1 Chronicles 25

1 Chronicles 25:1-31

We have here, 1. The persons that were to be employed as singers, Afaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, ver. 1. Their sons, ver. 2—6. and other artists, ver. 7. 2. The order in which they were to attend determined by lot, ver. 8—31.

1. Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Afaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with platteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen, according to their service, was: 2. Of the sons of Afaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nechaniah, and of Afarelah, the sons of Afaph, under the hands of Afaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king. 3. Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and of Zeri, and Jefaniah, Haidahiah, and Mattithiah, fix, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD. 4. Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattithiah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hananah, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romanti-ezer, Joshekaafah, Malothi, Hoshir, and Mahazim: 5. All these were the sons of Heman the king’s feet in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6. All these were under the hands of their father, for long as the house of the LORD with cymbals, platteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s order, to Afaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. 7. 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 fourteen and eight. 8. ¶ And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. 9. Now the first lot came forth for Afaph 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 Ieri, he, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 12. The fifth to Nechaniah, 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 Jefharbiah, he, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 15. The eighth to Jefhaiah, he, his sons and his brethren were twelve:

5 Y a Chap. vi. 13. 26. 44. 1. Jefhaiah, Ver. 14. 1. Ibid. By the hands of the king. 2. Ieri, Ver. 1. 3. J. c. With Shumel, mentioned ver. 17. 4. Assarel, Ver. 18. 5. Shubael, Ver. 20. 6. I. Som. 12. 7. Pet. iv. 8. & kind of medical instrument. 9. Gen. xxviii. 5. Pf. xxxvii. 3. Col. 10. 11. 12. Chap. xxiii. 5. 13. Chom. xxiii. 13. 14. Chom. xxiii. 13. Before Chaff. 1683.

16. The ninth to Mattaniah, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 17. The tenth to Shimet, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 18. The eleventh to Azareel, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 19. The twelfth to Hathabiah, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 20. The thirteenth to Shubael, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 21. The fourteenth to Mattithiah, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 22. The fifteenth to Jeremoth, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 23. The thirteenth to Hananiah, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 24. The seventeenth to Jothbekaftah, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 25. The eighteenth to Hanani, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 26. The nineteenth to Mallothi, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 27. The twentieth to Eliahah, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 28. The one and twentieth to Horthir, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 29. The two and twentieth to Liddah, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 30. The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve: 31. The four and twentieth to Romanti- ezer, be, his sons and his brethren were twelve.

The courses of fingers are here appointed to accompany the priests and Levites in their service. Asaph, He-man, and Jeduthun, or Ethan, were the three great masters, and their sons under them, four and twenty, according to the number of courses. Their service is called prophecying, (for 1 Cor. xi. a. xiv. 24.) for the songs in which they praised God were chiefly prophecical of the Messiah. A variety of instruments were used to fill the sacred chorus, whilst their hearts and voices joined in the songs of the Lord. Music is highly pleasing; but we must not lose the sense in the sound. Songs of praise are no longer harmonious, than whilst we are making melody in our hearts unto God. Each of these twenty-four had eleven affiant fingers, of the most musical of these brethren, in all 288; and as four thousand are before said to be appointed for song, either they were divided into classes, and followed when these principal fingers led; or they might be employed in teaching the divine hymns of David to the rest of the people in the country. The fingers were appointed by his as before, and we may observe many of the younger sons were preferred before their elders. Note, The younger in years, are often the elder in grace.