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Chapter 25

The Musicians. David, together with the captains of the army, set aside some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun who were to prophesy[a] with harps, lyres, and cymbals. This is the list of those engaged in their ministry.

From the sons of Asaph there were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah. The sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph who prophesied at the command of the king.

From Jeduthun there were his sons Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah. There were six of them in all. They were under the direction of their father Jeduthun who prophesied using the harp to give thanks and praise to the Lord.

From Heman there were his sons Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. These were all the sons of Heman, the king’s seer. They were given the word of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All of these were under the direction of their father. They played music for the temple of the Lord upon cymbals, lyres, and harps, for the ministry of the temple of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the direction of the king.

Along with their brethren, all of whom were trained and skilled in performing the songs of the Lord, there were two hundred and eighty-eight of them. The young and old, the teacher and the student all cast lots.

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

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 25:1 Prophesy: i.e., they sang under inspiration, either like the prophets gathered in the guilds, who sang to the sound of musical instruments, or in the sense that they were the authors of inspired songs. See Pss 51; 74–84 (Asaph); 88 (Heman); 62 (Jeduthun).

The Musicians

25 David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph,(A) Heman(B) and Jeduthun(C) for the ministry of prophesying,(D) accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals.(E) Here is the list of the men(F) who performed this service:(G)

From the sons of Asaph:

Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were under the supervision of Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision.

As for Jeduthun, from his sons:(H)

Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei,[a] Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six in all, under the supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied, using the harp(I) in thanking and praising the Lord.

As for Heman, from his sons:

Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-Ezer; Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth. (All these were sons of Heman the king’s seer. They were given him through the promises of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.)

All these men were under the supervision of their father(J) for the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God.

Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman(K) were under the supervision of the king.(L) Along with their relatives—all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord—they numbered 288. Young and old alike, teacher as well as student, cast lots(M) for their duties.

The first lot, which was for Asaph,(N) fell to Joseph,
his sons and relatives[b]12[c]
the second to Gedaliah,
him and his relatives and sons12
10 the third to Zakkur,
his sons and relatives12
11 the fourth to Izri,[d]
his sons and relatives12
12 the fifth to Nethaniah,
his sons and relatives12
13 the sixth to Bukkiah,
his sons and relatives12
14 the seventh to Jesarelah,[e]
his sons and relatives12
15 the eighth to Jeshaiah,
his sons and relatives12
16 the ninth to Mattaniah,
his sons and relatives12
17 the tenth to Shimei,
his sons and relatives12
18 the eleventh to Azarel,[f]
his sons and relatives12
19 the twelfth to Hashabiah,
his sons and relatives12
20 the thirteenth to Shubael,
his sons and relatives12
21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah,
his sons and relatives12
22 the fifteenth to Jerimoth,
his sons and relatives12
23 the sixteenth to Hananiah,
his sons and relatives12
24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah,
his sons and relatives12
25 the eighteenth to Hanani,
his sons and relatives12
26 the nineteenth to Mallothi,
his sons and relatives12
27 the twentieth to Eliathah,
his sons and relatives12
28 the twenty-first to Hothir,
his sons and relatives12
29 the twenty-second to Giddalti,
his sons and relatives12
30 the twenty-third to Mahazioth,
his sons and relatives12
31 the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer,
his sons and relatives12.(O)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 25:3 One Hebrew manuscript and some Septuagint manuscripts (see also verse 17); most Hebrew manuscripts do not have Shimei.
  2. 1 Chronicles 25:9 See Septuagint; Hebrew does not have his sons and relatives.
  3. 1 Chronicles 25:9 See the total in verse 7; Hebrew does not have twelve.
  4. 1 Chronicles 25:11 A variant of Zeri
  5. 1 Chronicles 25:14 A variant of Asarelah
  6. 1 Chronicles 25:18 A variant of Uzziel