1 Chronicles 25:1-31
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:
2 Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah,a the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king.
3 Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri,b 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.
4 Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel,c Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth:
5 All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the wordsd 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 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.
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 fourscore 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 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.
1 Chronicles 25:1. Prophesy with harps. They sung, as well as played, in the service of the Lord, the compositions or psalms of holy men. The harp is the lyre of the Latin versions. Music in religious worship has a divine sanction; and in the hands of these men it must have acquired perfection. Yet in the primitive church, partly through poverty, and partly through persecution and fear, it was not much used. We do not read of music in churches till after the time of Constantine. See Psalm cl.
1 Chronicles 25:5. All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer, viz. fourteen sons that blew the horn; his three daughters were equally trained to music. They were nobly born, and enjoyed religious dignity in the temple of the Lord. Asaph and his sons had the first rank.
REFLECTIONS.
Though no temple was now either built or begun; yet so great a number of priests, of levites, of singers, and of worshippers, could not attend the sanctuary without shelter from the rain and stormy weather. Hence we read of the workmen being considerable in number: the buildings round about Zion were of course many, and the whole of this little city was devoted to God, and the accommodation of his people. Hence also we read so often that the sacred pavilion or tabernacle is called the house and temple of the Lord.
We here find that the singers, like the priests and levites, were divided into courses, to prophesy or sing with the harp. The musical instruments were numerous, and the musicians four thousand. The perfection they acquired in music and in sacred song was enviable to the satraps, or lords of Babylon. Psalms 137. But all this grandeur and sublimity of Hebrew worship was pleasing to God no farther than it might aid the devotion of the heart, and the elevation of the national mind. With him the contrition of the heart is the most grateful sacrifice, and its melody the sweetest music. The great masters of music, whose devotion rests in sounds, are to be classed with those lukewarm prophets to whom the Lord will say at last, Depart hence, I know you not. Let us learn so to worship God on earth, that we may be counted worthy of a name and a place in his house for ever, and to sing around his throne above.