1 Chronicles 16:37

So David left Asaph and his associates there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to minister there regularly according to the daily requirements,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator records David’s administrative decision following the ark’s placement in Jerusalem, establishing a permanent worship roster. This action immediately follows the congregation’s final response to the psalm in 1 Chronicles 16:36.

The words — The verb וַיַּעֲזֹב (va.ya‘a.zov) literally means “he left” or “he caused to remain,” marking a permanent assignment. The prepositional phrase לִפְנֵי הָאָרוֹן (li.pnei ha.a.ron) translates directly to “before the ark,” specifying the exact location of the assigned duty.

The thread — This established service structure recurs in 2 Chronicles 8:14 and undergirds the daily burnt offerings described in Ezra 3:4. The personnel roster derives from the Levitical divisions initially organized in 1 Chronicles 15:17.

Why it lands — The text requires acknowledgment that Israel’s worship was bound to continuous, daily maintenance rather than sporadic events. It demands submission to the liturgical order appointed before the covenant symbol.

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

וַיַּֽעֲזָב־va/i.ya.'a.zov-and/ he left שָׁ֗םShamthere לִפְנֵי֙li/f.Nei<to>/ before אֲר֣וֹן'a.Ron[the] ark of בְּרִית־be.rit-[the] covenant of יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh לְאָסָ֖ףle./'a.Saf<to>/ Asaph וּלְאֶחָ֑יוu./le./'e.Cha/vand/ <to>/ relatives/ his לְשָׁרֵ֞תle./sha.Retto/ serve לִפְנֵ֧יli/f.Nei<to>/ before הָאָר֛וֹןha./'a.Ronthe/ ark תָּמִ֖ידta.Midcontinually לִדְבַר־li/d.var-to/ [the] matter of י֥וֹםYoma day בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃be./yo.M/oin/ day/ its

King James Version

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

Cross-references

2 Chronicles 8:14 In keeping with the ordinances of his father David, Solomon appointed the divisions of the priests over their service, and the Levites for their duties to offer praise and to minister before the priests according to the daily requirement. He also appointed gatekeepers by their divisions at each gate, for this had been the command of David, the man of God.
Ezra 3:4 They also celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles in accordance with what is written, and they offered burnt offerings daily based on the number prescribed for each day.
1 Chronicles 15:17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his brothers, Asaph son of Berechiah; from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah;
1 Chronicles 16:4 David appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to celebrate, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel.
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:

People named

Asaph