Commentaria in I Paralipomenon
Chapter 15. Synopsis of the Chapter
David brings the ark with pomp into Sion, and rejoices before it dancing. For this his wife Michol despises him, but is punished by God with barrenness.
1. And he made himself houses in the city of David, and built a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. 2. Then David said: It is not lawful that the ark of God should be carried by any but the Levites, whom the Lord hath chosen to carry it, and to minister to him for ever. 3. And he assembled all Israel in Jerusalem, that the ark of God might be brought to its place, which he had prepared for it; 4. and also the sons of Aaron, and the Levites. 5. Of the sons of Caath, Uriel was chief; and his brethren a hundred and twenty. 6. Of the sons of Merari, Asaia was chief; and his brethren two hundred and twenty. 7. Of the sons of Gersom, Joel was chief; and his brethren a hundred and thirty. 8. Of the sons of Elisaphan, Semeias was chief; and his brethren two hundred. 9. Of the sons of Hebron, Eliel was chief; and his brethren eighty. 10. Of the sons of Oziel, Aminadab was chief; and his brethren a hundred and twelve. 11. And David called Sadoc and Abiathar the priests, and the Levites, Uriel, Asaia, Joel, Semeia, Eliel, and Aminadab; 12. and said to them: You that are the chiefs of the families of the Levites, be sanctified with your brethren; and bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place that is prepared for it: 13. lest, as at the beginning, because you were not present, the Lord struck us, so it happen now, if we do any unlawful thing. 14. So the priests and the Levites were sanctified, to carry the ark of the Lord God of Israel. 15. And the children of Levi took the ark of God, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord, upon their shoulders, with the staves. 16. And David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites, to appoint some of their brethren to be singers with musical instruments, that is, psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, that the sound of joy might resound on high. 17. And they appointed Levites: Heman the son of Joel, and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Barachias; and of the sons of Merari, their brethren, Ethan the son of Casaias. 18. And with them their brethren: in the second rank, Zacharias, and Ben, and Jaziel, and Semiramoth, and Jahiel, and Ani, Eliab, and Banaias, and Maasias, and Mathathias, and Eliphalu, and Macenias, and Obededom, and Jehiel, porters. 19. And the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, sounded with cymbals of brass. 20. And Zacharias, and Oziel, and Semiramoth, and Jahiel, and Ani, and Eliab, and Maasias, and Banaias, sang mysteries on psalteries. 21. And Mathathias, and Eliphalu, and Macenias, and Obededom, and Jehiel, and Ozaziu, sang a song of victory on harps for the octave. 22. And Chonenias, chief of the Levites, was over the prophets, to lead the melody: for he was very skilful. 23. And Barachias and Elcana were porters of the ark. 24. And Sebenias, and Josaphat, and Nathanael, and Amasai, and Zacharias, and Banaias, and Eliezer, priests, sounded with trumpets before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehias were porters of the ark. 25. So David and all the ancients of Israel, and the captains of thousands, went to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy. 26. And when God helped the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bullocks and seven rams were sacrificed. 27. And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that carried the ark, and the singers, and Chonenias the chief of the prophecy among the singers: David also was clothed with a linen ephod. 28. And all Israel brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord with joyful shouting, and sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and cymbals, and psalteries, and harps. 29. And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come to the city of David, Michol the daughter of Saul, looking out through a window, saw king David dancing and playing, and she despised him in her heart.
13. Because you were not present.—From this some gather that Oza was struck by God because, not being a priest, he touched the ark. For it belonged to the priests to touch it and carry it on their shoulders. See what I said on 2 Kings 6. Others, from “be sanctified,” gather that Oza was struck because he had contracted some stain, and had not before touching the ark expiated and sanctified himself from it. But “be sanctified” belongs to the priests, who could not touch the ark unless they had first purged and sanctified themselves from all legal uncleanness, otherwise they would be struck by God just as Oza was, and this alone is what David means here.
