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Songs of Joy

25 David and the captains of the army set apart for the work some of the sons of Asaph, of Heman and of Jeduthun. They were to speak God’s Word while harps and timbrels were playing. These are the names of those who served in this way. The sons of Asaph were: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah. They were led by Asaph, who spoke for God under the leading of the king. The six sons of Jeduthun were: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah. They were led by their father Jeduthun, who spoke God’s Word using the harp, giving thanks and praising the Lord. The sons of Heman were: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth. All these were the sons of Heman the king’s man of God, to honor him by the Words of God. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All of them were led by their father to sing in the Lord’s house. They sang and played timbrels and harps, serving in the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were led by the king. The number of those and their brothers who were taught to sing to the Lord, all who were very good singers, was 288. They drew names for their work, the young and old alike, also the teacher and the one who was taught.

These are how the names were drawn. First was Joseph the son of Asaph. The second was Gedaliah. Together with his brothers and sons, there were twelve. 10 The third was Zaccur. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 11 The fourth was Izri. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 12 The fifth was Nethaniah. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 13 The sixth was Bukkiah. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 14 The seventh was Jesharelah. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 15 The eighth was Jeshaiah. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 16 The ninth was Mattaniah. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 17 The tenth was Shimei. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 18 The eleventh was Azarel. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 19 The twelfth was Hashabiah. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 20 The thirteenth was Shubael. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 21 The fourteenth was Mattithiah. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 22 The fifteenth was Jeremoth. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 23 The sixteenth was Hananiah. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 24 The seventeenth was Joshbekashah. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 25 The eighteenth was Hanani. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 26 The nineteenth was Mallothi. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 27 The twentieth was Eliathah. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 28 The twenty-first was Hothir. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 29 The twenty-second was Giddalti. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 30 The twenty-third was Mahazioth. With his sons and brothers there were twelve. 31 And the twenty-fourth was Romamti-ezer. With his sons and brothers there were twelve.

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