And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
When the builders finished laying the foundation of the LORD's temple, they had the priests dress in their special robes and play trumpets, while the Levites (descendants of Asaph) played cymbals to praise the LORD, following the worship traditions that King David had established for Israel.
The writer is describing how the Jewish people celebrated laying the foundation of their rebuilt temple with music and praise, following the worship traditions King David had set up long before.
📚 Historical Context
This happened around 536 BC when the Jewish exiles returned from Babylon and began rebuilding the temple that had been destroyed 70 years earlier. King David had originally organized the temple worship system with priests, Levites, and musicians around 1000 BC. The descendants of Asaph were a family of musicians who had served in the temple for generations.
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