only one channel, through which the fulness and the bounty of the royal Giver of every good and perfect gift, of all good whatsoever, of all things necessary to life and godliness, are supplied to every one of his creature-subjects. But it is highest honour, as servant and instrument alone, to figure forth him in any way. The second little clause tells us either that women took a recognized place on occasion of this joyous festival, or that the hospitality of such an occasion did not forget them and their homes. And the following three little clauses require closer examination. The word here translated "loaf" in the expression loaf of bread is כִּכַּר, for which in this sense we may turn to Exo_29:23; Jdg_8:5; 1Sa_2:36; 1Sa_10:3; Pro_6:26; Jer_37:21. The corresponding word, however, in the parallel place is חַלַח (for which see Exo_29:2, Exo_29:23; Le Exo_2:4; Exo_7:12, Exo_7:13; Exo_8:26; Exo_24:5; Num_6:15, Num_6:19; Num_15:20). The essential meaning of the former word is a circle, hence applied to the cake because of its shape, and of the latter word perforation, hence applied to the cake because it was perforated. A good piece of flesh. This is the Authorized Version rendering of אֶשְׁפָּר, which occurs only in the parallel place and here. The Vulgate translates assatura bubulae carnis; the Septuagint, ἐσχαρίτη. The imagined derivation of the word from פָּר (ox) and אֵשׁ (fire), or from שָׁפַד (to burn), seems to be what has led to these translations, helped, perhaps, by the apparent convenience of adapting meat from the sacrifice to the bread. But Gesenius, Rodiger, Keil, and others prefer the derivation שָׁפַר (to measure), and they would render "a measure" of wine. And a flagon. This is the Authorized Version rendering of the original אֲשִׁישָׁה, found in the parallel place as well as here, and also in the only other places (two in number, and in the plural) where it occurs (Son_2:5; Hos_3:1). But there is no doubt, or but little, that the rendering should rather be "dried, pressed cakes of raisins or grapes." It is then to be derived from the root אָשַׁשׁ (to press). The substantive has both masculine and feminine form in plural. The Vulgate translates similam frixam oleo, which means a "baked cake of flour and oil;" and the Septuagint, λάγανον ἀπὸ τηγάνου in the parallel places. But here the Septuagint reads ἄρτον ἐ͂να ἀρτοκοπικὸν καὶ ἀμορίτην as the whole account of the loaf, the good piece of flesh, and the flagon.

The Pulpit Commentary
These verses contain a statement of the arrangement David made of a more permanent nature, but to date from this commencement, for the service of thanksgiving by the Levites.

To minister; i.e. to officiate, as we should say, in the service before the ark. The verse seems to describe what should be the essence of that service. It was threefold—to record, to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel. The word here used for "record" is the Hiph. of זָכַר (to remember), and is remarked upon by Gesenius as a title strictly appropriate to the character of the two psalms 38. and 70; on the head of which it stands, as meaning, "to make others remember" (see also such passages as Exo_20:24; 2Sa_8:16; 2Sa_18:18; 2Sa_20:24; Isa_43:26; Isa_63:7). The minds of the people were to be refreshed in this service and in their very psalm of praise (so note in this sense 1Ch_16:8, 1Ch_16:9, 1Ch_16:12, 1Ch_16:21, etc.), by being reminded or told, so far as the youngest of them might be concerned, of God's marvellous and merciful deeds for their forefathers of many, many a generation. Then they were to give intelligent and hearty thanks. And, lastly, they were to offer to approach that purest form of worship which consists in adoring praise. One might imagine with what zest they would have accepted, with what fervour they would have added lip and instrument of music to it—that one verse which needed the revolution yet of nearly another three thousand years, that it might flow from the devotion or' Addison.

"When all thy mercies, O my God,

My rising soul surveys,

Transported with the view I'm lost

In wonder, love, and praise."

