1 Chronicles
1 Chronicles 25
1Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals. The number of those who did the work according to their service was: 2of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah. The sons of Asaph were under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied at the order of the king. 3Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Yahweh with the harp. 4Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6All these were under the hands of their father for song in Yahweh’s house, with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, for the service of God’s house: Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king. 7The number of them, with their brothers who were instructed in singing to Yahweh, even all who were skillful, was two hundred eighty-eight. 8They cast lots for their offices, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the student.
9Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph; the second to Gedaliah, he and his brothers and sons were twelve; 10the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 11the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 12the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 13the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 14the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 15the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 16the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 17the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 18the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 19the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 20for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 21for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 22for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 23for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 24for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 25for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 26for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 27for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 28for the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 29for the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 30for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; 31for the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.
Commentary
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What others are saying
5 commentators · 35 notes on this chapter
Matthew Henry2
Writes as a pastor rather than a critic. Expect devotional and practical application over historical or linguistic analysis, read through a Reformed covenantal frame — and expect the Old Testament to be read forward toward Christ throughout.
Why this voice is here: The most widely read English commentary for three centuries. Included as a baseline: where Henry and a modern voice diverge, the divergence itself is usually the interesting part.
Observe, I. Singing the praises of God is here called prophesying (Ch1 25:1-3), not that all those who were employed in this service were honoured with the visions of God, or could foretel things to come. Heman indeed is said to be the king's seer in the…
Twenty-four persons are named in the beginning of this chapter as sons of those three great men, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun. Ethan was the third (Ch1 6:44), but probably he was dead before the establishment was perfected and Jeduthun came in his room. [Or…
John Gill9
The most exhaustive and the most doctrinally committed here. Expect high — even supralapsarian — Calvinism applied consistently, and unusually heavy use of rabbinic and Talmudic sources for Jewish context. Where a passage bears on election or the will, Gill will read it in one direction, and knowing that in advance is the point.
Why this voice is here: The strongest Calvinist reading available in the public domain, and the best on Jewish background. Read alongside Clarke, not instead of him — between them you get both sides of the argument.
Moreover, David and the captains of the host separated to the service,.... Of singing the praises of God; this was done by the princes of the people, and the chief of the priests, who were gathered together, and before whom the lots were cast, both for…
Of the sons of Asaph,.... Who were separated, and by lot appointed, to the service of singers in the temple: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah; called Jesharelah, 1 Chronicles 25:14, these had the third fourth, fifth, and seventh lots, 1…
Of Jeduthun,.... Or Ethan, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah and Zeri; called Izri, 1 Chronicles 25:11, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six; whereas five only are mentioned; it may be thought that Shimei, 1 Chronicles 25:17 is the sixth, he not being…
Adam Clarke11
The linguist of this set. Expect Hebrew and Greek word study, oriental custom, and geography — and an Arminian reading of grace and free will where Gill or Henry would read election. Note one real divergence: Clarke denied the eternal sonship of Christ, a position most of the tradition rejects, so read him closely on the person of Christ.
Why this voice is here: Where you want to know what a word actually says, Clarke is the one who will tell you — with the caveat above on Christ’s sonship.
David and the captains of the host - The chiefs of those who formed the several orders: not military captains. Should prophesy - Should accompany their musical instruments with prayer and singing.
Which prophesied - Sung hymns and prayed. But the Targum understands this of prophesying in the proper sense of the term; and therefore says, "Who prophesied by the Holy Spirit." Jarchi is of the same opinion and quotes the case of Elisha, Kg2 3:15; While the…
The sons of Jeduthun - six - That is, six with their father, otherwise, there are but five. Hence it is said, they were under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, etc.
Keil & Delitzsch9
The technical one, and Old Testament only. Expect Hebrew grammar, textual argument, and direct engagement with nineteenth-century critical scholarship — closer to a scholarly apparatus than a devotional read. Where a modern critic claims a text is late or composite, this is where the conservative counter-argument was made.
Why this voice is here: Old Testament only, and heavy going — but the place to look when someone asserts a passage cannot mean what it appears to.
Moreover, David and the captains of the host separated to the service,.... Of singing the praises of God; this was done by the princes of the people, and the chief of the priests, who were gathered together, and before whom the lots were cast, both for…
Of the sons of Asaph,.... Who were separated, and by lot appointed, to the service of singers in the temple: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah; called Jesharelah, Ch1 25:14, these had the third fourth, fifth, and seventh lots, Ch1 25:9, under…
Of Jeduthun,.... Or Ethan, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah and Zeri; called Izri, Ch1 25:11, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six; whereas five only are mentioned; it may be thought that Shimei, Ch1 25:17 is the sixth, he not being mentioned elsewhere…
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown4
The concise option. Three authors split the canon, so the voice shifts between sections. Expect brief, sober, conservative notes that resolve difficulties rather than dwelling on them — useful for orientation, thinner than Gill or Clarke where a passage is genuinely contested.
Why this voice is here: The quickest way to see what the mainstream Reformed reading of a passage is. Start here, then go to Gill or Clarke when it matters.
according to the order of the king--Hebrew, "by the hands of the king," that is, "according to the king's order," under the personal superintendence of Asaph and his colleagues. which prophesied--that is, in this connection, played with instruments. This…
Heman the king's seer--The title of "seer" or "prophet of David" is also given to Gad (Ch1 21:9), and to Jeduthun (Ch2 29:14-15), in the words (Margin, "matters") of God. to lift up the horn--that is, to blow loudly in the worship of God; or perhaps it means…
All these were under the hands of their father--Asaph had four sons, Jeduthun six, and Heman fourteen, equal to twenty-four; making the musicians with their brethren the singers, an amount of two hundred eighty-eight. For, like the priests and Levites, they…
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