2 Chronicles 7:6

And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) And the priests.—This verse is added by the chronicler, after his usual fashion of laying stress on the ritual, especially its choral and musical side. (Comp 2Chronicles 5:11-13.)

Waited on their offices.—Literally, And the priests upon their wards (watches) were standing, i.e., stood at their posts. Vulg., “sacerdotes autem stabant in officiis suis.”

Instruments of musick of the Lord—i.e., of sacred music, as we should say. (Comp. 1Chronicles 16:42.)

Which David . . . had made.—1Chronicles 23:5.

To praise.—Give thanks to. (Comp. 2Chronicles 7:3 supr.)

When David praised by their ministry.—See margin; and 1Chronicles 16:4-7. The LXX., ἐν ὕμνοις Δαυιδ διὰ τη̑ςχειρὸς αὐτῶν takes b’hallēl substantively, as if it meant “in David’s psalmody,” perhaps with special reference to the great hallel of the synagogue. The Authorised Version gives the true meaning, namely, that the Levites were David’s ministers of praise.

Sounded trumpets.—Were trumpeting.

Stood.—Were standing.

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 7:6. Instruments of music of the Lord — So called, because David had made them to praise the Lord withal. See 1 Chronicles 15:16. When David praised by their ministry — For David composed the psalms or hymns, and appointed them to be sung by the Levites, and instruments of music to be joined to their voices.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:1-22 God's answer to Solomon's prayer. - God gave a gracious answer to Solomon's prayer. The mercies of God to sinners are made known in a manner well suited to impress all who receive them, with his majesty and holiness. The people worshipped and praised God. When he manifests himself as a consuming Fire to sinners, his people can rejoice in him as their Light. Nay, they had reason to say, that God was good in this. It is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, but the sacrifice in our stead, for which we should be very thankful. And whoever beholds with true faith, the Saviour agonizing and dying for man's sin, will, by that view, find his godly sorrow enlarged, his hatred of sin increased, his soul made more watchful, and his life more holy. Solomon prosperously effected all he designed, for adorning both God's house and his own. Those who begin with the service of God, are likely to go on successfully in their own affairs. It was Solomon's praise, that what he undertook, he went through with; it was by the grace of God that he prospered in it. Let us then stand in awe, and sin not. Let us fear the Lord's displeasure, hope in his mercy, and walk in his commandments.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The fire came down from heaven - As in the time of Moses on the dedication of the tabernacle Leviticus 9:24 The fact is omitted from the narrative of Kings; but omission is not contradiction.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5, 6. so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God—The ceremonial of dedication consisted principally in the introduction of the ark into the temple, and in the sacrificial offerings that were made on a scale of magnitude suitable to the extraordinary occasion. All present, the king, the people, and the priests, took part according to their respective stations in the performance of the solemn service. The duty, of course, devolved chiefly on the priests, and hence in proceeding to describe their several departments of work, the historian says, generally, "the priests waited on their offices." While great numbers would be occupied with the preparation and offering of the victims, others sounded with their trumpets, and the different bands of the Levites praised the Lord with vocal and instrumental music, by the hundred thirty-sixth Psalm, the oft-recurring chorus of which is, "for His mercy endureth for ever."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

When David praised by their ministry; for David composed the psalms or hymns, 1 Chronicles 16:7, and appointed them to be sung by the Levites, and instrumental music to be joined to their voices.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the priests waited on their offices,.... Performed them, some in offering sacrifices, others in blowing trumpets, as it may be explained from the latter part of the verse:

the Levites also with instruments of music of the Lord, which David the king had made to praise the Lord; under a divine direction, on which the Levites played to the songs of praise offered to the Lord, and by which they made music sacred to him:

because his mercy endureth for ever; which, as it was the close of their songs of praise, was the cause of them:

when David praised by their ministry; the songs sung being composed by him, and the instruments they played upon being of his invention, and used by his order:

and the priests sounded trumpets before them; or rather over against them, that is, over against the Levites, as they were singing and playing on the instruments of music:

and all Israel stood; while this sacred and delightful service was performing, they both stood up, and stood by the priests and Levites, and joined with them in praising the Lord.

Geneva Study Bible

And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. the priests waited on their offices] R.V. the priests stood, according to their offices. This ver. does not appear in 1 Kings.

instruments of musick of the Lord] R.V. mg., instruments for the song of the LORD. Cp. 1 Chronicles 23:5; Amos 6:5.

the priests sounded trumpets] Cp. 2 Chronicles 5:12.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - This verse is not found in the parallel (2 Chronicles 5:12, 13; 1 Chronicles 15:16; 1 Chronicles 23:5). 2 Chronicles 7:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The sacrifices and the festival. After fire from heaven had devoured the sacrifices, and Solomon had praised the Lord for the fulfilment of His word, and sought for the congregation the further bestowal of the divine blessing (1 Kings 8:54-61), the dedication of the temple was concluded by a great thank-offering, of which we have in 2 Chronicles 7:5, 2 Chronicles 7:6 an account which completely agrees with 1 Kings 8:62-63. - In 2 Chronicles 7:6 the author of the Chr. again makes express mention of the singing and playing of the Levites when these offerings were presented. In the performance of this sacrificial act the priests stood על־משׁמרותם, in their stations; but that does not signify separated according to their divisions (Berth.), but in officiis suis (Vulg.), i.e., ordines suos et functiones suas a Davide 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles 1 Chronicles 24:7. institutas servarunt (Ramb.); see on Numbers 8:26. The Levites with the instruments of song of Jahve, which David had made, i.e., with the instruments invented and appointed by David for song to the praise of the Lord. בּידם דויד בּהלּל, not hymnos David canentes per manus suas (Vulg.), taking דויד הלּל for the praising appointed by David, which by the hands of the Levites, i.e., was performed by the hands of the Levites (Berth.), but literally: when David sang praise by their hand (i.e., their service). This clause seems to be added to the relative clause, "which king David had made," for nearer definition, and to signify that the Levites used the same instruments which David had introduced when he praised God by the playing of the Levites. The form מחצצרים as in 1 Chronicles 15:24.