The Pulpit Commentary
Obed-edom. No colon should follow this name. And the first time of the occurrence of the name Jeiel in this verse should probably have shown the Jaaziel of 1Ch_15:18. The contents of this verse put us, then, into possession of this much, that Asaph presided (1Ch_6:39) at this musical service, and that his instrument was the cymbals (1Ch_15:19), with which time was kept; that Zechariah was next to him, and, with eight others formed a band, who played on psalteries (or lutes) and harps. If we may guide ourselves by verse 20, 21 of the preceding chapter, three of these—viz. Mattithia, Jeiel, Obed-edom—performed on the harp, the other six on the psaltery, or lute.

The Pulpit Commentary
Jahaziel. Probably the Eliezer, who in 1Ch_15:24 is coupled as priest with Benaiah, should stand in the place of this name or else vice versa.

The Pulpit Commentary
The rendering should run, On that day did David first commit to the hand of Asaph and his brethren to render praises to Jehovah; i.e. after the following manner and words. The word first marks the solemn establishment of set public worship in the metropolis.

The Pulpit Commentary
These verses, then, provide the form of praise which David wished to be used on this, and probably in grateful repetition on some succeeding occasions. David makes selections from four psalms already known; for it cannot be supposed that the verses we have hero were the original, and that they were afterwards supplemented. The first fifteen verses (viz. 8-22) are from Psa_105:1-15. The next eleven verses (23-33) are from Psa_96:1-13; but a small portion of the first and last of these verses is omitted. Our thirty-fourth verso is identical with Psalm evil. 1; Psa_118:1; Psa_136:1; and forms the larger part of Psa_106:1. It is, in fact, a doxology. And our thirty-fifth and thirty-sixth verses consist of a short responsive ("and say ye") invocation, followed by another doxology. These are taken from Psa_106:47, Psa_106:48. Hereupon "all the people" are directed to find the final outburst of praise to Jehovah, and "Amen." In the first of these selections (Psa_106:8-23) there is no material variation from the language of the psalm itself. Yet the original psalm has Abraham, where our own thirteenth verse reads Israel. And the original psalm uses the third person, where our fifteenth and nineteenth verses have the second person. In the second selection it is worthy of note that our Psa_106:29, "Come before him," probably preserves the ante-temple reading, while Psa_96:8 was afterwards, to fit temple times, altered into, "Come into his courts." The arrangement of all the succeeding clauses does not exactly agree with the arrangement of them found in the psalm, as for instance in the latter half of our verse 30 and in verse 31, compared with the clauses of Psa_96:10,Psa_96:11 of the psalm. Again, one clause of the tenth verse of the psalm, "He shall judge the people righteously," is not found in either alternative position open to it through the inversion of clauses, in our verses 80, 81. The rhythm and metre of the psalm are, however, equally unexceptionable. The whole of the twenty-nine verses of this Psalm of praise (Psa_96:8 -36 inclusive) are divided into portions of three verses each, except the portion verses 23-27 inclusive which consists of five verses. As regards the matter of it, it may be remarked on as breaking into two parts, in the first of which (Psa_96:8 -22) the people are reminded of their past history anti of the marvellous providence which had governed their career from Abraham to the time they were settled in Canaan, but in the second (verses 23-36) their thought is enlarged, their sympathies immensely widened, so as to include all the world, and their view is borne on to the momentous reality of judgment.

These verses are an animated invocation to thanks and praise.

The call to thanksgiving and to the praise of adoration is nosy in these verses suceeded by an earnest admonition to practical seeking of the Lord, and mindful obedience to him.

These verses rehearse the ancient and blissful covenant which had made Israel so to differ. These are called mine anointed… my prophets, in harmony with what we read in the splendid passage, Exo_19:3-6. The substitution in our Exo_19:15, Exo_19:19 of the second person pronoun plural, in place of the third person of the psalm, helps speak the reality of this occasion and its dramatic correctness. The literal original of our Authorized Version in Exo_19:19, but few, even a few, is, men of number, i.e. men who could easily be numbered.

The grandeur and unusual comprehensiveness of the adoration and homage here proclaimed, as to be offered to the omnipotent Ruler of all nations, should be well pondered. Our eye and ear may have become too familiar with it, but when put a little into relief, and referred to its original time of day, it is fit to be ranked among the strongest moral evidences of inspiration in the word and the speaker.

