Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament · 2 Chronicles Capítulo 29

Hezekiah, moreover, restored again the music with which the Levites were wont to accompany the sacrificial act, and which David, with the prophets Gad and Nathan, had arranged. The ו consec. with ויּעמד expresses the secution of thought, and 2 Chronicles 29:25 corresponds to the 2 Chronicles 29:21. First, the beasts to be sacrificed were prepared for the sacrifice, and then to the Levites was committed the performance of instrumental and vocal music during the sacrificial act. In reference to the musical instruments, see on 1 Chronicles 15:16. The Levites were appointed to sing, “according to the command of David;” but this command was בּיד , by interposition of Jahve, viz., given by His prophets. David had consequently made this arrangement at the divine suggestion, coming to him through the prophets. With המּלך הזה cf. 1 Chronicles 21:9. נביאיו בּיד is in explanatory apposition to יהוה בּיד , and נביאיו is not to be referred to David, although David is called in 2 Chronicles 8:14 “man of God.”

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During the offering of the burnt-offering, until it was ended, the whole congregation stood worshipping; and the song of the Levites, accompanied by the music of the stringed instruments and the trumpet-blowing of the priests, continued. משׁורר השּׁיר , “the song was singing,” stands for “the body of singers sang;” and the trumpets also stand for the trumpeters.

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At the conclusion of the sacrificial act ( להעלות is a contraction for העולה להעלות , 2 Chronicles 29:27) the king and all who were present knelt and worshipped.

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The king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words (psalms) of David and of Asaph; and they sang praise with joy, and bowed themselves and worshipped. This verse does not mean that the Levites began to sing psalms at the king's command only after the sacrificial act and the instrumental music (2 Chronicles 29:27.) had been finished, but it forms a comprehensive conclusion of the description of the sacrificial solemnities. The author of the Chronicle considered it necessary to make express mention of the praising of God in psalms, already implicite involved in the משׁורר השּׁיר , 2 Chronicles 29:28, and to remark that the Levites also, at the conclusion of the song of praise, knelt and worshipped. Asaph is here called חזה , as Jeduthun (Ethan) is in 2 Chronicles 35:15, and Heman, 1 Chronicles 25:5.

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