1 Moreover David H1732 and the captains H8269 of the host H6635 separated H914 to the service H5656 of the sons H1121 of Asaph, H623 and of Heman, H1968 and of Jeduthun, H3038 who should prophesy H5012 H5030 with harps, H3658 with psalteries, H5035 and with cymbals: H4700 and the number H4557 of the workmen H582 H4399 according to their service H5656 was:
And his brother H251 Asaph, H623 who stood H5975 on his right hand, H3225 even Asaph H623 the son H1121 of Berachiah, H1296 the son H1121 of Shimea, H8092
And at the dedication H2598 of the wall H2346 of Jerusalem H3389 they sought H1245 the Levites H3881 out of all their places, H4725 to bring H935 them to Jerusalem, H3389 to keep H6213 the dedication H2598 with gladness, H8057 both with thanksgivings, H8426 and with singing, H7892 with cymbals, H4700 psalteries, H5035 and with harps. H3658
And the men H582 did H6213 the work H4399 faithfully: H530 and the overseers H5329 of them were Jahath H3189 and Obadiah, H5662 the Levites, H3881 of the sons H1121 of Merari; H4847 and Zechariah H2148 and Meshullam, H4918 of the sons of the Kohathites, H6956 to set it forward; H6485 and other of the Levites, H3881 all that could skill H995 of instruments H3627 of musick. H7892
After H310 that thou shalt come H935 to the hill H1389 of God, H430 where is the garrison H5333 of the Philistines: H6430 and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither H935 to the city, H5892 that thou shalt meet H6293 a company H2256 of prophets H5030 coming down H3381 from the high place H1116 with a psaltery, H5035 and a tabret, H8596 and a pipe, H2485 and a harp, H3658 before H6440 them; and they shall prophesy: H5012
And when the builders H1129 laid the foundation H3245 of the temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 they set H5975 the priests H3548 in their apparel H3847 with trumpets, H2689 and the Levites H3881 the sons H1121 of Asaph H623 with cymbals, H4700 to praise H1984 the LORD, H3068 after the ordinance H3027 of David H1732 king H4428 of Israel. H3478 And they sang together by course H6030 in praising H1984 and giving thanks H3034 unto the LORD; H3068 because he is good, H2896 for his mercy H2617 endureth for ever H5769 toward Israel. H3478 And all the people H5971 shouted H7321 with a great H1419 shout, H8643 when they praised H1984 the LORD, H3068 because the foundation H3245 of the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 was laid. H3245
And G2532 I saw G1492 as it were G5613 a sea G2281 of glass G5193 mingled G3396 with fire: G4442 and G2532 them that had gotten the victory G3528 over G1537 the beast, G2342 and G2532 over G1537 his G846 image, G1504 and G2532 over G1537 his G846 mark, G5480 and over G1537 the number G706 of his G846 name, G3686 stand G2476 on G1909 the sea G2281 of glass, G5193 having G2192 the harps G2788 of God. G2316 And G2532 they sing G103 the song G5603 of Moses G3475 the servant G1401 of God, G2316 and G2532 the song G5603 of the Lamb, G721 saying, G3004 Great G3173 and G2532 marvellous G2298 are thy G4675 works, G2041 Lord G2962 God G2316 Almighty; G3841 just G1342 and G2532 true G228 are thy G4675 ways, G3598 thou King G935 of saints. G40 Who G5101 shall G5399 not G3364 fear G5399 thee, G4571 O Lord, G2962 and G2532 glorify G1392 thy G4675 name? G3686 for G3754 thou only G3441 art holy: G3741 for G3754 all G3956 nations G1484 shall come G2240 and G2532 worship G4352 before G1799 thee; G4675 for G3754 thy G4675 judgments G1345 are made manifest. G5319
But G1161 if G1437 all G3956 prophesy, G4395 and G1161 there come in G1525 one G5100 that believeth not, G571 or G2228 one unlearned, G2399 he is convinced G1651 of G5259 all, G3956 he is judged G350 of G5259 all: G3956 And G2532 thus G3779 are G1096 the secrets G2927 of his G846 heart G2588 made G1096 manifest; G5318 and G2532 so G3779 falling down G4098 on G1909 his face G4383 he will worship G4352 God, G2316 and report G518 that G3754 God G2316 is G2076 in G1722 you G5213 of a truth. G3689 How G5101 is it G2076 then, G3767 brethren? G80 when G3752 ye come together, G4905 every one G1538 of you G5216 hath G2192 a psalm, G5568 hath G2192 a doctrine, G1322 hath G2192 a tongue, G1100 hath G2192 a revelation, G602 hath G2192 an interpretation. G2058 Let G1096 all things G3956 be done G1096 unto G4314 edifying. G3619
