1 Chronicles 25

1 And David and the captains of the host separated for the service those of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun who were to prophesy with harps and lutes and cymbals; and the number of the men employed according to their service was:
2 of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied at the direction of the king.
3 Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Isaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, [and Shimei] six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the harp, to give thanks and to praise Jehovah.
4 Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkijah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth:
5 all these were sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to exalt his power; and God had given to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
6 All these were under the direction of their fathers Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, for song in the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, lutes and harps, for the service of the house of God, under the direction of the king.
7 And the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of Jehovah, all of them skilful, was two hundred and eighty-eight.
8 And they cast lots with one another over the charges, the small as well as the great, the teacher with the scholar.
9 And the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph; to Gedaliah the second: he and his brethren and his sons were twelve.
10 The third to Zaccur; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
11 The fourth to Jizri; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
12 The fifth to Nethaniah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
13 The sixth to Bukkijah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
14 The seventh to Jesharelah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
15 The eighth to Isaiah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
16 The ninth to Mattaniah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
17 The tenth to Shimei; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
18 The eleventh to Azareel; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
19 The twelfth to Hashabiah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
20 The thirteenth to Shubael; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
21 The fourteenth to Mattithiah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
22 The fifteenth to Jeremoth; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
23 The sixteenth to Hananiah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
24 The seventeenth to Joshbekashah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
25 The eighteenth to Hanani; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
26 The nineteenth to Mallothi; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
27 The twentieth to Elijathah; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
28 The twenty-first to Hothir; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
29 The twenty-second to Giddalti; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
30 The twenty-third to Mahazioth; his sons and his brethren, twelve.
31 The twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer; his sons and his brethren, twelve.

1 Chronicles 25 Commentary

Chapter 25

The singers and musicians.

- David put those in order who were appointed to be singers and musicians in the temple. To prophesy, in this place, means praising God with great earnestness and devout affections, under the influences of the Holy Spirit. In raising these affections, poetry and music were employed. If the Spirit of God do not put life and fervour into our devotions, they will, however ordered, be a lifeless, worthless form.

Footnotes 8

  • [a]. See ver. 17.
  • [b]. Lit. 'lift up the horn.'
  • [c]. Lit. 'at the hand.'
  • [d]. Or 'all the expert ones:' and see 1Chron. 15.22.
  • [e]. Or 'expert' ('skilful:' ver. 7)
  • [f]. Called 'Zeri' in ver. 3.
  • [g]. Same as 'Uzziel' in ver. 4.
  • [h]. Called 'Shebuel' in ver. 4.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 25

This chapter relates the appointment of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, to be singers in the temple, 1Ch 25:1-7 the distribution of them by lot into twenty four classes, twelve in each class, 1Ch 25:8-31.

1 Chronicles 25 Commentaries

The Darby Translation is in the public domain.