^15:16David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully.⁴^15:17So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari,⁵ Ethan son of Kushaiah; ^15:18along with some of their relatives who were second in rank, including Zechariah,⁶ Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

^15:19The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; ^15:20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to the alamoth style;⁷^15:21Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style,⁸ as led by⁹ the director; ^15:22Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, was in charge of transport, for he was well-informed on this matter;¹⁰

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Footnotes

4 Heb “causing to be heard to lift up with a voice of joy.”
5 The Hebrew text adds, “their brothers.”
6 The Hebrew text adds בֶּן (ben, “son”) here; the word is omitted in three Hebrew and most . If the word is original, perhaps the name of Zechariah’s father was accidentally omitted. Some English versions treat the word as an additional name in the list (“Ben”; e.g., , , ).
7 The meaning of the Hebrew word עֲלָמוֹת (’alamot) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See עַלְמָה.
8 The meaning of the Hebrew word שְׁמִינִית (shéminit) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See שְׁמִינֹי.
9 Heb “for” or “according to.”
10 Heb “and Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, with lifting up, supervising with lifting up, for he was well-informed.” The precise nuance of מַשָּׂא (masa’, “lifting up”) is unclear. Some understand it as a reference to supervising the singing and music (e.g., : “Kenaniah … was in charge of the singing”; : “Kenaniah … was precentor in charge of the music”).