Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 15:19
The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David directs Levite leaders to organize musicians for the ark's transport, assigning Heman, Asaph, and Ethan the specific duty of sounding bronze cymbals. The surrounding list of brothers and gatekeepers establishes this as part of a structured procession rather than spontaneous praise.
The words — The Hebrew מְצִלְתַּיִם נְחֹשֶׁת (m.tzil.tai.nachoshet) literally denotes "bronze cymbals," specifying the instrument's material composition. The infinitive לְהַשְׁמִיעַ (le.hashmi'a) carries the direct command to produce a loud, audible sound.
The thread — This assignment fulfills David's earlier directive to appoint Levite singers (1 Chronicles 15:16) and aligns with the later formalization of temple music under the fathers' supervision (1 Chronicles 25:6). The instrumentation mirrors the celebratory brass and string usage recorded during the ark's initial transport (1 Chronicles 13:8).
Why it lands — The text establishes a fixed personnel and material protocol for worship, removing ambiguity from the procession's execution. Readers must account for how designated individuals and specific metals functioned as the audible framework for the ark's return.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 25:6 All these were under the direction of their fathers for the music of the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the direction of the king.
- 1 Chronicles 13:8 David and all the Israelites were celebrating before God with all their might, with songs and on harps and lyres, with tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.
- 1 Chronicles 15:16 David also told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers to lift up their voices with joy, accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals.
- 1 Chronicles 16:5 Asaph was the chief, Zechariah was second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They were to play the harps and lyres, while Asaph sounded the cymbals
- 1 Chronicles 16:42 Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals for the music and instruments for the songs of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.
- 1 Chronicles 25:1 Additionally, David and the commanders of the army set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy with the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals. The following is the list of the men who performed this service:
- Psalms 150:5 Praise Him with clashing cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals.