What number verse is 1 Chronicles 16:39 in the Bible?

1 Chronicles 16:39 is the 10,860th verse of the Bible. Counting straight through the King James canon — all 31,102 verses from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 — 1 Chronicles 16:39 sits at position 10,860.

Translation

King James Version

And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon,

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KJV (with Strong's)

And Zadok ^H6659 the priest ^H3548, and his brethren ^H251 the priests ^H3548, before ^H6440 the tabernacle ^H4908 of the LORD ^H3068 in the high place ^H1116 that was at Gibeon ^H1391,

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Complete Jewish Bible

He left Tzadok the cohen with his kinsmen before the tabernacle of ADONAI at the high place in Giv'on

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Berean Standard Bible

And David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon

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American Standard Version

and Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of Jehovah in the high place that was at Gibeon,

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World English Bible Messianic

and Zadok the priest, and his brothers the priests, before the LORD’s tabernacle in the high place that was at Gibeon,

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Geneva Bible (1599)

And Zadok the Priest and his brethren the Priestes were before the Tabernacle of ye Lord, in the hie place that was at Gibeon,

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Young's Literal Translation

and Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of Jehovah, in a high place that is in Gibeon,

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Study This Verse

SUMMARY

1 Chronicles 16:39 provides a crucial detail regarding the complex worship arrangements during King David's reign, highlighting the continued, essential service of Zadok and his fellow priests at the ancient Mosaic Tabernacle located at the high place in Gibeon. This verse clarifies that while the Ark of the Covenant had been brought to Jerusalem, the sacrificial system and its associated priestly duties remained active at a distinct, legitimate worship center, underscoring a transitional period in Israelite cultic practice before the unified worship under Solomon's Temple.

CONTEXT

Literary Context: This verse appears within a chapter primarily dedicated to the triumphant bringing of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem by King David, its placement in a tent he prepared for it, and the subsequent psalm of thanksgiving and praise (as detailed in the earlier verses of 1 Chronicles 16). While the main narrative focuses on the Ark's new home in Jerusalem, verse 39 serves as an important parenthetical note, providing a necessary clarification about the ongoing, yet separate, location of the Tabernacle and its associated sacrificial rituals. It reveals that David's centralization of the Ark did not immediately consolidate all aspects of Israelite worship, setting the stage for the eventual unification under Solomon's Temple, where both the Ark and the Tabernacle's elements would be brought together (as described in 1 Kings 8:4).
Historical & Cultural Context: During the Davidic era, the nation of Israel was transitioning from a tribal confederacy to a unified monarchy. The Tabernacle, constructed by Moses in the wilderness, had served as the central dwelling place of God and the locus of the sacrificial system for centuries. Its presence at Gibeon, a significant "high place," was legitimate for Israelite worship, as evidenced by Solomon's later grand sacrifices there (1 Kings 3:4). The separation of the Ark (representing God's presence and covenant) from the Tabernacle (the site of atonement and ritual worship) created a unique, temporary dual center of worship. This arrangement reflected the practicalities of a kingdom in formation and David's immediate priority of establishing Jerusalem as the spiritual capital, even if the full integration of worship elements had to await a later time.
Key Themes: This verse contributes to several key themes within 1 Chronicles and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the continuity of the Mosaic Law and sacrificial system, emphasizing that even with the Ark in Jerusalem, the prescribed rituals for atonement and communion with God continued faithfully at Gibeon. Secondly, it underscores the transitional nature of Israelite worship during David's reign, showcasing God's people adapting their practices in a period of change while maintaining core adherence to divine commands. This foreshadows the eventual, unified worship center in Jerusalem. Thirdly, the mention of Zadok and his brethren points to the divine order and oversight of worship, even in imperfect circumstances, affirming the importance of structured worship and faithful priestly leadership. The chronicler emphasizes the meticulous adherence to God's commands, whether concerning the Ark's proper handling (as seen in 1 Chronicles 15) or the ongoing sacrificial duties.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

Zadok (Hebrew, Tsâdôwq', H6659): Derived from a root meaning "just" or "righteous," Zadok was a prominent priest, a descendant of Eleazar (Aaron's son). He served alongside Abiathar during David's reign and would eventually become the sole High Priest under Solomon, establishing the Zadokite line of priests, which held significant influence throughout the First Temple period. His mention here emphasizes the legitimate and divinely appointed nature of the priestly service at Gibeon.
Tabernacle (Hebrew, mishkân', H4908): This term refers to a "residence" or "dwelling place," specifically the portable sanctuary constructed according to God's precise instructions given to Moses (Exodus 25). It was the physical representation of God's presence among His people and the designated site for the sacrificial system, where atonement and communion with God were facilitated. Its continued presence at Gibeon signifies the ongoing validity and necessity of the Mosaic cultic system.
High place (Hebrew, bâmâh', H1116): From a root meaning "to be high," this word denotes "an elevation" or "height." While often carrying negative connotations in the Old Testament, referring to illicit pagan altars or unauthorized Israelite worship sites, in this specific context, "the high place that was at Gibeon" refers to a legitimate and significant Israelite worship center. Its sanctity is confirmed by the presence of the Tabernacle itself and by Solomon's later, divinely sanctioned sacrifices there (2 Chronicles 1:3). It was a recognized cultic site that predated the Temple.

