1 Chronicles 15:21

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to the Sheminith.

Hebrew Names Version
and Mattityah, and Eliflehu, and Mikneyahu, and `Oved-'Edom, and Ye`i'el, and `Azazyahu, with harps tuned to the sheminit, to lead.

King James Version
And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.

English Standard Version
but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith.

New Century Version
Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah played the harps.

New English Translation
Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style, as led by the director;

Amplified Bible
and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres set to Sheminith [that is, the eighth string, a low pitch].

New American Standard Bible
and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, to lead with lyres tuned to the sheminith.

World English Bible
and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneah, and Obed Edom, and Ieiel, and Azaziah, with harpes vpon Sheminith Ienazzeah.

Legacy Standard Bible
and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, to lead with lyres set according to the sheminith.

Berean Standard Bible
And Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead the music with lyres according to Sheminith.

Complete Jewish Bible
Mattityahu, Elif'lehu, Mikneyahu, 'Oved-Edom, Ye‘i'el and ‘Azazyahu were to play lyres to lead the sh'minit [low-pitched music?].

Darby Translation
and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to lead [the singing].

Easy-to-Read Version
Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah played the sheminith harps. This was their job forever.

George Lamsa Translation
And those who sang songs: Mattitha, Mikiaho, Ober-edom, Uzzael, and Uzzanaiah; these played with harps every day at three oclock and at nine oclock.

Lexham English Bible
and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play lyres, directing according to the Sheminith.

Literal Translation
and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah with lyres on the octave, to oversee.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Mathithia, Elipheleia, Mikneia, Obed Edom, Ieiel & Asasia with harpes to synge aboue them on hye.

American Standard Version
and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps set to the Sheminith, to lead.

Bible in Basic English
And Mattithiah and Eliphelehu and Mikneiah and Obed-edom and Jeiel and Azaziah, with corded instruments on the octave, to give the first note of the song.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Mathathiahu, Eliphalehu, Mikniahu, Obed Edom, Ieiel, and Azaiahu, played vpon harpes an eyght aboue, with courage.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and Mattithiah, and Eliphalehu, and Mikneiahu, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith, to lead.

King James Version (1611)
And Mattithiah, and Eliphaleh, and Mikniah, and Obed Edom, and Ieiel, and Azzaziah, with harpes on the Sheminith to excell.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Mattathias, and Eliphalu, and Makenia, and Abdedom, and Jeiel, and Ozias, with harps of Amasenith, to make a loud noise.

English Revised Version
and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed–edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps set to the Sheminith, to lead.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and Eliphalu, and Mathenye, and Obededom, and Jehiel, and Ozazym, sungen in harpis for the eiytithe, and epynychion, `that is, victorie `be to God ouercomere;

Update Bible Version
and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps set to the Sheminith, to lead.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel.

New King James Version
Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, to direct with harps on the Sheminith;

New Living Translation
Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were chosen to play the lyres.

New Life Bible
Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were chosen to lead by playing the deep sounds on different kinds of harps.

New Revised Standard
but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel and Azaziah, - with lyres over the bass, to take the lead.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Mathathias, and Eliphalu, and Macenias and Obededom, and Jehiel and Ozaziu, sung a song of victory for the octave upon harps.

Revised Standard Version
but Mattithi'ah, Eliph'elehu, Miknei'ah, O'bed-e'dom, Je-i'el, and Azazi'ah were to lead with lyres according to the Shem'inith.

Young's Literal Translation
and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps, on the octave, to oversee.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel and Azaziah, to lead with lyres tuned to the sheminith.

