1 Chronicles

CHAPTER 25

The Singers. 1David and the leaders of the liturgy set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who prophesied^* to the accompaniment of lyres and harps and cymbals.^a

This is the list of those who performed this service: 2Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah, sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the guidance of the king. 3Of Jeduthun, these sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah; six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied to the accompaniment of a lyre, to give thanks and praise to the LORD. 4Of Heman, these sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s seer for divine matters; to exalt him God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.^b 6All these, whether of Asaph, Jeduthun, or Heman, were under their fathers’ direction in the singing in the house of the LORD to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres, serving in the house of God, under the guidance of the king.^c 7Their number, together with that of their kinsmen who were trained in singing to the LORD, all of them skilled men, was two hundred and eighty-eight. 8They cast lots for their functions equally, young and old, master and pupil alike.^d

9The first lot fell to Asaph, to the family of Joseph; he and his sons and his kinsmen were twelve. Gedaliah was the second; he and his kinsmen and his sons were twelve. 10The third was Zaccur, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 11The fourth fell to Izri, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 12The fifth was Nethaniah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 13The sixth was Bukkiah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 14The seventh was Jesarelah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 15The eighth was Jeshaiah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 16The ninth was Mattaniah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 17The tenth was Shimei, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 18The eleventh was Uzziel, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 19The twelfth fell to Hashabiah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 20The thirteenth was Shubael, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 21The fourteenth was Mattithiah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 22The fifteenth fell to Jeremoth, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 23The sixteenth fell to Hananiah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 24The seventeenth fell to Joshbekashah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 25The eighteenth fell to Hanani, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 26The nineteenth fell to Mallothi, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 27The twentieth fell to Eliathah, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 28The twenty-first fell to Hothir, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 29The twenty-second fell to Giddalti, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 30The twenty-third fell to Mahazioth, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve. 31The twenty-fourth fell to Romamti-ezer, his sons, and his kinsmen: twelve.

* [25:1] This list of twenty-four classes of Temple singers balances the list of the twenty-four classes of priests (24:4–19). The last nine names in v. 4, which seem to form a special group, were perhaps originally fragments or incipits (the opening words) of hymns. With some slight changes in the vocalization, these names would mean: “Have mercy on me, O LORD,” “Have mercy on me,” “You are my God,” “I magnify,” “I extol the help of…,” “Sitting in adversity,” “I have fulfilled,” “He made abundant,” and “Visions.”

a. [25:1] 1 Chr 6:16–32; 15:16–17, 19; 16:37; 2 Chr 5:12; 35:15; Neh 12:27, 45.

b. [25:5] 2 Chr 35:15.

c. [25:6] 1 Chr 15:16.

d. [25:8] 1 Chr 24:31.