So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass;
Parallel translations
- WEB So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were given cymbals of brass to sound aloud;
- BSB The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals.
- NKJV the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound the cymbals of bronze;
- NASB So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound aloud cymbals of bronze;
- NLT The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were chosen to sound the bronze cymbals.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The chief singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan sounded bronze cymbals. The lead musicians provided the rhythmic foundation of the praise.
Overview
The three head singers were assigned bronze cymbals to sound aloud, marking time and leading the music. The specificity of instruments reflects the careful organization of worship. This attention to musical detail shows that David valued excellence and order in praising God, a fitting response to the God who restores His presence among His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 1 Chr 25:6All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.
- 1 Chr 16:42And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.
- 1 Chr 15:16And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.
- 1 Chr 13:8And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.
- Ps 150:5Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
- 1 Chr 16:5Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;
- 1 Chr 25:1Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The genealogies and the everlasting covenant with David trace the single thread of promise running through the generations straight to the Christ in whom the line reaches its goal.
How 1 Chronicles 15:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.