2 Chronicles 29:25

2 Chronicles 29:25

And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.

a. ASV: And he set the Levites in the house of Jehovah with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was of Jehovah by his prophets.

b. YLT: And he appointeth the Levites in the house of Jehovah with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, by the command of David, and of Gad, seer of the king, and of Nathan the prophet, for by the hand of Jehovah is the command, by the hand of His prophets;

c. Amplified Bible Classic: Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s house with cymbals, harps, and lyres, as David [his forefather] and Gad the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet had commanded; for the commandment was from the Lord through His prophets.

d. Septuagint: And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, and lutes, and harps, according to the commandment of king David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for by the commandment of the Lord the order [was] in the hand of the prophets.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: He stationed the Levites in the Temple of Hashem with cymbals, lyres and harps, according to the designations of David and Gad, the Seer of King [David], and Nathan the Prophet, for it was from HASHEM that these designations were given through His prophets.

1. “And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps…”

a. And he set [Strong: 5975 ʻâmad, aw-mad'; a primitive root; to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive):—abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be (over), place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, make to be at a, with-) stand (by, fast, firm, still, up), (be at a) stay (up), tarry.]

1). The “he’ here is of course Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 25:20-25).

b. [the] Levites [Strong: 3881 Lêvîyîy, lay-vee-ee'; or לֵוִי Lêvîy; patronymically from H3878; a Levite or descendant of Levi:—Leviite.]

c. [in the] house [Strong: 1004 bayith, bah'-yith; probably from H1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.):—court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, × great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, +within(-out).]

d. [of the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.]

e. [with] cymbals [Strong: 4700  mᵉtsêleth, mets-ay'-leth; from H6750; (only dual) double tinklers, i.e. cymbals:—cymbals.]

f. [with] psalteries [Strong: 5035 nebel, neh'-bel; or נֵבֶל nêbel; from H5034; a skin-bag for liquids (from collapsing when empty); hence, a vase (as similar in shape when full); also a lyre (as having a body of like form):—bottle, pitcher, psaltery, vessel, viol.]

g. [and with] harps [Strong: 3658 innôwr, kin-nore'; from a unused root meaning to twang; a harp:—harp.]

1). Hezekiah was following the example of David approximately 250 years previous, written in the first book of Chronicles.

a). 1 Chronicles 16:4-6 And he [David] appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:

16:5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;

16:6 Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

2. “…according to the commandment of David…”

a. [according to the] commandment [Strong: 4687 mitsvâh, mits-vaw'; from H6680; a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law):—(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance, precept.]

b. [of] David [Strong: 1732 Dâvid, daw-veed'; rarely (fully); דָּוִיד Dâvîyd; from the same as H1730; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse:—David.]

1). David set this up at the commandment of the LORD, because the duties of the Levites were minimized because the Tabernacle was now stationary and no longer was carried from place to place by the Levites. As we see in this verse David’s instructions were confirmed by two prophetic witnesses, Gad and Nathan.

a). 1 Chronicles 23:24-32 These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers; even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.

23:25 For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever:

23:26 And also unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for the service thereof.

23:27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from twenty years old and above:

23:28 Because their office was to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God;

23:29 Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;

23:30 And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;

23:31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the LORD:

23:32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.

3. “...and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.”

a. [and of] Gad [Strong: 1410 Gâd, gawd; from H1464; Gad, a son of Jacob, including his tribe and its territory; also a prophet:—Gad.]

b. [the] king’s [Strong: 4428 melek, meh'-lek; from H4427; a king:—king, royal.]

c. seer [Strong: 2374 chôzeh, kho-zeh'; active participle of H2372; a beholder in vision; also a compact (as looked upon with approval):—agreement, prophet, see that, seer, (star-) gazer.]

d. [and] Nathan [Strong: 5416 Nâthân, naw-thawn'; from H5414; given; Nathan, the name of five Israelites:—Nathan.]

e. [the] prophet [Strong: 5030 nâbîyʼ, naw-bee'; from H5012; a prophet or (generally) inspired man:—prophecy, that prophesy, prophet.]

f. for [Strong: 3588 kiy kee a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.]

g. [so was the] commandment [Strong: 4687 mitsvâh, mits-vaw'; from H6680; a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law):—(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance, precept.]

h. of [Strong: 3027 yâd, yawd; a primitive word; a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote [as follows]:—( be) able, × about, armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, × bounty, broad, (broken-) handed, × by, charge, coast, consecrate, creditor, custody, debt, dominion, × enough, fellowship, force, × from, hand(-staves, -y work), × he, himself, × in, labour, large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, × mine, ministry, near, × of, × order, ordinance, × our, parts, pain, power, ×presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, swear, terror, × thee, × by them, × themselves, × thine own, × thou, through, × throwing, thumb, times, × to, × under, × us, × wait on, (way-) side, where, wide, × with (him, me, you), work, yield, × yourselves.]

i. [the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.]

j. by [Strong: 3027 yâd, yawd; a primitive word; a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote [as follows]:—( be) able, × about, armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, × bounty, broad, (broken-) handed, × by, charge, coast, consecrate, creditor, custody, debt, dominion, × enough, fellowship, force, × from, hand(-staves, -y work), × he, himself, × in, labour, large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, × mine, ministry, near, × of, × order, ordinance, × our, parts, pain, power, ×presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, swear, terror, × thee, × by them, × themselves, × thine own, × thou, through, × throwing, thumb, times, × to, × under, × us, × wait on, (way-) side, where, wide, × with (him, me, you), work, yield, × yourselves.]

k. [his] prophets [Strong: 5030 nâbîyʼ, naw-bee'; from H5012; a prophet or (generally) inspired man:—prophecy, that prophesy, prophet.]