Praise H1984 him with the sound H8629 of the trumpet: H7782 praise H1984 him with the psaltery H5035 and harp. H3658 Praise H1984 him with the timbrel H8596 and dance: H4234 praise H1984 him with stringed instruments H4482 and organs. H5748 Praise H1984 him upon the loud H8088 cymbals: H6767 praise H1984 him upon the high sounding H8643 cymbals. H6767
[[A Psalm H4210 or Song H7892 for the sabbath H7676 day.]] H3117 It is a good H2896 thing to give thanks H3034 unto the LORD, H3068 and to sing praises H2167 unto thy name, H8034 O most High: H5945 To shew forth H5046 thy lovingkindness H2617 in the morning, H1242 and thy faithfulness H530 every night, H3915 Upon an instrument of ten strings, H6218 and upon the psaltery; H5035 upon the harp H3658 with a solemn sound. H1902
Also that day H3117 they offered H2076 great H1419 sacrifices, H2077 and rejoiced: H8055 for God H430 had made them rejoice H8055 with great H1419 joy: H8057 the wives H802 also and the children H3206 rejoiced: H8055 so that the joy H8057 of Jerusalem H3389 was heard H8085 even afar off. H7350 And at that time H3117 were some H582 appointed H6485 over the chambers H5393 for the treasures, H214 for the offerings, H8641 for the firstfruits, H7225 and for the tithes, H4643 to gather H3664 into them out of the fields H7704 of the cities H5892 the portions H4521 of the law H8451 for the priests H3548 and Levites: H3881 for Judah H3063 rejoiced H8057 for the priests H3548 and for the Levites H3881 that waited. H5975 And both the singers H7891 and the porters H7778 kept H8104 the ward H4931 of their God, H430 and the ward H4931 of the purification, H2893 according to the commandment H4687 of David, H1732 and of Solomon H8010 his son. H1121 For in the days H3117 of David H1732 and Asaph H623 of old H6924 there were chief H7218 of the singers, H7891 and songs H7892 of praise H8416 and thanksgiving H3034 unto God. H430
And the chief H7218 of the Levites: H3881 Hashabiah, H2811 Sherebiah, H8274 and Jeshua H3442 the son H1121 of Kadmiel, H6934 with their brethren H251 over against them, to praise H1984 and to give thanks, H3034 according to the commandment H4687 of David H1732 the man H376 of God, H430 ward H4929 over against H5980 ward. H4929
And Hezekiah H3169 appointed H5975 the courses H4256 of the priests H3548 and the Levites H3881 after their courses, H4256 every man H376 according H6310 to his service, H5656 the priests H3548 and Levites H3881 for burnt offerings H5930 and for peace offerings, H8002 to minister, H8334 and to give thanks, H3034 and to praise H1984 in the gates H8179 of the tents H4264 of the LORD. H3068
And he set H5975 the Levites H3881 in the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 with cymbals, H4700 with psalteries, H5035 and with harps, H3658 according to the commandment H4687 of David, H1732 and of Gad H1410 the king's H4428 seer, H2374 and Nathan H5416 the prophet: H5030 for so was the commandment H4687 of H3027 the LORD H3068 by H3027 his prophets. H5030 And the Levites H3881 stood H5975 with the instruments H3627 of David, H1732 and the priests H3548 with the trumpets. H2689
And she looked, H7200 and, behold, the king H4428 stood H5975 at his pillar H5982 at the entering in, H3996 and the princes H8269 and the trumpets H2689 by the king: H4428 and all the people H5971 of the land H776 rejoiced, H8056 and sounded H8628 with trumpets, H2689 also the singers H7891 with instruments H3627 of musick, H7892 and such as taught H3045 to sing praise. H1984 Then Athaliah H6271 rent H7167 her clothes, H899 and said, H559 Treason, H7195 Treason. H7195
Moreover Jehoiada H3077 the priest H3548 delivered H5414 to the captains H8269 of hundreds H3967 spears, H2595 and bucklers, H4043 and shields, H7982 that had been king H4428 David's, H1732 which were in the house H1004 of God. H430
And in the seventh H7637 year H8141 Jehoiada H3077 strengthened H2388 himself, and took H3947 the captains H8269 of hundreds, H3967 Azariah H5838 the son H1121 of Jeroham, H3395 and Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Jehohanan, H3076 and Azariah H5838 the son H1121 of Obed, H5744 and Maaseiah H4641 the son H1121 of Adaiah, H5718 and Elishaphat H478 the son H1121 of Zichri, H2147 into covenant H1285 with him.
