XXV. THE TWENTY-FOUR CLASSES OF SINGERS, OR MINSTRELS. (1) MOREOVER (AND) DAVID AND THE CAPTAINS OF THE HOST. — The latter (“the princes” of 1 Chronicles 24:6), were also concerned in the arrangement of the priestly classes (1 Chronicles 23:2). SEPARATED TO THE SERVICE OF THE SONS OF ASAPH. — Rath... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE SONS OF ASAPH; ZACCUR. — Literally, _To the sons of Asaph_ belonged _Zaccur._ In 1 Chronicles 25:2 the term “sons” appears to mean trained members of the musical guilds, of which the three chiefs, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, were masters. ASARELAH. — This singular name is spelt “Jesharelah”... [ Continue Reading ]
OF JEDUTHUN: THE SONS OF JEDUTHUN. — Rather, _To Jeduthun_ (_i.e.,_ belonging to the guild so called): _the sons of Jeduthun were Gedaliah,_ &c. ZERI. — The “Izri” of 1 Chronicles 25:11 is probably right. (Comp. Numbers 26:49.) The error here is as old as the ancient versions. SIX. — Only five name... [ Continue Reading ]
OF HEMAN. — Rather, _To Reman: the sons of Heman were,_ &c. Fourteen names of Hemanite leaders are given. Curiously enough, the last six, excluding the peculiar “Joshbekashah,” form, as they stand, a complete poetical couplet, which may be rendered: “God has come; I have exalted and extolled the he... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THESE WERE THE SONS OF HEMAN. — Literally, _Were sons to Heman._ THE KING’S SEER IN THE WORDS OF GOD. — Or, _in the things of God, in Divine_ (that is, liturgical) _matters._ Heman was a prophet as well as a minstrel. (For the connection between music and prophecy, comp. 1 Samuel 10:5; 2 Kings... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THESE WERE UNDER THE HANDS OF THEIR FATHER... AND HARPS. — Rather, _All these were under the direction of their conductor in the music in the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, harps, and lutes,_ (See Notes on 1 Chronicles 25:2.) ACCORDING TO THE KING’S ORDER TO ASAPH, JEDUTHUN, AND HEMAN. — Rathe... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THE NUMBER OF THEM, WITH THEIR BRETHREN... WAS TWO HUNDRED FOURSCORE AND EIGHT. — This total of two hundred and eighty-eight skilled musicians (24 × 12) shows that each of the twenty-four leading minstrels, called in 1 Chronicles 25:2 the “sons” of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, was associated with... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY CAST LOTS, WARD AGAINST WARD. — Rather, _And they cast lots of charge,_ that is, for determining the order in which each of the twenty-four guilds, or classes, should take charge of the services. (Comp, the LXX., κλήρους ἐφημερίων_,_ “lots of courses;” and see Luke 1:6.) Some Hebrew MSS. an... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE FIRST LOT CAME FORTH FOR ASAPH TO JOSEPH. — See 1 Chronicles 25:2, according to which Joseph was the second “son” of Asaph. Although not stated in the text, it must have been true of Joseph as of all the following heads, that “he, and his sons and his brethren were twelve.” The specified tot... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THIRD TO ZACCUR. — Literally, _The third, Zaccur and his sons and his brethren_ — _twelve._ The same mode of expression is used down to 1 Chronicles 25:18, except in 1 Chronicles 25:11, which reads, “The fourth for the Izrite, his sons and his brethren — twelve.” The Izrite (not “Izri”) is a Gen... [ Continue Reading ]
SHIMEI. — Omitted by accident from 1 Chronicles 25:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
AZAREEL. — Called Uzziel in 1 Chronicles 25:4. (Comp. Azariah as a variant of Uzziah, 1 Chronicles 3:12, and 2 Chronicles 26:1.)... [ Continue Reading ]
TO HASHABIAH. — So the Hebrew.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THIRTEENTH TO SHUBAEL. — The Hebrew is, _to thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve;_ and so in the next verse. The meaning seems to be: _as to,_ or _as regards, the thirteenth._ Shubael (Shebuel) has occurred before (1 Chronicles 23:16; 1 Chronicles 24:20).... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIFTEENTH TO JEREMOTH. — Heb., _to fifteenth, to Jeremoth_; _i.e.,_ as regards the fifteenth lot, it was for Jeremoth. The construction is the same to the end of the chapter. Spelling, and probably pronunciation, fluctuated between Jeremoth and Jerimoth (1 Chronicles 25:4). (Comp. 1 Chronicles... [ Continue Reading ]
An analysis of the whole list shows that the first, third, fifth, and seventh places fell to the four Asaphite guilds, or clans; the second, fourth, eighth, tenth, twelfth, and fourteenth to the six guilds of the sons of Jeduthun, or Ethanites; the sixth, ninth, eleventh, thirteenth, and the remaini... [ Continue Reading ]