^5 (A)Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals,

³⁹ and his brother ^(A)Asaph, who stood on his right hand, namely, Asaph the son of Berechiah, son of Shimea,

^25 (A)And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres, ^(B)according to the commandment of David and of Gad ^(C)the king's seer and of ^(D)Nathan the prophet, for the commandment was from the Lord through his prophets.

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: ² 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. ³ 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. ⁴ Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. ⁵ 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. ⁶ 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.

¹⁶ David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on ^(A)musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. ¹⁷ So the Levites appointed ^(B)Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers ^(C)Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their brothers, ^(D)Ethan the son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸ and with them their brothers of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. ¹⁹ The singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound bronze cymbals; ²⁰ Zechariah, ^(E)Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to ^(F)Alamoth; ²¹ but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, ^(G)Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to ^(H)the Sheminith. ²² Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, should direct the music, for he understood it. ²³ Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. ²⁴ Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, should ^(I)blow the trumpets before the ark of God. ^(J)Obed-edom and Jehiah were to be gatekeepers for the ark.