Of Jeduthun: H3038 the sons H1121 of Jeduthun; H3038 Gedaliah, H1436 and Zeri, H6874 and Jeshaiah, H3470 Hashabiah, H2811 and Mattithiah, H4993 six, H8337 under the hands H3027 of their father H1 Jeduthun, H3038 who prophesied H5012 with a harp, H3658 to give thanks H3034 and to praise H1984 the LORD. H3068
Thus were they divided H2505 by lot, H1486 one sort H428 with another; H428 for the governors H8269 of the sanctuary, H6944 and governors H8269 of the house of God, H430 were of the sons H1121 of Eleazar, H499 and of the sons H1121 of Ithamar. H385 And Shemaiah H8098 the son H1121 of Nethaneel H5417 the scribe, H5608 one of the Levites, H3881 wrote H3789 them before H6440 the king, H4428 and the princes, H8269 and Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and Ahimelech H288 the son H1121 of Abiathar, H54 and before the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of the priests H3548 and Levites: H3881 one H259 principal H1 household H1004 being taken H270 for Eleazar, H499 and one taken H270 for Ithamar. H385
Moreover four H702 thousand H505 were porters; H7778 and four H702 thousand H505 praised H1984 the LORD H3068 with the instruments H3627 which I made, H6213 said David, to praise H1984 therewith. And David H1732 divided H2505 them into courses H4256 among the sons H1121 of Levi, H3878 namely, Gershon, H1648 Kohath, H6955 and Merari. H4847 Of the Gershonites H1649 were, Laadan, H3936 and Shimei. H8096
And with them Heman H1968 and Jeduthun, H3038 and the rest H7605 that were chosen, H1305 who were expressed H5344 by name, H8034 to give thanks H3034 to the LORD, H3068 because his mercy H2617 endureth for ever; H5769 And with them Heman H1968 and Jeduthun H3038 with trumpets H2689 and cymbals H4700 for those that should make a sound, H8085 and with musical H7892 instruments H3627 of God. H430 And the sons H1121 of Jeduthun H3038 were porters. H8179
And he appointed H5414 certain of the Levites H3881 to minister H8334 before H6440 the ark H727 of the LORD, H3068 and to record, H2142 and to thank H3034 and praise H1984 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel: H3478 Asaph H623 the chief, H7218 and next H4932 to him Zechariah, H2148 Jeiel, H3273 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehiel, H3171 and Mattithiah, H4993 and Eliab, H446 and Benaiah, H1141 and Obededom: H5654 and Jeiel H3273 with psalteries H5035 H3627 and with harps; H3658 but Asaph H623 made a sound H8085 with cymbals; H4700
And David H1732 spake H559 to the chief H8269 of the Levites H3881 to appoint H5975 their brethren H251 to be the singers H7891 with instruments H3627 of musick, H7892 psalteries H5035 and harps H3658 and cymbals, H4700 sounding, H8085 by lifting up H7311 the voice H6963 with joy. H8057 So the Levites H3881 appointed H5975 Heman H1968 the son H1121 of Joel; H3100 and of his brethren, H251 Asaph H623 the son H1121 of Berechiah; H1296 and of the sons H1121 of Merari H4847 their brethren, H251 Ethan H387 the son H1121 of Kushaiah; H6984 And with them their brethren H251 of the second H4932 degree, Zechariah, H2148 Ben, H1122 and Jaaziel, H3268 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehiel, H3171 and Unni, H6042 Eliab, H446 and Benaiah, H1141 and Maaseiah, H4641 and Mattithiah, H4993 and Elipheleh, H466 and Mikneiah, H4737 and Obededom, H5654 and Jeiel, H3273 the porters. H7778 So the singers, H7891 Heman, H1968 Asaph, H623 and Ethan, H387 were appointed to sound H8085 with cymbals H4700 of brass; H5178 And Zechariah, H2148 and Aziel, H5815 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehiel, H3171 and Unni, H6042 and Eliab, H446 and Maaseiah, H4641 and Benaiah, H1141 with psalteries H5035 on Alamoth; H5961 And Mattithiah, H4993 and Elipheleh, H466 and Mikneiah, H4737 and Obededom, H5654 and Jeiel, H3273 and Azaziah, H5812 with harps H3658 on the Sheminith H8067 to excel. H5329
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 25
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 25 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 25
This chapter relates the appointment of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, to be singers in the temple, 1 Chronicles 25:1 the distribution of them by lot into twenty four classes, twelve in each class, 1 Chronicles 25:8.
