To hakhinoti lo. This means: to the place asher hakhinoti lo (=that I have prepared for it). Similarly, “from the spoils hevi’u” (2 Chr 15:11) means asher hevi’u (=that they brought). There are others like these, which I have cited in the Mikhlol in the first section of the book (50a).

For the first time not you (ki le-ma-ba-rishonah lo attem). This means: You were not there the first time, when we carried [the Ark] out of Abinadab’s house. So the Lord our God burst out against us, because we did not set out to obtain it (lo derashnuhu) according to the law—for the law provides that the Levites carry it on their shoulders with a carrying frame, as it says in the Torah of Moses (Num 7:9). The mem in le-ma-ba-rishonah has a pataḥ, though as a rule, it should properly take a ḥireq. The same is true for “they did not sanctify themselves le-ma-day (=in great enough numbers)” (2 Chr 30:3), and for “His words were smoother ma-ḥama’ot (מחמאות; =than butter)” (Ps 55:22).

Their kinsmen of second rank. [This means]: second in rank to them—as in “second in rank to the king” (Esth 10:3)—as it says, “Asaph the chief, Zechariah the second to him in rank …” (1 Chr 16:5).

Zechariah, Ben. That was his name: “Ben.” This is also how my master, my father, of blessed memory (Sefer Ha-Galuy 11), explained la-Ben in the book of Psalms (9:1); that is, it refers to this musician, who played that psalm, composed by David on the death of Goliath and the defeat of the Philistines. Even though the lamed of la-Ben has a pataḥ that serves the function of a definite hei, and a definite hei does not belong with the name of a person, the function of this particular definite hei is to clarify that Ben refers to the musician. For had the text said le-Ben, it would have seemed as though [the noun] was related to banim (=sons).

The gatekeepers. For they guarded the Ark after it was placed in the tent that David pitched for it (1 Chr 16:1). Alternatively, they had originally been gatekeepers, when the Ark was in Shiloh, Nob, and Gibeon.

Yasor* (יסר) *ba-massa (=[Chenaniah] distinguished himself in prophetic inspiration), for he was a master. This means: Besides the musical talent that he had, he was a leader of distinction (sar [שר] ve-gadol) in prophetic inspiration, for he was a master. But some (cf. Pseudo-Rashi) explain this to mean “with the power of his voice,” in the same sense as “vayyissa (=he raised) his voice” (Gen 29:11); that is, he distinguished himself above all the rest with the power of his singing voice. Yasor is spelled with a samekh; but it is as though it had a sin. Similarly, “They are all sarei (סרי; =officers of) deviance” (Jer 6:28) is equivalent to שרי, with a sin.

Maḥṣerim (מחצצרים; =would sound). This is spelled with two ṣadeis, the first one pronounced, the second one unpronounced. The same is true for Yissakhar (ישָשכר; =Issachar; Gen 30:18): the first sin is pronounced, the second one unpronounced. And the same for “u-Meḥiyya’el (ומחיָיאל; =and Mehujael) begot Methuseal” (Gen 4:18) and “Yir’iyyah (יראיָיה; =Irijah) son of Shelemiah” (Jer 37:13): the first yod is pronounced, the second one unpronounced.

And Jehiah. This is the same as Jeiel mentioned above (v. 18): he had two names.

Gatekeepers for the Ark. That is, even though they were gatekeepers, they also were musicians.

As God helped (be‘zor ha-Elohim) the Levites. The bet of be‘zor has a segol, though as a rule, it should properly take a pataḥ. This “help” refers to their not having committed any violations when carrying the Ark, the way they had earlier when Uzza died. But our Sages, of blessed memory (cf. b. Sotah 35a), explain midrashically that this implies that the Ark carries itself. In the book of Samuel, the text says that they would offer this sacrifice after walking six steps (2 Sam 6:13).

Mekhurbal in a me‘il buṣ (=linen cloak).[Mekhurbal means that David was] wrapped; compare the Aramaic patteshehon ve-karbelatehon (=their trousers and hats; Dan 3:21). The me‘il buṣ that the text mentions here is the same as the efod bad (=linen ephod) that it mentions in the book of Samuel (2 Sam 6:14). Targum Jonathan in fact renders efod bad as kardot de-buṣ. And [in the case of] “for maiden princesses were customarily dressed in me‘ilim” (2 Sam 13:18), he renders kardotin.

And Chenaniah ha-sar ha-massa. The genitive noun is elided: this means ha-sar sar ha-massa (=the chief, chief for prophetic inspiration). The same is true for “ha-aron ha-berit (=the Ark, [the Ark of] the Covenant)” (Jos 3:14), and others like these.

Mashmi‘im (=causing to be heard) on harps. This means: mashmi‘im qol (=causing sounds to be heard; =playing music).