1 Chronicles
Chapter 25
Organization of the Singers
For the liturgy, David and the senior army officers set apart the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied playing lyre, harp, and cymbal, and a list was made of those with these duties to perform.
Sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, Asharelah. The sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied whenever the king commanded.
For Jeduthun: There were six sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah. They were under the direction of their father, Jeduthun, who, to the sound of the lyre, sang praise and thanks to Yahweh.
For Heman: sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romanti-ezer, Josh-bekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth.
All these were sons of Heman, the king’s seer; these sounded the trumpet when the Lord’s word came. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters;
all of them sang in the temple of the Lord under their father’s direction to the sound of cymbals, harps, and lyres for the liturgy in the house of the Lord at the king’s direction.
All of these, whether of Asaph, Jeduthun, or Heman, trained in singing to the Lord and skilled men, were altogether two hundred and eighty-eight.
They drew lots to determine the assignment of duties of each of them, whether they were young or old, experts or beginners.
The first lot fell to the Asaphite, Joseph. The second was Gedaliah; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The third was Zaccur, and he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The fourth was Izri, and he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The fifth was Nethaniah, and he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The sixth was Bukkiah, and he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The seventh was Jesarelah; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The eighth was Jeshaiah; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The ninth was Mattaniah; he and his sons and brothers numbered twelve.
The tenth was Shimei; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The eleventh was Azarel; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The twelfth was Hashabiah; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The thirteenth was Shubael; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The fourteenth was Mattithiah; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The fifteenth was Jeremoth; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The sixteenth was Hananiah; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The seventeenth was Joshbekashah; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The eighteenth was Hanani; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The nineteenth was Mallothi; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The twentieth was Eliathah; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The twenty-first was Hothir; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The twenty-second was Giddalti; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The twenty-third was Mahazioth; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
The twenty-fourth was Romamti-ezer; he and his sons and brothers were twelve.
Commentaries
Construction of the Temple and Organization of the Kingdom.
These chapters focus on the organization of worship and the priesthood. The account of the census is based on 2 Samuel 24, while chapters 22-29 are the Chronicler’s own additions. It is generally believed that chapters 22-27 were added later because they interrupt the narrative flow at 21:30, which then resumes in 28:1.
Organization of the Singers.
The division of singers into 24 classes, similar to the priests, is repeated. David is recognized as the founder of liturgical singing (1). The role of the singers is described as prophetic (1-3), which may suggest that singing, when compared to prophecy, was seen as a special form of worship and a way to understand God’s will through it.