Verse Breakdown

"And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests": This phrase highlights the official and collective nature of the ongoing priestly service. Zadok, a key figure in David's administration and a faithful priest, is specifically named, underscoring his prominence and the legitimacy of the priestly lineage performing these duties. "His brethren the priests" refers to the broader Levitical priesthood, collectively responsible for the meticulous execution of the sacrificial and ritual laws.
"before the tabernacle of the LORD": This clause specifies the precise location of their service. It is not before the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem, but rather before the ancient, Mosaic Tabernacle. This distinction is crucial, indicating that the full system of daily sacrifices, offerings, and other rituals prescribed by the Law of Moses continued to be performed at the Tabernacle, separate from the Ark's new location.
"in the high place that [was] at Gibeon": This pinpoints the exact geographical location of the Tabernacle during David's reign. Gibeon was a significant city in Benjamin, and its "high place" served as a legitimate, recognized center for Israelite worship, particularly for the performance of the sacrificial cult, until the construction of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. This detail clarifies the dual centers of worship that characterized this transitional period.

Literary Devices

The Chronicler's presentation in 1 Chronicles 16:39 employs Juxtaposition and Historical Detail. There is an implicit juxtaposition between the triumphant narrative of the Ark's arrival in Jerusalem in the preceding verses and the quiet, continuous service at Gibeon. This highlights the complex, dual nature of Israelite worship during David's reign, where the Ark (symbolizing God's presence) was in Jerusalem, while the Tabernacle (the locus of the sacrificial system) remained elsewhere. The verse functions as a crucial historical detail, providing an important clarification that prevents misinterpretation of the worship arrangements. Without it, a reader might assume all worship was immediately centralized in Jerusalem. This precise detail underscores the Chronicler's meticulousness in presenting a comprehensive account of Israel's spiritual history, emphasizing the continuity of the divinely ordained cult even amidst evolving circumstances.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

1 Chronicles 16:39 offers profound theological insights into God's faithfulness and the nature of worship. It reveals that even in transitional periods, God maintains His covenant with His people, and His commands for worship remain valid and are upheld by faithful servants. The continued operation of the Tabernacle at Gibeon, distinct from the Ark's location, demonstrates God's gracious accommodation to the practicalities of His people's journey while ensuring the essential sacrificial system for atonement and communion remained active. This period highlights the importance of obedience to divine patterns, even when circumstances are less than ideal, and foreshadows the eventual centralization of worship in the Temple, a step towards the ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

This verse serves as a powerful reminder that faithfulness to God and diligent service are paramount, even when circumstances are in flux or not perfectly aligned with an ideal. Zadok and his brethren continued their vital, painstaking work of intercession and sacrifice at Gibeon, ensuring that the covenant relationship between God and Israel was maintained through the prescribed means. For believers today, this highlights the importance of consistent spiritual disciplines and devoted service, regardless of our physical location or the evolving forms of our "worship spaces." God's presence and our commitment to Him are more crucial than the perfection of our external arrangements. It encourages us to find ways to be faithful in our current contexts, knowing that God works through and honors our obedience, even in transitional phases of life or ministry. It also underscores the gradual unfolding of God's redemptive plan, moving from the Tabernacle to the Temple, and ultimately to a worship that transcends physical location.

Questions for Reflection

How do we maintain faithfulness to God's core commands and principles when our circumstances or "worship spaces" are in transition?
What does it mean to prioritize God's presence and our commitment to Him over the "perfect setup" or ideal physical location for worship?
In what ways might we be called to serve God diligently in a "Gibeon" – a place that is legitimate but perhaps not the central focus – while others serve in a "Jerusalem"?
How does the historical progression from Tabernacle to Temple, and ultimately to worship in spirit and truth, inform our understanding of God's ongoing work in our lives?

FAQ

Why was the Tabernacle at Gibeon and not with the Ark in Jerusalem?

Answer: During King David's reign, the Ark of the Covenant, representing God's presence, was brought to Jerusalem and housed in a tent David prepared for it (see 1 Chronicles 16:1). However, the Mosaic Tabernacle, which contained the altar for burnt offerings and other sacrificial implements, remained at the "high place" in Gibeon. This created a temporary, dual center of worship. The Ark was in the new political and spiritual capital, Jerusalem, while the full sacrificial system, requiring the Tabernacle, continued at Gibeon. This arrangement persisted until Solomon built the First Temple in Jerusalem, at which point the Tabernacle's elements were integrated into the new, unified worship structure (see 1 Kings 8:4).

Was Gibeon a legitimate place of worship, given that "high places" often had negative connotations?

