📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 15:20
What does 1 Chronicles 15:20 mean?
"and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth;"
— 1 Chronicles 15:20 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
and with them their brothers of the second rank, Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.
So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of brass to sound aloud;
and Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with stringed instruments set to Alamoth;
and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead.
Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the singing. He taught the singers, because he was skillful.
Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.
Explanation
This verse is part of a longer list found in 1 Chronicles 15, where King David appoints specific Levites to serve as musicians during the procession that brings the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah are named as a group assigned to play "stringed instruments set to Alamoth" — likely harps or lyres tuned to a particular pitch or style, possibly a higher register (the Hebrew word "alamoth" is related to the word for young women, suggesting a soprano or treble sound, though scholars debate the exact musical meaning).
The context matters a great deal. Earlier in 1 Chronicles 13, David had attempted to move the Ark using an oxcart, contrary to the instructions given in the Law that it be carried by Levites using poles. That attempt ended in tragedy when Uzza touched the Ark and died.
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