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.

Divisions of the Gatekeepers

26 For the divisions of the gatekeepers there were of the Korahites, [o]Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of [p]Asaph. Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, Elam the fifth, Johanan the sixth, and Eliehoenai the seventh. (J)Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sacar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, and Peullethai the eighth; God had indeed blessed him. Also to his son Shemaiah sons were born who ruled over the house of their father, for they were valiant mighty men. The sons of Shemaiah were Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers, Elihu and Semachiah, were valiant men. All these were of the sons of Obed-edom; they and their sons and relatives were able men with strength for the service, sixty-two from Obed-edom. Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, eighteen valiant men. 10 Also (K)Hosah, one of the sons of Merari had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father made him first), 11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, and Zechariah the fourth; the sons and relatives of Hosah were thirteen in all.

12 To these divisions of the gatekeepers, to the chief men, were given duties like their relatives, to serve in the house of the Lord. 13 (L)They cast lots, the small and the great alike, according to their fathers’ households, for every gate. 14 The lot to the east fell to [q]Shelemiah. Then they cast lots for his son Zechariah, a counselor with insight, and his lot came out to the north. 15 For Obed-edom it fell to the south, and to his sons went the storehouse. 16 For Shuppim and Hosah it was to the west, by the gate of Shallecheth, on the ascending highway. Guard corresponded to guard. 17 On the east there were six Levites, on the north four daily, on the south four daily, and at the storehouse two by two. 18 At the [r](M)annex on the west there were four at the highway and two at the annex. 19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers of the sons of Korah and of the sons of Merari.

Keepers of the Treasure

20 [s]The Levites, their relatives, were in (N)charge of the treasures of the house of God and of the treasures of the dedicated gifts. 21 The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, namely, the Jehielites, were the heads of the fathers’ households, belonging to Ladan the Gershonite.

22 The sons of Jehieli, Zetham, and his brother Joel, were in charge of the treasures of the house of the Lord. 23 As for the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites, 24 Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was officer over the treasures. 25 His relatives by Eliezer were Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zichri his son, and Shelomoth his son. 26 This Shelomoth and his relatives were in charge of all the treasures of the dedicated gifts (O)which King David and the heads of the fathers’ households, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and the commanders of the army, had dedicated. 27 They dedicated [t]part of the spoils won in battles to repair the house of the Lord. 28 And all that Samuel the seer had dedicated, and Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, everyone who had dedicated anything, all of this was [u]under the care of [v]Shelomoth and his relatives.

Outside Duties

29 As for the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons (P)were assigned to outside duties for Israel, as (Q)officers and judges. 30 As for the Hebronites, (R)Hashabiah and his relatives, 1,700 capable men, [w]were responsible for the affairs of Israel [x]west of the Jordan, for all the work of the Lord and the service of the king. 31 As for the Hebronites, (S)Jerijah the chief [y](these Hebronites were sought out according to their genealogies and fathers’ households, in the fortieth year of David’s reign, and men of outstanding capability were found among them at (T)Jazer of Gilead) 32 and his relatives, capable men, numbered 2,700, heads of fathers’ households. And King David appointed them as overseers of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites (U)concerning [z]all the affairs of God and of the king.

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
  15. 1 Chronicles 26:1 In v 14, Shelemiah
  16. 1 Chronicles 26:1 In 9:19, Ebiasaph
  17. 1 Chronicles 26:14 In 9:17, Shallum
  18. 1 Chronicles 26:18 Possibly court or colonnade
  19. 1 Chronicles 26:20 As in LXX; MT As for the Levites, Ahijah had
  20. 1 Chronicles 26:27 Heb from the battles and from the spoils
  21. 1 Chronicles 26:28 Lit on the hand
  22. 1 Chronicles 26:28 Heb Shelomith
  23. 1 Chronicles 26:30 Lit were over
  24. 1 Chronicles 26:30 Lit beyond the Jordan westward
  25. 1 Chronicles 26:31 Heb according to the Hebronites...father’s households
  26. 1 Chronicles 26:32 Lit every matter of God and matter of the king

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