Lexical Summary alamoth: Maidens, young women Original Word: עֲלָמוֹת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Alamoth Plural of almah; properly, girls, i.e. The soprano or female voice, perhaps falsetto -- Alamoth. see HEBREW almah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originpl. of almah Definition (soprano voices of) young women NASB Translation alamoth (1). Topical Lexicon Overview עֲלָמוֹת appears only twice in the Old Testament canon and is placed in contexts that guide musical or liturgical performance. Though brief, its occurrences open a window on the practical outworking of corporate worship in Israel and on the theological conviction that every detail of worship must be offered to God with excellence and intentionality. Occurrences in Scripture • 1 Chronicles 15:20 – “Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps, according to Alamoth.” Musical Implications in Temple Worship In 1 Chronicles 15 David is arranging the liturgy for bringing the ark to Jerusalem. By specifying that certain harpists play “according to Alamoth,” the text indicates a particular register or style—commonly understood as a higher range akin to the voices of young women. This would produce a bright, soaring sound that underscored the joy and purity of the procession. When the same notation heads Psalm 46, the sons of Korah are instructed to render the psalm with that same timbre, suggesting that the musical setting was intended to convey confident triumph in God’s protection through a vibrant, penetrating pitch. Historical Context David’s reforms centralized worship in Jerusalem and organized Levitical musicians into divisions with clearly defined roles (1 Chronicles 15–16). Musical notations such as Alamoth, Sheminith, and others ensured reproducible excellence from generation to generation. The Chronicler’s record, compiled after the exile, reminds post-exilic Israel that true worship is not haphazard. Even after centuries, these terms still called the community back to the standards established under David, reinforcing continuity between pre- and post-exilic worship. Theological and Devotional Themes 1. Intentional Worship – Scripture preserves even technical directives, highlighting that God values order and skill (1 Chronicles 25:7). Lessons for Ministry Today • Musical excellence is an act of stewardship. Churches should invest thought and training into worship, recognizing that skill serves theology. Through its two brief mentions, עֲלָמוֹת testifies that every note of praise—its pitch, its performers, its purpose—returns to the God who is “exalted among the nations” (Psalm 46:10). Forms and Transliterations עֲלָמ֥וֹת עֲלָמֽוֹת׃ עלמות עלמות׃ ‘ă·lā·mō·wṯ ‘ălāmōwṯ alaMotLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 15:20 HEB: בִּנְבָלִ֖ים עַל־ עֲלָמֽוֹת׃ NAS: with harps [tuned] to alamoth; KJV: with psalteries on Alamoth; INT: harps to alamoth Psalm 46:1 2 Occurrences |
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