1 Chronicles 15:25

So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obededom with joy.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) SO David, and the elders of Israel.—Literally, And it was David and the elders of Israel and princes of the thousands who were walking to bring up the Ark, &c. The preparations for the ceremony are now complete, and the procession starts. A slight change in the Hebrew (omission of the article; so Syriac and one MS. of LXX.) will improve the sense: “And it came to pass, David and the elders . . . were walking to bring up the Ark.”

To bring up the ark.—“Into the city of David” (Samuel).

The ark of the covenant of the Lord.—A special title of the Ark, which has not occurred before in this history. It is not read in the parallel passage of Samuel, where we find only “ark of God,” and “ark of Jehovah.” The phrase may therefore indicate that the chronicler had another source besides that book. (Comp. Joshua 3:3; Joshua 3:17.) The parallel (2Samuel 6:12) makes no mention of “the elders and captains,” but merely states in brief and somewhat abrupt fashion that David went and brought up the Ark, because he had heard of its bringing a blessing upon the house of Obed-edom.

With joy.—With set rejoicings and festal mirth.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

15:25-29 It is good to notice the assistance of Divine Providence, even in things which fall within the compass of our natural powers; if God did not help us, we could not stir a step. If we do our religious duties in any degree aright, we must own it was God that helped us; had we been left to ourselves, we should have been guilty of some fatal errors. And every thing in which we engage, must be done in dependence on the mercy of God through the sacrifice of the Redeemer.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For song - See the margin. Hebraists are still at variance as to the meaning of this passage, some supposing elevation or, delivery of the voice, others elevation of the ark, to be intended.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

25. So David, and the elders … and captains … went—The pious design of David in ordering all his principal ministers and officers to take part in this solemn work and imparting so much pomp and imposing ceremony to the procession, was evidently to inspire the popular mind with a profound veneration for the ark and to give the young especially salutary impressions of religion, which would be renewed by the remembrance that they had been witnesses of the august solemnity in which the king and the highest aristocracy of the land participated, vying with all other classes to do honor to the God of Israel.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

So David and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands,.... He and the principal men of the nation, and the officers of the army or militia:

went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy; with all demonstrations of it; for which purpose such a band of music was prepared, as before described.

Geneva Study Bible

So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the house of Obededom with joy.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

25–16:3 (= 2 Samuel 6:12-20). The Bringing Home of the Ark. Michal despises David

25, 26. So David, and the elders … went … And it came to pass … that they etc.] Render, And it came to pass that David and the elders … who went to bring up the ark …, It came even to pass when the Lord helped the Levites … that they (i.e. David and the elders) offered seven bullocks and seven rams. The phrase, it came to pass (1 Chronicles 15:25) is repeated in 1 Chronicles 15:26 because of the length of the parenthesis which separates it from the words, that they offered, which complete the construction. The awkwardness of the whole sentence arises from the fact that the Chronicler has filled out the briefer statement of 2 Samuel 6:13.

1 Chronicles 15:25

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

narrate the further proceedings connected with the bring of the ark to Jerusalem; cf. 2 Samuel 6:12-19. By the words וגו דויד ויהי the account of the execution of the design is connected with the statements as to the preparations (vv. 2-24): "And so were David ... who went to bring up the ark."