20. Sang mysteries on psalteries,—namely psalms, which in Hebrew are inscribed Olamoth, that is, hidden and secret things, such as Psalm 9 and 45. These two psalms are so placed in this place that they seem to have been composed by David for this solemn translation of the ark. Now the Nablum was a musical instrument which took in air in its belly, as if in a bag (for nebel is a bag), and sent it out through a pipe with harmony, without anyone’s blowing. Hence the one using it was called a Piper and Ascaules; for askos is a bag.
21. They sang a song of victory on harps for the octave,—as if to say: They sang the psalms which are inscribed in Hebrew al sceminith, that is, upon the octave or for the octave, either because they were to be sung with eight voices, or because with an eight-stringed instrument, e.g. a harp furnished with eight strings (for some were four-stringed, others seven-stringed, others ten-stringed); for sceminith means eight; see what I said on 2 Kings 6:13.
For “a song of victory” the Hebrew is nefsach, which Vatablus translates, to prevail, that is, to raise the voice so that the other singers are overcome, as is now done by the Alto or upper voice; for the one singing Alto by the raising of his voice surpasses the Tenor, Countertenor and Bass. Better does our Vulgate translate: “Epinicion,” that is, a triumphal song, or for victory. See what I said on 2 Kings 6:13.
22. And Chonenias, chief of the Levites, was over the prophets, to lead the melody.—For “prophets” the Hebrew is massa, that is, lifting, taking up, and hence a burden lifted and taken on the shoulders, and hence by metaphor a sad and burdensome prophecy; hence first, some here translate: Chonenias was over the burden and the burdened; because it was his task to instruct the bearers of the ark how they should advance, rest, change turns, etc.
Secondly, others translate: “He was over the prophets,” that is, he prescribed to the singers the prophecies which they should sing. For singers are often called Prophets, and to prophesy is the same as to sing and praise God. So Saul “prophesied,” that is, sang the praises of God, 1 Kings 10:5.
Thirdly, the Hebrews in St. Jerome in the Traditions: “he was over prophecy,” that is, they say, he recalled to the singers’ memory the melodies and words of the prophecy.
Fourthly, the Septuagint translate best: He was chief in the lifting up; Vatablus, in the raising of the voice, as if to say: Chonenias was the precentor, and intoned with a higher voice, and led the melody of the psalm to be sung; which the other singers then followed, as the Cantors and Prefects of music do in choir. That this is so is clear from the fact that our translator, explaining, subjoins: in Hebrew it is the same word massa which a little before our Vulgate translated “prophecy”; here therefore it was nothing else than melody.
For he was very skilful.—In Hebrew mebin, that is, understanding, that is, most skilled in music and in singing.
Such, indeed, ought precentors to be.
that in carrying the ark they should feel no burden, say the Rabbis. But this is a fable. Hear Lyranus from the Hebrews, aptly to the present matter: “The Hebrews say,” he says, “that this help is understood by this, that the ark carried itself, that is, that it was so carried by divine power that the Levites who bore it felt no weight; and for that miracle a sacrifice was made.” But I say: God helped them by encouraging them, supplying strength and especially love, so that they bore the ark willingly, and therefore scarcely felt the burden. Wherefore that miracle was not so much one of power as of charity. For this made that burden, otherwise very heavy, seem very light to those who loved. Josephus adds that those who went before the ark singing, and dancing, and playing musical instruments, although they spent the whole day in that labour, felt no weariness from their labour. For the love with which they served that divine oracle did not suffer their strength to diminish, but rather made them more vigorous with each hour.
27. And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen,—namely a linen ephod, which elsewhere is called byssine; for byssus is a finer and more delicate linen.
26. And when God helped the Levites,—so that none David, having placed the ark in the tabernacle of Sion, offers victims; then blesses the people, and gives them a feast. He distributes to the Levites their ministries about the ark, and in verse 8 praises God in a canticle.