Heman

Heman, 1

He´man, a person of the tribe of Judah, named with others celebrated for their wisdom, to which that of Solomon is compared (1Ki 4:31; 1Ch 2:6). The considerations stated under Ethan will distinguish this Heman from the following, with whom he is sometimes confounded.

Heman, 2

Heman, a Kohathite of the tribe of Levi, and one of the leaders of the temple-music as organized by David (1Ch 6:33; 1Ch 16:41-42). This, doubtless, is the Heman who Psalms 88 is ascribed.

1. A celebrated sage, of the tribe of Judah. The period of his life is unknown, 1Ki 4:31 .\par 2. A Kohathite Levite, to whom as a chief musicians of the temple of the eighty-eighty Psalm is inscribed, 1Ch 6:33 ; 16:41,42.\par

He’man. (faithful).

1. Son of Zerah. 1Ch 2:6; 1Ki 4:31.

2. Son of Joel, and grandson of Samuel, the prophet, a Kohathite. He is called, "the singer," rather the musician, 1Ch 6:33, and was the first of the three Levites, to whom was committed the vocal and instrumental music of the Temple service, in the reign of David. 1Ch 15:16-22. The 88th Psalm is ascribed to him. (B.C. 1014).

1. 1Ch 2:6; 1Ki 4:31. Probably the same as 2; though a Levite by birth he was reckoned in the family of Zerah, of Judah, as dwelling among them.

2. Grandson of Samuel; a Kohathite (1Ch 6:31-38; 1Ch 6:44). Colleague of Asaph and Ethan or Jeduthun ("the praise man") in arranging the vocal and instrumental music of the temple service, under David "after that the ark had rest" (1Ch 15:16-22; 1Ch 25:1-3). (See ASAPH; ETHAN.) Lord A. Hervey makes Heman 14th in descent from Levi. Called "the king’s seer in the matters (words) of God, to lift up the horn," inheriting by God’s gift the spirit of prophecy of his grandfather. Heman had 14 sons and three daughters.

The sons were each the head of one of the 25 wards of Levites, "instructed in the songs of the Lord." Heman the Kohathite probably, or his father, married an heiress of the house of Zerah (See ZERAH, 1), and so, though by birth son of Joel, he is legally called the Ezrahite or son of Zerah in the title of Psalm 88, as Ethan is named the author in the title of Psalm 89, and other psalms have Asaph in the title. Not that Psalm 89, was actually by Heman; it was by "sons of Korah" who attributed the authorship to Heman by way of honour (Hengstenberg).

[He’man]

1. Son of Zerah, or Mahol: he was renowned for his wisdom, which, however, was surpassed by that of Solomon. 1Ki 4:31; 1Ch 2:6.

2. Son of Joel, a Kohathite: he was both a seer and chief of the musicians in the sanctuary under David. His fourteen sons were also musicians. 1Ch 6:33; 1Ch 15:17; 1Ch 15:19; 1Ch 16:41-42; 1Ch 25:1-6; 2Ch 5:12; 2Ch 29:14; 2Ch 35:15. Psalm 88 is ascribed to Heman the Ezrahite, who some think to be the same person, but (as in the margin of the A.V.) it more probably refers to No. 1.

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By: Emil G. Hirsch, M. Seligsohn

1. Son of Joel and grandson of the prophet Samuel; surnamed "the Singer"; a Kohathite (I Chron. vi. 19). He was one of the three chief Levites appointed by David to superintend the musical service in the Temple (ib. vi. 18-30, xv. 17, xxv. 1). He had fourteen sons, all of whom assisted in the choir under their father, and each of whom was the head of one of the twenty-four courses of the Levites established by David (ib. xxv. 4-31). Heman was also called "the king's seer in the matters of God" (ib. xxv. 5), the same term being applied to Asaph (II Chron. xxix. 30) and to Jeduthun (ib. xxxv. 15). 2. Son of Mahol; one of the men renowned for wisdom (I Kings v. 11 [A. V. iv. 31]). In I Chron. ii. 6 this Heman is mentioned as the son of Zerah, son of Judah. As to the Heman to whom the Eighty-eighth Psalm is ascribed, it is difficult to determine whether he is to be identified with No. 1 orwith No. 2 of this article. The fact that other psalms are ascribed to Asaph and Jeduthun, Heman's two companions, might indicate identification with Heman the Singer. The first part of the title, "A Psalm for the sons of Korah," would confirm this supposition. But he is called there "Heman the Ezrahite," and the following psalm is superscribed "Ethan the Ezrahite"; so that it seems that these two were the sons of Zerah ("Ezrahite" = "Zarhite"), renowned for their wisdom. In this case the title of Ps. lxxxviii. would be composed of two contradictory parts.

HEMAN.—There appear at first to be three different men of this name in the OT. 1. A legendary wise man whose wisdom Solomon excelled (1Ki 4:31). 2. A son (or clan) of Zerah of the tribe of Judah (1Ch 2:6), probably also alluded to in the title of Psa 88:1-18 as Heman the Ezrahite, Ezrah being another form of Zerah. 3. A Korahite singer of the time of David, said to be the son of Joel the son of Samuel (1Ch 6:33; cf. also 1Ch 15:17; 1Ch 15:19, 1Ch 16:41, 1Ch 25:1-6). As Chronicles in a number of cases confuses the genealogy of Judah with that of Levi (cf., e.g., 1Ch 2:42-43 with 1Ch 6:2), and as the wise men of 1Ki 4:31 are legendary, it is probable that the three Hemans are the same legendary ancestor of a clan celebrated for its music and wisdom. This view finds some support in the fact that the title of Psa 88:1-18 makes Heman both an Ezrahite (Judahite) and a Korahite (Levite).

George A. Barton.

hē´man (הימן, hēmān, “faithful”): The name of two men in the Old Testament.

(1) A musician and seer, a Levite, son of Joel and grandson of the prophet Samuel; of the family of the Kohathites (1Ch 6:33), appointed by David as one of the leaders of the temple-singing (1Ch 15:17; 2Ch 5:12). He had 14 sons (and 3 daughters) who assisted their father in the chorus. Heman seems also to have been a man of spiritual power; is called “the king’s seer in matters of God” (1Ch 25:5; 2Ch 35:15).

(2) One of the noted wise men prior to, or about, the time of Solomon. He was one of the three sons of Mahol (1Ki 4:31 (Heb 5:11)); also called a son of Zerah (1Ch 2:6).

Ps 88 is inscribed to Heman the Ezrahite, who is probably to be identified with the second son of Zerah.