The Musicians

25 Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of (A)Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and [a]Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were [b]under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king. Of (B)Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, [c]Zeri, Jeshaiah, [d]Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, [e]six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the Lord. Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, [f]Uzziel, [g]Shebuel, [h]Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to [i]exalt his (C)horn. For God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

All these were under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and (D)harps, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were (E)under the authority of the king. So the (F)number of them, with their brethren who were instructed in the songs of the Lord, all who were skillful, was two hundred and eighty-eight.

And they cast lots for their duty, the small as well as the great, (G)the teacher with the student.

Now the first lot for Asaph came out for Joseph; the second for Gedaliah, him with his brethren and sons, twelve; 10 the third for Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 11 the fourth for [j]Jizri, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 12 the fifth for Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 13 the sixth for Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 14 the seventh for [k]Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 15 the eighth for Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 16 the ninth for Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 17 the tenth for Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 18 the eleventh for [l]Azarel, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 19 the twelfth for Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 20 the thirteenth for [m]Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 21 the fourteenth for Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 22 the fifteenth for [n]Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 23 the sixteenth for Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 24 the seventeenth for Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 25 the eighteenth for Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 26 the nineteenth for Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 27 the twentieth for Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 28 the twenty-first for Hothir, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 29 the twenty-second for Giddalti, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 30 the twenty-third for Mahazioth, his sons and his brethren, twelve; 31 the twenty-fourth for Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 25:2 Jesharelah, v. 14
  2. 1 Chronicles 25:2 Lit. at the hands of
  3. 1 Chronicles 25:3 Jizri, v. 11
  4. 1 Chronicles 25:3 So with one Heb. ms., LXX mss.
  5. 1 Chronicles 25:3 Shimei is the sixth, v. 17
  6. 1 Chronicles 25:4 Azarel, v. 18
  7. 1 Chronicles 25:4 Shubael, v. 20
  8. 1 Chronicles 25:4 Jeremoth, v. 22
  9. 1 Chronicles 25:5 Increase his power or influence
  10. 1 Chronicles 25:11 Zeri, v. 3
  11. 1 Chronicles 25:14 Asharelah, v. 2
  12. 1 Chronicles 25:18 Uzziel, v. 4
  13. 1 Chronicles 25:20 Shebuel, v. 4
  14. 1 Chronicles 25:22 Jerimoth, v. 4

25 Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was: of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king. Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the Lord. Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth: all these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the Lord, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.

And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve: 10 the third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 11 the fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 12 the fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 13 the sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 14 the seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 16 the ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 17 the tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 18 the eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 20 the thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 22 the fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 23 the sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25 the eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 26 the nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 27 the twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 28 the one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 29 the two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 30 the three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 31 the four and twentieth to Romamti-ezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.

The Music Groups

25 David and the commanders of the army chose some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to preach and play harps, lyres, and cymbals. Here is a list of the men who served in this way:

Asaph’s sons who served were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. King David chose Asaph to preach, and Asaph directed his sons.

Jeduthun’s sons who served were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah. There were six of them, and Jeduthun directed them. He preached and used a harp to give thanks and praise to the Lord.

Heman’s sons who served were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these were sons of Heman, David’s seer. God promised to make Heman strong, so Heman had many sons. God gave him fourteen sons and three daughters. Heman directed all his sons in making music for the Temple of the Lord with cymbals, lyres, and harps; that was their way of serving in the Temple of God. King David was in charge of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. These men and their relatives were trained and skilled in making music for the Lord. There were two hundred eighty-eight of them. Everyone threw lots to choose the time his family was to serve at the Temple. The young and the old, the teacher and the student, had to throw lots.

First, the lot fell to Joseph, from the family of Asaph.

Second, twelve men were chosen from Gedaliah, his sons and relatives.

10 Third, twelve men were chosen from Zaccur, his sons and relatives.

11 Fourth, twelve men were chosen from Izri, his sons and relatives.

12 Fifth, twelve men were chosen from Nethaniah, his sons and relatives.

13 Sixth, twelve men were chosen from Bukkiah, his sons and relatives.

14 Seventh, twelve men were chosen from Jesarelah, his sons and relatives.

15 Eighth, twelve men were chosen from Jeshaiah, his sons and relatives.

16 Ninth, twelve men were chosen from Mattaniah, his sons and relatives.

17 Tenth, twelve men were chosen from Shimei, his sons and relatives.

18 Eleventh, twelve men were chosen from Azarel, his sons and relatives.

19 Twelfth, twelve men were chosen from Hashabiah, his sons and relatives.

20 Thirteenth, twelve men were chosen from Shubael, his sons and relatives.

21 Fourteenth, twelve men were chosen from Mattithiah, his sons and relatives.

22 Fifteenth, twelve men were chosen from Jerimoth, his sons and relatives.

23 Sixteenth, twelve men were chosen from Hananiah, his sons and relatives.

24 Seventeenth, twelve men were chosen from Joshbekashah, his sons and relatives.

25 Eighteenth, twelve men were chosen from Hanani, his sons and relatives.

26 Nineteenth, twelve men were chosen from Mallothi, his sons and relatives.

27 Twentieth, twelve men were chosen from Eliathah, his sons and relatives.

28 Twenty-first, twelve men were chosen from Hothir, his sons and relatives.

29 Twenty-second, twelve men were chosen from Giddalti, his sons and relatives.

30 Twenty-third, twelve men were chosen from Mahazioth, his sons and relatives.

31 Twenty-fourth, twelve men were chosen from Romamti-Ezer, his sons and relatives.