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Oct 01: 1Chr 15 | Eze 27 | Lk 24

Reading 1 - 1Ch 15:20,21

Some of the strange words of 1Ch 15:


"Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth" (v 20):


"Alamoth" is the plural of "alma", which may mean: a hidden one, a covered one, or a virgin (Isa 7:14; Gen 24:43; Exo 2:8).


According to Thirtle, in his work "The Titles of the Psalms", "Alamoth" appears as a subscription -- or "postscript" of Psa 45 (not as it SEEMS to be: a superscription -- or "introduction" -- of Psa 46).


Probably this means that Psa 45 was assigned to be sung by a choir of maidens (1Ch 15:20), or else they provided accompaniment for it. Such a designation is appropriate to Psa 45, which was plainly a wedding hymn (Psa 45:9,14). The "maidens" described in the psalm (called also "kings' daughters" and "honourable women": v 9) are the counterpart of the "daughters of Jerusalem" or "Zion" in Song 1:5; 2:7; 3:5; etc.


And so there were, it is supposed, other psalms and temple songs that were especially composed and prepared for the "maidens' choir".


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