What Does 2 Chronicles 7:6 Mean in the King James?
And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
What looks like a music service is also a watch: guarded duty, instruments, trumpets, and all Israel converge around the LORD’s faithful love.
THE MEANING
This verse speaks to your place within a gathered people: the work may be watchfulness, music, trumpet, or standing with others. The LORD’s faithful love reaches through the ages, giving these distinct acts one shared center.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that worship belongs only to the musicians: the priests sound the trumpets, and all Israel stands within the same shared act.
THE ROOT
חַסְדּוֹ
chasdo
GROWS FROM
חסד
ḥ-s-d
Faithful love, loyalty, and kindness that holds to relationship.
“mercy” in this verse is chasdo. Here חַסְדּוֹ (chasdo, his faithful love) is paired with לְעוֹלָם (le’olam, through the ages). The praise is grounded in love whose reach spans the ages; the refrain makes that quality the reason the whole assembly sings.
ALSO GROWS
chesed: Loyal, relational love; the quality named in the refrain.
חֶסֶד
It makes clear what the praise is centered on: the LORD’s enduring faithful love.
chasid: A person described as faithful or devoted.
חָסִיד
The same word family names both faithful love and the one who lives in faithfulness.
מִשְׁמְרוֹתָם
mishmerotam
GROWS FROM
שמר
sh-m-r
To keep watch, guard, or preserve.
The KJV’s “offices” is מִשְׁמְרוֹתָם (mishmerotam, their watches or guard duties), from שָׁמַר (shamar, to guard or watch). The priests are keeping watch at appointed posts, alongside the Levites’ instruments and all Israel standing together.
ALSO GROWS
shamar: The verb for watching over or keeping something.
שָׁמַר
It reveals the vigilance contained in the priests’ assigned service.
mishmeret: An assigned watch or responsibility.
מִשְׁמֶרֶת
This related form makes the connection between the priests’ “offices” and guarding explicit.
לְהוֹדוֹת
lehodot
GROWS FROM
ידה
y-d-h
To thank, acknowledge, or give praise.
The first “to praise” is לְהוֹדוֹת (lehodot, to thank or acknowledge); the later “praised” uses בְּהַלֵּל (behallel, in praising), from הָלַל (halal, to praise or celebrate). English gives them the same verb, while Hebrew holds thanksgiving and celebration together as distinct strands of one song.
ALSO GROWS
todah: Thanksgiving or praise that acknowledges what is received.
תּוֹדָה
It shows the song’s praise as an act of acknowledgment, not only sound.
Yehudah: A name linked with praise; Leah says, “Now will I praise the LORD” (Genesis 29:35).
יְהוּדָה
The name carries the same praise and thanksgiving word-family found in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Distinct voices become a shared act of praise and thanksgiving to God.
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.THE THREAD
It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;It repeats חַסְדּוֹ (chasdo, his faithful love) and לְעוֹלָם (le’olam, through the ages), the same refrain that gives this passage its reason for praise. The singers are “as one,” showing how the many roles in 7:6 converge in a shared confession.
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