1 Chronicles 6:31-48

Professional Musicians

6:31 These are the men David put in charge of music in the Lord’s sanctuary, ¹  after the ark was placed there. 6:32 They performed music ²  before the sanctuary ³  of the meeting tent until Solomon built the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. ⁴  They carried out their tasks according to regulations.

6:33 These are the ones who served along with their sons:

From the Kohathites:

Heman the musician, son of Joel, son of Samuel, 6:34 son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toah, 6:35 son of Zuph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, 6:36 son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, 6:37 son of Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, 6:38 son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel.

6:39 Serving beside him was his fellow Levite Asaph, ⁵  son of Berechiah, son of Shimea, 6:40 son of Michael, son of Baaseiah, ⁶  son of Malkijah, 6:41 son of Ethni, son of Zerah, son of Adaiah, 6:42 son of Ethan, son of Zimmah, son of Shimei, 6:43 son of Jahath, son of Gershom, son of Levi.

6:44 Serving beside them were their fellow Levites, the descendants of Merari, led by ⁷  Ethan, son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch, 6:45 son of Hashabiah, son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah, 6:46 son of Amzi, son of Bani, son of Shemer, 6:47 son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi.

6:48 The rest of their fellow Levites ⁸  were assigned to perform the remaining tasks at God’s sanctuary. ⁹ 

1 Chronicles 25:1-8

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 

[6:31]  ¹ tn Heb “house.”

[6:32]  ² tn Heb “they were serving…with music.”

[6:32]  ³ tn Or traditionally “tabernacle.”

[6:32]  ⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[6:39]  ⁵ tn Heb “and his brother Asaph, the one who stood at his right hand.”

[6:40]  ⁶ tc A few Hebrew mss, one LXX ms, and the Syriac read “Maaseiah.”

[6:44]  ⁷ tn Heb “and the sons of Merari, their brothers, on the left.”

[6:48]  ⁸ tn Heb “their brothers, the Levites.”

[6:48]  ⁹ tn Heb “were assigned to all the work of the tabernacle of the house of God.”

[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.”