Number and Services of Musicians

25 Moreover, David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of (A)Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to (B)prophesy with lyres, (C)harps, and cymbals; and the number of [a]those who performed this service was: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and [b]Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were [c]under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied [d]under the direction of the king. (D)Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, [e]Zeri, Jeshaiah, [f]Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six in all, [g]under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord. Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, [h]Uzziel, [i]Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these were the sons of Heman (E)the king’s seer to [j]exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman. All of these were under the [k]direction of their father to sing in the house of the Lord, (F)with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of the house of God. (G)Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were [l]under the direction of the king. Their number who were trained in singing to the Lord, with their relatives, all who were skillful, was (H)288.

Divisions of the Musicians

(I)They cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil.

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

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 25:1 Lit workmen according to their service
  2. 1 Chronicles 25:2 In v 14, Jesharelah
  3. 1 Chronicles 25:2 Lit on the hand
  4. 1 Chronicles 25:2 Lit on the hands
  5. 1 Chronicles 25:3 In v 11, Izri
  6. 1 Chronicles 25:3 As in one ms and ancient versions, cf. v 17
  7. 1 Chronicles 25:3 Lit on the hands
  8. 1 Chronicles 25:4 In v 18, Azarel
  9. 1 Chronicles 25:4 In v 20, Shubael
  10. 1 Chronicles 25:5 Lit raise the horn
  11. 1 Chronicles 25:6 Lit on the hands
  12. 1 Chronicles 25:6 Lit on the hands
  13. 1 Chronicles 25:11 In v 3, Zeri
  14. 1 Chronicles 25:14 In v 2, Asherelah

David Organizes the Musicians

25 David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of (A)Asaph, and of (B)Heman, and of (C)Jeduthun, who (D)prophesied with lyres, with (E)harps, and with cymbals. The list of those who did the work and of their duties was: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah, sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who (F)prophesied under the direction of the king. Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei,[a] Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, (G)who prophesied with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to the Lord. Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. All these were the sons of Heman (H)the king's seer, according to the promise of God to exalt him, for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. They were all under the direction of their father in the music in the house of the Lord with cymbals, (I)harps, and lyres for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the order of the king. The number of them along with their brothers, who were trained in singing to the Lord, all who were skillful, was (J)288. And they cast lots for their duties, (K)small and great, teacher and pupil alike.

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

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 25:3 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts lack Shimei