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 Romamtiezer, 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 Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.

The Music Groups

25 David and the leaders of the army separated the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun for special service. Their special service was to prophesy God’s message with harps, lyres, and cymbals. Here is a list of the men who served this way:

From Asaph’s family: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. King David chose Asaph to prophesy. And Asaph led his sons.

From Jeduthun’s family: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah. There were six of them. Jeduthun led his sons. Jeduthun used harps to prophesy and give thanks and praise to the Lord.

Heman’s sons who served were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti Ezer; Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these men were Heman’s sons. Heman was David’s seer. God promised to make Heman strong. So Heman had many sons. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

Heman led all his sons in singing in the Lord’s temple.[a] His sons used cymbals, lyres, and harps. That was their way of serving in God’s temple. King David chose these men. These men and their relatives from the tribe of Levi were trained to sing. There were 288 men who learned to sing praises to the Lord. They threw lots to choose the different kinds of work each person was to do. Everyone was treated the same. Young and old were treated the same. And the teacher was treated the same as the student.

The first one chosen was Asaph (Joseph).

Second, there were 12 men chosen from Gedaliah’s sons and relatives.

10 Third, there were 12 men chosen from Zaccur’s sons and relatives.

11 Fourth, there were 12 men chosen from Izri’s sons and relatives.

12 Fifth, there were 12 men chosen from Nethaniah’s sons and relatives.

13 Sixth, there were 12 men chosen from Bukkiah’s sons and relatives.

14 Seventh, there were 12 men chosen from Asarelah’s sons and relatives.

15 Eighth, there were 12 men chosen from Jeshaiah’s sons and relatives.

16 Ninth, there were 12 men chosen from Mattaniah’s sons and relatives.

17 Tenth, there were 12 men chosen from Shimei’s sons and relatives.

18 Eleventh, there were 12 men chosen from Azarel’s sons and relatives.

19 Twelfth, there were 12 men chosen from Hashabiah’s sons and relatives.

20 Thirteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Shubael’s sons and relatives.

21 Fourteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Mattithiah’s sons and relatives.

22 Fifteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Jeremoth’s sons and relatives.

23 Sixteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Hananiah’s sons and relatives.

24 Seventeenth, there were 12 men chosen from Joshbekashah’s sons and relatives.

25 Eighteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Hanani’s sons and relatives.

26 Nineteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Mallothi’s sons and relatives.

27 Twentieth, there were 12 men chosen from Eliathah’s sons and relatives.

28 Twenty-first, there were 12 men chosen from Hothir’s sons and relatives.

29 Twenty-second, there were 12 men chosen from Giddalti’s sons and relatives.

30 Twenty-third, there were 12 men chosen from Mahazioth’s sons and relatives.

31 Twenty-fourth, there were 12 men chosen from Romamti Ezer’s sons and relatives.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 25:6 temple Here, this means the Holy Tent where people went to worship the Lord.