1 Chronicles 15:16 kjva — And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psa…

King James Version with Apocrypha

"And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy."

— 1 Chronicles 15:16, King James Version with Apocrypha

Read in Another Translation

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1 Chronicles 15:16 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.”

  • ASV

    “And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren the singers, with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy. ”

  • WEB

    “David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers the singers, with instruments of music, stringed instruments and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy.”

  • NET

    “David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully.”

  • DRB

    “And David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites, to appoint some of their brethren to be singers with musical instruments, to wit, on psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, that the joyful noise might resound on high.”

  • BBE

    “And David gave orders to the chief of the Levites to put their brothers the music-makers in position, with instruments of music, corded instruments and brass, with glad voices making sounds of joy.”

1 Chronicles 15 — Context

13

For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.

14

So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel.

15

And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord.

16

And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

17

So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;

18

And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed–edom, and Jeiel, the porters.

19

So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;

1 Chronicles 15:16 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 1 Chronicles 15:16 say?
1 Chronicles 15:16 in the King James Version with Apocrypha reads: “And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.”
Where is 1 Chronicles 15:16 in the Bible?
1 Chronicles 15:16 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 15, verse 16.
Who wrote 1 Chronicles?
1 Chronicles is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Ezra). It was written c. 450–425 BC.
What is the book of 1 Chronicles about?
1 Chronicles retells Israel's history from a priestly, post-exilic perspective. After extensive genealogies, it focuses on David — his reign, his preparations for the temple, and the line through which God's eternal kingdom would come.
What are the major themes of 1 Chronicles?
1 Chronicles explores themes including Genealogy, David's Reign, Temple Preparation, Worship, Continuity. These themes shape the meaning and context of 1 Chronicles 15:16.
What translation should I read 1 Chronicles 15:16 in?
1 Chronicles 15:16 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 1 Chronicles 15:16?
1 Chronicles 15:16 reads (KJVA): “And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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