1 Chronicles 25:8

8 They drew lots for their assignment of duties, the youngest as well as the oldest, the skilled [musicians] along with the students.

1 Chronicles 25:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 25:8

And they cast lots, ward against ward
That is, which ward or course of the singers should answer to and attend on the first ward or course of the priests in their weekly service, and which the second, and so on: as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar;
no regard was had to the age of a person, his being the firstborn or a younger brother, or to his office and station, whether as a teacher or a learner in the science of singing; he was made the head of a course, as the lot came up; and it may easily be observed, by comparing the lots in the following verses with the sons of the chief singers, according to the order of them in ( 1 Chronicles 25:2-4 ) that the younger are often preferred in the courses by lot to the elder, of which even the first lot is an instance.

1 Chronicles 25:8 In-Context

6 All these [Levites] sang at the LORD's temple under the direction of their fathers Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. They played cymbals, lyres, and harps for worship in God's temple under the direction of the king.

7 They, along with their relatives, were trained, skilled musicians for the LORD. There were 288 of them.

8 They drew lots for their assignment of duties, the youngest as well as the oldest, the skilled [musicians] along with the students.

9 The first lot drawn chose Joseph, the son of Asaph. The second chose Gedaliah, his sons, and his relatives--12 men.

10 The third chose Zaccur, his sons, and his relatives--12 men.