The Levitical Musicians

25 David and the officers of the army also set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman,(A) and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy(B) accompanied by lyres, harps, and cymbals.(C) This is the list of the men who performed their service:

From Asaph’s sons:

Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under Asaph’s authority, who prophesied under the authority of the king.

From Jeduthun:(D) Jeduthun’s sons:

Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei,[a] Hashabiah, and Mattithiah—six—under the authority of their father Jeduthun, prophesying to the accompaniment of lyres, giving thanks and praise to the Lord.

From Heman: Heman’s sons:

Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these sons of Heman, the king’s seer,(E) were given by the promises of God to exalt him,[b] for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

All these men were under their own fathers’ authority for the music in the Lord’s temple, with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of God’s temple. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the king’s authority. They numbered 288 together with their relatives who were all trained and skillful in music for the Lord. They cast lots for their duties, young and old alike, teacher as well as pupil.(F)

The first lot for Asaph fell to Joseph, his sons, and his relatives—12[c]
to Gedaliah the second: him, his relatives, and his sons—12
10 the third to Zaccur, his sons, and his relatives—12
11 the fourth to Izri,[d] his sons, and his relatives—12
12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons, and his relatives—12
13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons, and his relatives—12
14 the seventh to Jesarelah, his sons, and his relatives—12
15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons, and his relatives—12
16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons, and his relatives—12
17 the tenth to Shimei, his sons, and his relatives—12
18 the eleventh to Azarel,[e] his sons, and his relatives—12
19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons, and his relatives—12
20 the thirteenth to Shubael, his sons, and his relatives—12
21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah, his sons, and his relatives—12
22 the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons, and his relatives—12
23 the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons, and his relatives—12
24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons, and his relatives—12
25 the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons, and his relatives—12
26 the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons, and his relatives—12
27 the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons, and his relatives—12
28 the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons, and his relatives—12
29 the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons, and his relatives—12
30 the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons, and his relatives—12
31 and the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons, and his relatives—12.

Footnotes

  1. 25:3 One Hb ms, LXX; other Hb mss omit Shimei
  2. 25:5 Lit by the words of God to lift a horn
  3. 25:9 LXX; MT lacks his sons, and his relatives—12
  4. 25:11 Variant of Zeri
  5. 25:18 Variant of Uzziel

Temple musicians

25 David and the army officers[a] set apart Asaph’s family, Heman and Jeduthun, for service to prophesy[b] accompanied by lyres, harps, and cymbals.

This is the list of those who performed this special service:

From Asaph’s family: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. Asaph’s family was under Asaph’s direction and prophesied by order of the king.

From Jeduthun and his family: Gedaliah, Izri,[c] Jeshaiah, Shimei,[d] Hashabiah, and Mattithiah—six in all. They were under their father Jeduthun’s direction, prophesying with the lyre and giving thanks and praise to the Lord.

From Heman and his family: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.

All these were the family of Heman the king’s seer, according to God’s promise to honor him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. They were all under their father’s direction when singing in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres to provide service in God’s temple, by order of the king.

As for Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, the number of themselves and their relatives, who were trained in singing to the Lord and who were all skillful, was 288.

They cast lots for their assigned duties, small as well as great, teacher and pupil alike.

The first lot fell for Asaph to Joseph; the second to Gedaliah, his relatives, and his family, 12;

10 the third to Zaccur, his family, and his relatives, 12;

11 the fourth to Izri, his family, and his relatives, 12;

12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his family, and his relatives, 12;

13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his family, and his relatives, 12;

14 the seventh to Jesarelah, his family, and his relatives, 12;

15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his family, and his relatives, 12;

16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his family, and his relatives, 12;

17 the tenth to Shimei, his family, and his relatives, 12;

18 the eleventh to Uzziel,[e] his family, and his relatives, 12;

19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his family, and his relatives, 12;

20 the thirteenth to Shubael, his family, and his relatives, 12;

21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah, his family, and his relatives, 12;

22 the fifteenth to Jerimoth,[f] his family, and his relatives, 12;

23 the sixteenth to Hananiah, his family, and his relatives, 12;

24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his family, and his relatives, 12;

25 the eighteenth to Hanani, his family, and his relatives, 12;

26 the nineteenth to Mallothi, his family, and his relatives, 12;

27 the twentieth to Eliathah, his family, and his relatives, 12;

28 the twenty-first to Hothir, his family, and his relatives, 12;

29 the twenty-second to Giddalti, his family, and his relatives, 12;

30 the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his family, and his relatives, 12;

31 and the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his family, and his relatives, 12.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 25:1 Or liturgical officers
  2. 1 Chronicles 25:1 DSS, LXX, Vulg; MT the prophets
  3. 1 Chronicles 25:3 Cf 25:11: MT Zeri
  4. 1 Chronicles 25:3 LXX, cf 25:17; MT lacks Shimei.
  5. 1 Chronicles 25:18 LXX, Syr; MT Azrael
  6. 1 Chronicles 25:22 Cf 25:4; MT Jeremoth