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.

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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

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.

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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