1 Chronicles 25
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:
Ch. 1 Chronicles 25:1-7. The Families of the Singers

1. Moreover David] Render, And David.

separated] Cp. 1 Chronicles 23:13, note.

to the service of the sons of Asaph] R.V. for the service certain of the sons of Asaph.

psalteries] See 1 Chronicles 13:8, note.

of the workmen] R.V. of them that did the work.

Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king.
2. Asaph] See 1 Chronicles 15:17, note.

Asarelah] R.V. Asharelah; in 1 Chronicles 25:14 “Jesharelah.”

under the hands] R.V. under the hand.

prophesied] i.e. sang and praised in the manner of prophets; cp. 1 Chronicles 25:3, “prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the Lord.” There is no reference to prediction here. Cp. 1 Samuel 10:5.

according to the order] R.V. after the order. All was done according to the order established by king David.

Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the LORD.
3. Jeduthun] See 1 Chronicles 16:41, note.

Zeri] In 1 Chronicles 25:11 “Izri.”

Jeshaiah] After this LXX. B inserts the name “Shimei” (Σεμεεὶ), no doubt rightly for (1) six sons are reckoned in this verse, (2) the “Shimei” of 1 Chronicles 25:17 is otherwise unmentioned in 1 Chronicles 25:2-4, though his twenty-three companions are named.

Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise] R.V. Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising.

Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth:
4. Heman] See 1 Chronicles 15:17, note.

Uzziel] In 1 Chronicles 25:18 “Azarel.” (R.V.) The variation between the two words when written with Hebrew consonants is small. Cp. note on 2 Chronicles 26:1 (“Uzziah” and “Azariah”).

Shebuel] In 1 Chronicles 25:20 “Shubael.”

Jerimoth] In 1 Chronicles 25:22 “Jeremoth.”

Hananiah, Hanani] Most Hebrew names are significant, and many can be used as mottoes. In this place the Chronicler (or the authority from whom he drew the list) has so arranged the names as to suggest a sentence (extending to the end of the verse) which runs somewhat as follows:—Have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy upon me; I have magnified and exalted [thy] help; I spake of it sitting in affliction; grant us still [thy] visions.

All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
5. the king’s seer] This title is given to Gad in 1 Chronicles 21:9, and to Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, all three in 2 Chronicles 35:15 (LXX. not Heb.).

in the words of God] The exact meaning of this is uncertain; it may either mean “in divine things” (i.e. arrangements for worship), or “by divine appointment” (cp. 2 Chronicles 29:15 “by the words of the Lord”).

to lift up the horn] i.e. to make loud blasts upon the horn.

fourteen sons] Corresponding with the fourteen names given in 1 Chronicles 25:4.

All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.
6. according to … Heman] R.V. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king.

So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.
7. in the songs of the Lord] R.V. in singing unto the LORD.

cunning] R.V. skilful; as 1 Chronicles 15:22, where the same Heb. word is used.

two hundred fourscore and eight] The number corresponds with the twenty-four courses of twelve members each about to be enumerated.

And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.
8–31. The Allotment of the Courses

8. ward against ward] R.V. (guessing the sense rightly) for their charges (i.e. duties), all alike. The Hebrew text however is faulty.

the teacher as the scholar] LXX. τελείων καὶ μανθανόντων (i.e. the initiated and the learners). For “the teacher” we should perhaps render “the skilful” as in 1 Chronicles 25:7, R.V.; the Heb. word is the same. It is to be noted that we have here twenty-four courses of singers corresponding with the twenty-four courses of the priests.

Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve:
9. for Asaph] A comparison of 1 Chronicles 25:9-31 with 1 Chronicles 25:2-4 shews that the first, third, fifth and seventh lots fell to Asaph, the second, fourth, eighth, tenth, twelfth and fourteenth to Jeduthun, and the rest (fourteen in number) to Heman.

The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
11. Izri] See note on Zeri, 1 Chronicles 25:3.

The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
14. Jesharelah] Cp. 1 Chronicles 25:2.

The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
17. Shimei] Not mentioned in the present text of 1 Chronicles 25:2-4; see note on Jeshaiah, 1 Chronicles 25:3.

The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
18. Azarel] Called Uzziel, 1 Chronicles 25:4.

The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
20. Shubael] Called Shebuel, 1 Chronicles 25:4.

The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
22. Jeremoth] Called Jerimoth, 1 Chronicles 25:4.

The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
The four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.

Bible Hub
1 Chronicles 24
Top of Page
Top of Page