1 Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:

Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king.

Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the Lord.

Of Heman: the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth:

All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.

So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the Lord, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.

And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.

Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve:

10 The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

11 The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

12 The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

13 The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

14 The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

15 The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

16 The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

17 The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

18 The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

19 The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

20 The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

21 The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

22 The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

23 The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

24 The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

25 The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

26 The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

27 The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

28 The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

29 The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

30 The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

31 The four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.

Commentary

Verse 1

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
And captains - All the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites, whom David gathered together, (1 Chronicles 23:2) , for this very end, that with their approbation and consent, all these things might be established; who are here fitly called the captains of the host; for the princes were, under David, the chief captains of the militia of the kingdom; and as the Levites are called an host, and the Lord's host, because of their number and order in holy ministrations; so these priests and Levites were the captains and governors of the rest. Separated - Distributed them into their several ranks: which, tho' chiefly done by David as a prophet, and by Divine direction, yet is imputed in part to the captains of the host, because it was done with their concurrence and approbation. The service - To the service of God under the conduct of these persons. Prophecy - Praise God by singing the psalms of David, and other sacred songs made by themselves, who were prophets, or by other prophets or holy men of God. Workmen - Of the persons employed in this sacred work. This good work it seems Samuel revived, but did not live to bring it to perfection. Let each in his day do what he can for God, tho' he cannot carry it so far as he would. When we are gone, God can raise up others to build on our foundation, and bring forth the top - stone.
McArther Bible Commentary
David, the sweet psalmist of Israel (2Sa 23:1), established music as a central feature in the worship of God.
Bible Cross References
1 Samuel 10:5 2 Kings 3:15 1 Chronicles 6:33 1 Chronicles 6:39 1 Chronicles 9:33 1 Chronicles 15:16 1 Chronicles 15:17 1 Chronicles 16:41 1 Chronicles 25:2 2 Chronicles 5:12 2 Chronicles 8:14 2 Chronicles 23:18 2 Chronicles 34:12 2 Chronicles 35:15 Ezra 3:10 Nehemiah 12:45 Ezekiel 40:44

Verse 2

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Of Asaph - Under his direction. Of the king - In such manner and order as David appointed.
Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:1 1 Chronicles 25:3

Verse 3

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Six - Jeduthun their father being included in that number: or Shimei, mentioned (1 Chronicles 25:17) .
Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 16:41 1 Chronicles 16:42 1 Chronicles 25:2 1 Chronicles 25:4

Verse 4

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:3 1 Chronicles 25:5 1 Chronicles 25:13 1 Chronicles 25:31

Verse 5

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
The king's seer - He is called the king's seer, either because the king took special delight in him; or because he frequently attended the king in his palace, executing his sacred office there, while the rest were employed in the tabernacle. In the words - To sing Divine songs as were inspired by God to the prophets or holy men of God. The horn - To praise God with the sound of a trumpet or some other musical instrument made of horn, which being a martial kind of music, might be most grateful to David's martial spirit: tho' he was also skilled in other instruments of music which he used in the house of God.
McArther Bible Commentary
seer. A term used to describe a prophet in that he knew and understood the ways and will of God.
Bible Cross References
2 Samuel 24:11 1 Chronicles 21:9 1 Chronicles 25:4

Verse 6

Bible Cross References
2 Samuel 6:5 1 Chronicles 15:16 1 Chronicles 15:19 2 Chronicles 29:25

Verse 7

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Cunning - Who were so skilful that they were able to teach others; and together with their scholars, made up the four thousand mentioned (1 Chronicles 23:5) .
Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 16:42 1 Chronicles 23:5

Verse 8

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
Ward - A course of Levites answerable to one of the priests, upon whom the Levites were to wait in their holy ministrations, (1 Chronicles 23:28) . The scholar - Without any respect to their different ages or abilities.
Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:9 1 Chronicles 26:13

Verse 9

John Wesley's Bible Commentary
To Joseph - For the family of Asaph, of which Joseph was. Here that clause, he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve, is to be understood, as it is expressed in all the following verses, otherwise they do not make up that number of two hundred and eighty - eight mentioned (1 Chronicles 25:7) .
McArther Bible Commentary
The musicians were divided up into twenty-four divisions (corresponding to that of the priests, 1Ch 24:4-18) of twelve musicians each, for a total of 288. These would give leadership to the 4,000 instrumentalists (1Ch 23:5).
Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:8 1 Chronicles 25:10

Verse 10

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:9 1 Chronicles 25:11

Verse 11

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:10 1 Chronicles 25:12

Verse 12

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:11 1 Chronicles 25:13

Verse 13

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:4 1 Chronicles 25:12 1 Chronicles 25:14

Verse 14

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:13 1 Chronicles 25:15

Verse 15

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:14 1 Chronicles 25:16

Verse 16

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:15 1 Chronicles 25:17

Verse 17

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:16 1 Chronicles 25:18

Verse 18

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:17 1 Chronicles 25:19

Verse 19

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:18 1 Chronicles 25:20

Verse 20

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:19 1 Chronicles 25:21

Verse 21

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:20 1 Chronicles 25:22

Verse 22

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:21 1 Chronicles 25:23

Verse 23

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:22 1 Chronicles 25:24

Verse 24

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:23 1 Chronicles 25:25

Verse 25

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:24 1 Chronicles 25:26

Verse 26

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:25 1 Chronicles 25:27

Verse 27

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:26 1 Chronicles 25:28

Verse 28

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:27 1 Chronicles 25:29

Verse 29

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:28 1 Chronicles 25:30

Verse 30

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:29 1 Chronicles 25:31

Verse 31

Bible Cross References
1 Chronicles 25:4 1 Chronicles 25:30 1 Chronicles 26:1