1 Chronicles 15:16-22

15:16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully. ¹  15:17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari, ²  Ethan son of Kushaiah; 15:18 along with some of their relatives who were second in rank, including Zechariah, ³  Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

15:19 The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; 15:20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play the harps according to the alamoth style; ⁴  15:21 Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to play the lyres according to the sheminith style, ⁵  as led by ⁶  the director; 15:22 Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, was in charge of transport, for he was well-informed on this matter; ⁷ 

1 Chronicles 15:27

15:27 David was wrapped in a linen robe, as were all the Levites carrying the ark, the musicians, and Kenaniah the supervisor of transport and the musicians; ⁸  David also wore a linen ephod. ⁹ 

1 Chronicles 25:1-31

David Organizes the Musicians

25:1 David and the army officers selected some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy as they played stringed instruments and cymbals. ¹⁰  The following men were assigned this responsibility: ¹¹ 

25:2 From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were supervised by Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision. ¹² 

25:3 From the sons of Jeduthun: ¹³  Gedaliah, Zeri, ¹⁴  Jeshaiah, ¹⁵  Hashabiah, and Mattithiah – six in all, ¹⁶  under supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied as he played a harp, giving thanks and praise to the Lord.

25:4 From the sons of Heman: ¹⁷  Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 25:5 All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s prophet. God had promised him these sons in order to make him prestigious. ¹⁸  God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

25:6 All of these were under the supervision of their fathers; they were musicians in the Lord’s temple, playing cymbals and stringed instruments as they served in God’s temple. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the supervision of the king. 25:7 They and their relatives, all of them skilled and trained to make music to the Lord, numbered two hundred eighty-eight. ¹⁹ 

25:8 They cast lots to determine their responsibilities – oldest as well as youngest, teacher as well as student. ²⁰ 

25:9 The first lot went to Asaph’s son Joseph and his relatives and sons – twelve in all, ²¹ 

the second to Gedaliah and his relatives and sons – twelve in all,

25:10 the third to Zaccur and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:11 the fourth to Izri ²²  and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:12 the fifth to Nethaniah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:13 the sixth to Bukkiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:14 the seventh to Jesharelah ²³  and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:15 the eighth to Jeshaiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:16 the ninth to Mattaniah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:17 the tenth to Shimei and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:18 the eleventh to Azarel ²⁴  and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:19 the twelfth to Hashabiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:20 the thirteenth to Shubael and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:22 the fifteenth to Jerimoth and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:23 the sixteenth to Hananiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:25 the eighteenth to Hanani and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:26 the nineteenth to Mallothi and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:27 the twentieth to Eliathah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:28 the twenty-first to Hothir and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:29 the twenty-second to Giddalti and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:30 the twenty-third to Mahazioth and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

25:31 the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer and his sons and relatives – twelve in all.

[15:16]  ¹ tn Heb “causing to be heard to lift up with a voice of joy.”

[15:17]  ² tn The Hebrew text adds, “their brothers.”

[15:18]  ³ tc The Hebrew text adds בֶּן (ben, “son”) here; the word is omitted in three Hebrew mss and most LXX mss. If the word is original, perhaps the name of Zechariah’s father was accidentally omitted. Some English versions treat the word as an additional name in the list (“Ben”; e.g., KJV, ASV, NASB).

[15:20]  ⁴ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word עֲלָמוֹת (’alamot) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See HALOT 835-36 s.v. עַלְמָה.

[15:21]  ⁵ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word שְׁמִינִית (shÿminit) is uncertain; perhaps it refers to a particular style of music. See HALOT 1562 s.v. שְׁמִינֹי.

[15:21]  ⁶ tn Heb “for” or “according to.”

[15:22]  ⁷ tn Heb “and Kenaniah, the leader of the Levites, with lifting up, supervising with lifting up, for he was well-informed.” The precise nuance of מַשָּׂא (masa’, “lifting up”) is unclear. Some understand it as a reference to supervising the singing and music (e.g., NIV: “Kenaniah…was in charge of the singing”; NEB: “Kenaniah…was precentor in charge of the music”).

[15:27]  ⁸ tn Heb “the leader, the lifting up, the musicians.” See also the note on the word “matter” in v. 22.

[15:27]  ⁹ sn An ephod was a priestly garment worn over the robe.

[25:1]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “David and the officers of the army set apart for service the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, the ones prophesying by harps, by lyres, and by cymbals.”

[25:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and their number was, the men of work for their service.”

[25:2]  ¹² tn Heb “the sons of Asaph [were] upon the hand of Asaph, the one prophesying upon the hands of the king.”

[25:3]  ¹³ tn Heb “belonging to Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun.”

[25:3]  ¹⁴ tn This name appears as “Izri” in v. 10.

[25:3]  ¹⁵ tc One Hebrew ms and some LXX mss supply the name “Shimei” after “Jeshaiah.” Most Hebrew mss omit the name here (but cf. v. 17).

[25:3]  ¹⁶ tc The list includes only five names. Apparently the name “Shimei” (see v. 17), which appears in one medieval Hebrew ms and in the LXX, has been accidentally omitted from the Hebrew text.

[25:4]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “belonging to Heman, the sons of Heman.”

[25:5]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “by the words of God to exalt a horn.” An animal’s horn is sometimes used metaphorically as a symbol of strength and honor. See BDB 901-2 s.v. קֶרֶנ.

[25:7]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and their number with their brothers, trained in music to the Lord, all skilled, was 288.”

[25:8]  ²⁰ tn Heb “and they cast lots [for] service, just as like small, like great, teacher with student.”

[25:9]  ²¹ tc Heb “The first lot went to Asaph, to Joseph.” Apparently the recurring formula, “and his sons and his relatives, twelve” has been accidentally omitted from the Hebrew text at this point (see vv. 10-31; the formula is slightly different in v. 9b). If the number “twelve” is not supplied here, the total comes to only 276, not the 288 required by v. 7.

[25:11]  ²² tn “Izri” is a variant of the name “Zeri” (cf. 25:3).

[25:14]  ²³ tn “Jesharelah” is a variant of the name “Asarelah” (cf. 25:2).

[25:18]  ²⁴ tn “Azarel” is a variant of the name “Uzziel” (cf. 25:4).