The Musicians

25 Moreover David and the captains of the army separated for the service some of the sons of (A)Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, stringed instruments, and cymbals. And the number of the skilled men performing their service was: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and [a]Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were [b]under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied according to the order of the king. Of (B)Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, [c]Zeri, Jeshaiah, [d]Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, [e]six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the Lord. Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, [f]Uzziel, [g]Shebuel, [h]Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to [i]exalt his (C)horn. For God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

All these were under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and (D)harps, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were (E)under the authority of the king. So the (F)number of them, with their brethren who were instructed in the songs of the Lord, all who were skillful, was two hundred and eighty-eight.

And they cast lots for their duty, the small as well as the great, (G)the teacher with the student.

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

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 25:2 Jesharelah, v. 14
  2. 1 Chronicles 25:2 Lit. at the hands of
  3. 1 Chronicles 25:3 Jizri, v. 11
  4. 1 Chronicles 25:3 So with one Heb. ms., LXX mss.
  5. 1 Chronicles 25:3 Shimei is the sixth, v. 17
  6. 1 Chronicles 25:4 Azarel, v. 18
  7. 1 Chronicles 25:4 Shubael, v. 20
  8. 1 Chronicles 25:4 Jeremoth, v. 22
  9. 1 Chronicles 25:5 Increase his power or influence
  10. 1 Chronicles 25:11 Zeri, v. 3
  11. 1 Chronicles 25:14 Asharelah, v. 2
  12. 1 Chronicles 25:18 Uzziel, v. 4
  13. 1 Chronicles 25:20 Shebuel, v. 4
  14. 1 Chronicles 25:22 Jerimoth, v. 4

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