One Chronicles Twenty Five

by Dr. Henry M. Morris

(taken from the Defender's Study Bible)

1 Chronicles 25:1 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:

and of Jeduthun. Compare with 1 Chronicles 15:19, which lists Heman, Asaph, and Ethan as David's chief musicians. It is probable that Jeduthun was another name for Ethan.

1 Chronicles 25:2 Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king.

which prophesied. Note also 1 Chronicles 25:3, with reference to the sons of Jeduthun; and 1 Chronicles 25:5, which speaks of “the sons of Heman the king's seer.” It appears that all these specially chosen temple musicians were also “prophets,” a term which typically implies that, at least on occasion, they were able to receive and transmit inspired revelations from God. Thus prophecy could, at that time, be in the form of musically accompanied words as well as spoken or written words.

1 Chronicles 25:3 Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, 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.

1 Chronicles 25:4 Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth:

1 Chronicles 25:5 All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

Heman the king's seer. Biblically, the terms “seer” and “prophet” are essentially synonymous when used as here (note 1 Samuel 9:9). Jeduthun was also called “the king's seer” (2 Chronicles 35:15), and so was Asaph (2 Chronicles 29:30). Some of the divinely inspired messages which they were enabled to “see” as “seers,” and to prophesy” as “prophets” have been preserved by God for us in several of the Psalms (see note on 1 Chronicles 15:19).

1 Chronicles 25:6 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.

1 Chronicles 25:7 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.

1 Chronicles 25:8 And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.

1 Chronicles 25:9 Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:10 The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:11 The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:12 The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:13 The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:14 The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:15 The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:16 The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:17 The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:18 The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:19 The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:20 The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:21 The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:22 The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:23 The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:24 The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:25 The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:26 The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:27 The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:28 The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:29 The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:30 The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

1 Chronicles 25:31 The four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.