Moreover, David and the captains of the host separated to the service,.... Of singing the praises of God; this was done by the princes of the people, and the chief of the priests, who were gathered together, and before whom the lots were cast, both for priests and Levites, and now here for the singers, see 1 Chronicles 22:2 and those that were separated were
of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun; or Ethan, the three precentors, or chief of the singers:
who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals; sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, endited by the Holy Spirit of God; which contained in them prophecies concerning things to come, particularly relating to the Messiah, of which there are many in the book of Psalms; and to the tunes of these they played on the above instruments of music:
and the number of the workmen, according to their service, was; as follows.
Of the sons of Asaph,.... Who were separated, and by lot appointed, to the service of singers in the temple:
Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah; called Jesharelah, 1 Chronicles 25:14, these had the third fourth, fifth, and seventh lots, 1 Chronicles 25:9,
under the hands of Asaph; under his instruction and authority:
which prophesied according to the order of the king; which Asaph composed psalms under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, and was ordered by King David to sing them, and by whose command they were inserted in the book of Psalms, where they now stand with his name to them.
Of Jeduthun,.... Or Ethan, the sons of Jeduthun:
Gedaliah and Zeri; called Izri, 1 Chronicles 25:11,
and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six; whereas five only are mentioned; it may be thought that Shimei, 1 Chronicles 25:17 is the sixth, he not being mentioned elsewhere; it is a tradition of the Jews, that his mother was now with child of him, and it being foreseen by the Holy Spirit that he would be the chief of a course, the number six is given, as Jarchi observes; but rather, as Kimchi, he was young, and not fit to sing, yet was chosen the head of a course, until he was grown up and fit for it; to these six came up the second, fourth, eighth, twelfth, fourteenth, and tenth lots, 1 Chronicles 25:9 and these
were under the hands of their father Jeduthun; to instruct and direct them, and appoint their service to them:
who prophesied with a harp; or sung a prophetic psalm or hymn on that:
to give thanks, and to praise the Lord; for what he had done and promised, and foretold he would do for his people.
Of Heman: the sons of Heman,.... The third chief singer:
Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel; the same with Azareel, 1 Chronicles 25:18.
Shebuel; called Shubael, 1 Chronicles 25:20.
and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth; in all fourteen, to whom came the sixth, ninth, eleventh, fifteenth, sixteenth, eighteenth, twentieth, twenty second, twenty fourth, seventeenth, nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty third lots, 1 Chronicles 25:13.
All these were the sons of Heman, the king's seer,.... The prophet of the king, as the Targum, who was frequently with him, assisting him
in the words of God: in divine things:
to lift up the horn; to blow with the hornpipe or trumpet, and to magnify and set forth the greatness of the kingdom of Israel, and especially of the King Messiah, the horn of salvation, that would be raised up in the house of David:
and God gave to Heman fourteen sons; whose names are before mentioned:
and three daughters; of whom we have no more account, only may observe, that both are the gifts of God, and an heritage from him, Psalm 127:3.
All these were under the hands of their father, for song in the house of the Lord,.... Instructed and directed by him in the performance of the service in the temple:
with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God; which were the three principal instruments of music used in the temple service:
according to the king's order, to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman; who ordered and directed them what to sing, what tunes to make use of, and what instruments to play upon to those tunes.
So the number of them, with their brethren,.... Who each of them had twelve with them, as after reckoned:
that were instructed in the songs of the Lord; taught how to sing them:
even all that were cunning; expert and well skilled in the science of singing:
was two hundred and eighty eight; for there being twenty four classes answerable to those of the priests, and twelve in each class, twelve times twenty four makes two hundred and eighty eight.
And they cast lots, ward against ward,.... That is, which ward or course of the singers should answer to and attend on the first ward or course of the priests in their weekly service, and which the second, and so on:
as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar; no regard was had to the age of a person, his being the firstborn or a younger brother, or to his office and station, whether as a teacher or a learner in the science of singing; he was made the head of a course, as the lot came up; and it may easily be observed, by comparing the lots in the following verses with the sons of the chief singers, according to the order of them in 1 Chronicles 25:2 that the younger are often preferred in the courses by lot to the elder, of which even the first lot is an instance.
Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph,.... His second son to the preference of the firstborn, 1 Chronicles 25:2,
the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve: and which must also be understood of Joseph, and supplied to him; for those being both in one verse, as Jarchi observes, it is but once mentioned, but must be supplied, or otherwise the number of two hundred and eighty eight could not be made up; the same is observed of all the other lots and courses to the end of the chapter as here, and therefore need no more remarks.