Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Chronicles 15:12

And said unto them, Ye [are] the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, [both] ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto [the place that] I have prepared for it.

12. the chief of the fathers of the Levites ] R.V. the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites.

sanctify yourselves ] Cp. 2Ch 29:5. For the method of sanctifying cp. Exo 19:10; Exo 19:15.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1Ch 15:12

Sanctify yourselves.

Personal holiness essential to sacred service

I. Personal holiness required in those who serve.

1. In heart.

2. In life.

II. Personal holiness the pattern according to which we must serve (Eph 5:1).

III. Personal holiness is the only condition on which we can serve.

1. By this we influence others.

2. By this we answer the end of our being. He hath not called you to uncleanness, but unto holiness. (J. Wolfendale.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Sanctify yourselves, by solemn purification and preparation of yourselves, both in soul and body. See Poole “Exo 19:10,15“.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

12. sanctify yourselvesThisspecial sanctification, which was required on all grave and importantoccasions, consisted in observing the strictest abstinence, as wellas cleanliness, both in person and dress (see on Ge35:2; Exo 19:10; Exo 19:15);and in the neglect of these rules no step could have been taken (2Ch30:3).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And he said unto them, ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites,…. Of the families of the Levites, heads of their fathers’ houses:

sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren; respectively under each, whose numbers are before given, by washing their bodies and clothes, and abstaining from their wives:

that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it; 2Sa 6:17.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(12) Chief of the fathers.Heads of the father- houses. They were the heads of the chief divisions in each sub-group of the tribe.

Sanctify yourselves.Special purifications appear to have been prescribed in connection with all sacrifice and worship. (Comp. Gen. 35:2; Exo. 19:10; Exo. 19:15; Exo. 30:17-21.) Bathing the person, and washing or changing the garments, and keeping oneself aloof from whatever was regarded as defiling, were the main requisites. And all this was needful to teach Israel that the All-pure requires purity in His worshippers. (Comp. 2Ch. 30:3.)

The ark of the Lord (Jehovah) God of Israel.Contrast the simpler expression, ark of God (1 Chronicles 13 and 1Ch. 14:1-2). Here David uses a specially solemn title, by way of warning. Further, the term God of Israel suggests that the undertaking is national, and that the nations future welfare depends on its due performance (1Sa. 2:30). Israels vocation was to be a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation (Exo. 19:6), as the chronicler has well understood.

Unto the place that I have prepared for it.Unto (that) I have prepared for it. The relative is omitted. (Comp. 1Ch. 29:3 and 2Ch. 1:4.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

1Ch 15:12 And said unto them, Ye [are] the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, [both] ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto [the place that] I have prepared for it.

Ver. 12. Sanctify yourselves. ] Outwardly and inwardly. Holy things are to be handled sancte magis quam scite.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)