Answer: Yes, in this specific context, Gibeon was a legitimate and recognized Israelite worship site. While the term "high place" (Hebrew: bamah) often refers to illicit pagan altars or unauthorized Israelite worship sites condemned in later biblical texts, Gibeon was an exception. The presence of the divinely ordained Tabernacle of the Lord at Gibeon sanctified it as a proper place for worship and sacrifice during this period. This legitimacy is further confirmed by the fact that King Solomon himself offered a thousand burnt offerings there and received his vision from God, a pivotal moment in his reign (see 1 Kings 3:4 and 2 Chronicles 1:3). It served as the primary center for the sacrificial cult until the Temple's completion.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The transitional worship arrangements described in 1 Chronicles 16:39, with the Ark in Jerusalem and the Tabernacle at Gibeon, beautifully foreshadow the ultimate unity and fulfillment found in Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant system, with its separate components for God's presence (Ark) and atonement (Tabernacle sacrifices), pointed forward to the one who would perfectly embody both. Jesus is the ultimate Ark, for He is "God with us," the very presence of God incarnate, dwelling among humanity (see John 1:14). He is also the ultimate and final Sacrifice, fulfilling all the purposes of the Tabernacle's rituals. Through His once-for-all offering on the cross, He made perfect atonement for sin, rendering the animal sacrifices obsolete (see Hebrews 9:11-14). Furthermore, Jesus declared that true worship would no longer be confined to a physical location, whether Jerusalem or Gibeon, but would be "in spirit and truth" (see John 4:21-24). He Himself is the new Temple, the place where God dwells and where humanity meets God (see John 2:19-21). Thus, the temporary, dual centers of worship under David find their glorious and eternal unification in Christ, who perfectly embodies God's presence, provides perfect atonement, and enables worship that transcends all earthly boundaries.

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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 16 verses 37–43

37 ¶ So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required:

38 And Obededom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obededom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters:

39 And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon,

40 To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel;

41 And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever;

42 And 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.

43 And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.

The worship of God is not only to be the work of a solemn day now and then, brought in to grace a triumph; but it ought to be the work of every day. David therefore settles it here for a constancy, puts it into a method, which he obliged those that officiated to observe in their respective posts. In the tabernacle of Moses, and afterwards in the temple of Solomon, the ark and the altar were together; but, ever since Eli's time, they had been separated, and still continued so till the temple was built. I cannot conceive what reason there was why David, who knew the law and was zealous for it, did not either bring the ark to Gibeon, where the tabernacle and the altar were, or bring them to Mount Zion, where the ark was. Perhaps the curtains and hangings of Moses's tabernacle were so worn with time and weather that they were not fit to be removed, nor fit to be a shelter for the ark; and yet he would not make all new, but only a tent for the ark, because the time was at hand when the temple should be built. Whatever was the reason, all David's time they were asunder, but he took care that neither of them should be neglected. 1. At Jerusalem, where the ark was, Asaph and his brethren were appointed to attend, to minister before the ark continually, with songs of praise, as every day's work required, Ch1 16:37. No sacrifices were offered there, nor incense burnt, because the altars were not there: but David's prayers were directed as incense, and the lifting up of his hands as the evening sacrifice (Psa 141:2), so early did spiritual worship take place of ceremonial. 2. Yet the ceremonial worship, being of divine institution, must by no means be omitted; and therefore at Gibeon were the altars where the priests attended, for their work was to sacrifice and burn incense, which they did continually, morning and evening, according to the law of Moses, Ch1 16:39, Ch1 16:40. These must be kept up because, however in their own nature they were inferior to the moral services of prayer and praise, yet, as they were types of the mediation of Christ, they had a great deal of honour put upon them, and the observance of them was of great consequence. Here Zadok attended, to preside in the service of the altar; as (it is probable) Abiathar settled at Jerusalem, to attend the ark, because he had the breast-plate of judgment, which must be consulted before the ark: this is the reason why we read in David's time both Zadok and Abiathar were the priests (Sa2 8:17; Sa2 20:25), one where the altar was and the other where the ark was. At Gibeon, where the altars were, David also appointed singers to give thanks to the Lord, and the burden of all their songs must be, For his mercy endureth for ever, Ch1 16:41. They did it with musical instruments of God, such instruments as were appointed and appropriated to this service, not such as they used on other occasions. Between common mirth and holy joy there is a vast difference, and the limits and distances between them must be carefully observed and kept up. Matters being thus settled, and the affairs of religion put into a happy channel, (1.) The people were satisfied, and went home pleased. (2.) David returned to bless his house, resolving to keep up family worship still, which public worship must not supersede.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 37–43. Public domain.

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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.

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Cross-References

1 Kings 3:4
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
1 Chronicles 15:11
And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab,
2 Chronicles 1:3
So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness.
2 Chronicles 1:4
But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 12:28
And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father's house twenty and two captains.
2 Chronicles 1:13
¶ Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tabernacle of the congregation, and reigned over Israel.
1 Chronicles 21:29
For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.