This verse is composed of the latter half of each of the first two verses of the psalm (96.).

The Pulpit Commentary
These verses, from the first, forty-seventh, and forty-eighth of Psa_106:1-48, must have suggested the sad intermediate contents of that psalm, the significant key-note of which is sounded in our thirty-fifth verse. The suggestion in the midst of the unbounded gladness of this day is affecting, and must have been intended for salutary lesson and timely warning. In the midst of the fulness of praise and joy, the people are led to prayer—say ye—and the prayer is an humble petition for salvation, union, and protection from every enemy. God's treatment of his anointed people had been on his part one continued protection and one prolonged salvation. Yet they had often neither prayed for these nor acknowledged them. Now they are led again by the hand, as it were, to the footstool of the throne.

These verses give the now new-ordained distribution of priests and Levites, to minister and to attend to the service of praise before the ark. And the first of them may be considered to mark an important step in advance in the crystallizing of the world's ecclesiastical institutions. Asaph and his brethren of song are left there before the ark of the covenant… to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required. A permanent local ministry and choir are thus established, with a fixity of place on Zion, and regularity of time that had been hitherto unattainable.

Obed-edom with their brethren. Explanation is needed of the plural pronoun "their." Either another name is wanted with Obed-edom, or tacit reference is made to "Asaph and his brethren," as though the name Asaph had not been followed in its own place by the clause "and his brethren." Keil draws attention to the "three score and two" of 1Ch_26:8, in connection with the three score and eight of this place; and it has been proposed to make up this number by some of the sons of Hosah, of our following verse and of 1Ch_26:11. In this case the name Hesah might be the name missing before, "and their brethren." Conjecture, however, has not sufficient clue here to warrant it, and the textual state of this verse must be debited with the obscurity. The ambiguity respecting the name Obed-edom has already (1Ch_13:14) been alluded to. Neglecting this ambiguity, it may be repeated that Obed-edom,… son of Jedithun (as the Keri of this passage is) was a Merarite Levite, while Obed-edom son of Jeduthun (1Ch_15:25) was of Gath-rimmon, a Gittite (2Sa_6:10-12; Jos_21:24), a Kohathite (1Ch_6:66, 1Ch_6:69), and a Korhite (1Ch_26:1-5).

The Pulpit Commentary
While those above-mentioned were to officiate before the ark on Zion, those mentioned in this and following verses are the officiating staff at Gibson. It is now brought into prominence that the ark and the tabernacle are in two separate places. The great ordinary sacrifices and services, "all that is written in the Law of the Lord," are carefully observed on the original altar (Exo_38:2) in the tabernacle. Other and special sacrifices evidently were offered in the presence of the ark. The tabernacle erected in the wilderness was first stationed at Shiloh (Jos_18:1; 1Sa_4:3, 1Sa_4:4). The occasion of its removal to Nob (1Sa_21:1; 1Sa_22:19) is not narrated. The present passage first tells us where it had been since the slaughter of the priests at Saul's command by Doeg the Edomite. Some distinct statement, like that of 1Ch_21:29 and 2Ch_1:3, might have been expected here. Zadok the priest is given (1Ch_6:4-9) as in the line of Eleazar.

The Pulpit Commentary
To offer burnt offerings; i.e. the customary morning and evening sacrifices.

1Ch_16:41, 1Ch_16:42

Comparing these verses with 1Ch_16:4-6 and 1Ch_16:37-40, it may be supposed that we are intended to understand that of all who were set apart and who had been expressed by name (as e.g. 1Ch_15:4-24), some were now formally appointed to serve before the ark, and some in the tabernacle at Gibeon. The confusion existing in these verses by the repetition of the preposition with, and the proper names Heman and Jeduthun, betrays some corruptness of text. The Septuagint does not show them in the latter verse. The sons of Jeduthun are found in 1Ch_25:3.

(See 2Sa_6:19, 2Sa_6:20.)