Contextual Overview

¹After David built houses for himself in the City of David, he cleared a place for the Chest and pitched a tent for it. Then David gave orders: "No one carries the Chest of God except the Levites; God designated them and them only to carry the Chest of God and be available full time for service in the work of worship." ³David then called everyone in Israel to assemble in Jerusalem to bring up the Chest of God to its specially prepared place. David also called in the family of Aaron and the Levites. From the family of Kohath, Uriel the head with 120 relatives; from the family of Merari, Asaiah the head with 220 relatives; from the family of Gershon, Joel the head with 130 relatives; from the family of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the head with 200 relatives; from the family of Hebron, Eliel the head with 80 relatives; from the family of Uzziel, Amminadab the head with 112 relatives. ¹¹Then David called in Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab the Levites. He said, "You are responsible for the Levitical families; now consecrate yourselves, both you and your relatives, and bring up the Chest of the God of Israel to the place I have set aside for it. The first time we did this, you Levites did not carry it properly, and God exploded in anger at us because we didn't make proper preparation and follow instructions." ¹⁴So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the Chest of the God of Israel. The Levites carried the Chest of God exactly as Moses, instructed by God , commanded—carried it with poles on their shoulders, careful not to touch it with their hands. ¹⁶ David ordered the heads of the Levites to assign their relatives to sing in the choir, accompanied by a well-equipped marching band, and fill the air with joyful sound. ¹⁷The Levites assigned Heman son of Joel, and from his family, Asaph son of Berekiah, then Ethan son of Kushaiah from the family of Merari, and after them in the second rank their brothers Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel as security guards. ¹⁹The members of the choir and marching band were: Heman, Asaph, and Ethan with bronze cymbals; Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah with lyres carrying the melody; Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah with harps filling in the harmony; Kenaniah, the Levite in charge of music, a very gifted musician, was music director. ²³Berekiah and Elkanah were porters for the Chest. The priests Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer blew the trumpets before the Chest of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also porters for the Chest.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Mattithiah: 1 Chronicles 15:18, 1 Chronicles 16:5

harps: 1 Chronicles 25:6, 1 Chronicles 25:7, 1 Samuel 10:5, Psalms 33:2, Psalms 81:1, Psalms 81:2, Psalms 92:3, Psalms 150:3

Sheminith to excel: or, eighth to oversee, Psalms 6:1, Psalms 12:1, *titles

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 23:8 - Jehiel 1 Chronicles 25:3 - Mattithiah 1 Chronicles 26:4 - Obededom

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 7:1
When God , your God, brings you into the country that you are about to enter and take over, he will clear out the superpowers that were there before you: the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. Those seven nations are all bigger and stronger than you are. God , your God, will turn them over to you and you will conquer them. You must completely destroy them, offering them up as a holy destruction to God . Don't make a treaty with them. Don't let them off in any way.

Matthew 8:28
They landed in the country of the Gadarenes and were met by two madmen, victims of demons, coming out of the cemetery. The men had terrorized the region for so long that no one considered it safe to walk down that stretch of road anymore. Seeing Jesus, the madmen screamed out, "What business do you have giving us a hard time? You're the Son of God! You weren't supposed to show up here yet!" Off in the distance a herd of pigs was browsing and rooting. The evil spirits begged Jesus, "If you kick us out of these men, let us live in the pigs."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah,.... These six were appointed to sound:

with harps on the Sheminith to excel; which Sheminith some take to be an harp with eight strings, or the beginning of a song, or a musical tone, the bass; see the title of Psalms 6:1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Harps on the Sheminith - “Sheminith” properly means “the eighth,” and has been compared with the modern musical term “octave.” Further, “Sheminith” and “Alamoth” are regarded as contrasted, and the harps of Mattithiah and his companions are supposed to have been pitched an octave below the psalteries of Zechariah and his brethren.

The word translated “to excel,” is taken as meaning “to lead,” and Mattithiah, etc., as leaders of the singers.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Chronicles 15:21. On the Sheminith — According to the Targum, this signifies an instrument that sounded an octave, or, according to others, an instrument with eight strings. The Syriac and Arabic have it, instruments to sing with daily, at the third, sixth, and ninth hour; the Vulgate, an octave, for a song of victory: some think the eighth band of the musicians is intended, who had the strongest and most sonorous voices; and that it is in this sense that shelomith and lenatstseach should be understood.