(KJV) 1 Chronicles 251

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Twenty-Four Divisions of Musicians

[1] Moreover David and the captains2 of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph3, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy4 with harps5, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was: [2] Of the sons of Asaph6; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah7, the sons of Asaph under the hands8 of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king9. [3] Of Jeduthun10: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah11, and Zeri12, and Jeshaiah13, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah14, six15, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks16 and to praise the Lord. [4] Of Heman17: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah18, Mattaniah19, Uzziel20, Shebuel21, and Jerimoth22, Hanani23ah24, Hanani, Eliathah25, Giddalti26, and Romamti–ezer27, Joshbekashah28, Mallothi29, Hothir30, [and] Mahazioth: [5] All these [were] the sons of Heman the king’s seer31 in the words32 of God, to lift up33 the horn. And God gave34 to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. [6] All these [were] under the hands35 of their father for song36 [in] the house of the Lord, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s order37 to Asaph38, 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 hundred39 fourscore and eight.

[8] And they cast lots40, ward against [ward41], as well the small as the great, the teacher42 as the scholar. [9] Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph43: the second44 to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons [were] twelve: [10] The third to Zaccur45, [he], his sons, and his brethren, [were] twelve: [11] The fourth to Izri46, [he], his sons, and his brethren, [were] twelve: [12] The fifth to Nethaniah47, [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 Jesharelah48, [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 Azareel49, [he], his sons, and his brethren, [were] twelve: [19] The twelfth to Hashabiah50, [he], his sons, and his brethren, [were] twelve: [20] The thirteenth to Shubael51, [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 Mahazioth52, [he], his sons, and his brethren, [were] twelve: [31] The four and twentieth to Romamti–ezer53, [he], his sons, and his brethren, [were] twelve.

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  1. 1Chr 25:1, The number and offices of the singers; 1Chr 25:8, Their division by lot into four and twenty orders. 

  2. That is, the chief of the several orders; not military captains. 1Chr 12:28, 1Chr 23:2, 1Chr 24:5-6; 2Chr 23:1, 2Chr 23:9 

  3. 1Chr 6:33, 1Chr 6:39, 1Chr 6:44, 1Chr 15:16-19 

  4. The word prophesy, here, seems to mean no more than praising God by singing inspired prophetical hymns. 1Chr 25:3; 1Sam 10:5; 2Kgs 3:15; 1Cor 14:24-26 

  5. 1Chr 15:16-21, 1Chr 16:4-5, 1Chr 16:42, 1Chr 23:5-7; 2Chr 23:13, 2Chr 29:25-26, 2Chr 31:2, 2Chr 34:12; Ezra 3:10-11; Neh 12:24, Neh 12:27, Neh 12:43-46; Ps 81:2, Ps 92:1-3, Ps 150:3-5; Rev 15:2-4 

  6. 1Chr 25:1, 1Chr 6:39, 1Chr 15:17, 1Chr 16:5; Ps 73:1, Ps 74:1, Ps 75:1, Ps 76:1, Ps 77:1, Ps 78:1 titles Ps 79:1, Ps 80:1, Ps 81:1, Ps 82:1, Ps 83:1 titles 

  7. "Otherwise called Jesharelah." 1Chr 25:14

  8. 1Chr 25:3, 1Chr 25:6; Isa 3:6 

  9. Heb. by the hands of the king, 1Chr 25:6 *marg. 

  10. 1Chr 9:16, 1Chr 16:41-42; 2Chr 29:14 

  11. 1Chr 25:9 

  12. 1Chr 25:11, Izri 

  13. 1Chr 25:15 

  14. 1Chr 25:21, 1Chr 15:18, 1Chr 15:21 

  15. "With Shimei, mentioned 1Chr 25:17." Shimei is not only mentioned in the parallel passage, but is supplied here by the Arabic version. 

  16. Ps 92:1; Jer 33:11 

  17. 1Chr 6:33, 1Chr 15:17, 1Chr 15:19, 1Chr 16:41-42; Ps 88:1 *title 

  18. 1Chr 25:13 

  19. 1Chr 25:16 

  20. 1Chr 25:18, Azareel, 1Chr 24:24 

  21. 1Chr 25:20, 1Chr 24:20, Shubael 

  22. 1Chr 25:22, 1Chr 24:30 

  23. 1Chr 25:23 

  24. 1Chr 25:25 

  25. 1Chr 25:27 

  26. 1Chr 25:29 

  27. 1Chr 25:31 

  28. 1Chr 25:24 

  29. 1Chr 25:26 

  30. 1Chr 25:28, 1Chr 25:30 

  31. 1Chr 21:9; 1Sam 9:9 

  32. or, matters 

  33. This may denote that he presided over those who used wind instruments. 

  34. 1Chr 28:5; Gen 33:5; Ps 127:3; Isa 8:18 

  35. 1Chr 25:2-3 

  36. 1Chr 25:1-3, 1Chr 15:22, 1Chr 23:5; Ps 68:25; Eph 5:19; Col 3:16 

  37. Heb. by the hands of the king, 1Chr 25:2 *marg. 

  38. 1Chr 25:1-4 

  39. These two hundred and eighty-eight, being twenty-four courses of twelve each, were more skilful than the other Levites; and being placed under the twenty-four sons of the chief singers, they had the four thousand before mentioned divided among them, to officiate by courses, according to their instructions. 1Chr 23:5

  40. 1Chr 24:5; Lev 16:8; 1Sam 14:41-42; Prov 16:33; Acts 1:26 

  41. 1Chr 24:31, 1Chr 26:13, 1Chr 26:16; Neh 12:24 

  42. Even among the twenty-four leaders, some were more expert than others; some were teachers, and others were scholars; but every one was taken by the solemn casting of lots, without any regard to these distinctions. Thus all things were disposed for the preserving of order, and avoiding all disputes about precedence. There being no respect had, in this divine distribution, to birth, but the younger in course preceded the elder. 1Chr 15:22; 2Chr 23:13 

  43. 1Chr 25:2 

  44. Dr. Geddes, chiefly on the authority of the Arabic, adds, "who with his sons and brethren were twelve." 

  45. 1Chr 25:2 

  46. ιφψι ( ‎יִצְרִי‎ ), Izri, seems to be called φψι ( ‎צְרִי‎ ), Zeri, by the apheresis of ι, yood. 1Chr 25:3, Zeri 

  47. 1Chr 25:2 

  48. This variation rises from the mutation of ΰ, aleph, and ι, yood; the word being written in the parallel passage ΰωψΰμδ ( ‎אֲשַׂרְאֵלָה‎ ), Asarelah, and here, ιωψΰμδ ( ‎יְשַׂרְאֵלָה‎ ), Jesarelah. 1Chr 25:2, Asarelah 

  49. Probably this person was called by both names; or Uzziel may be a mistake for Azareel. In the Syriac and Arabic, the name is nearly the same in both places. 1Chr 25:4, Uzziel 

  50. 1Chr 25:3 

  51. 1Chr 25:4, Shebuel 

  52. i.e. vision of a sign, 1Chr 25:4 

  53. i.e. I have exalted help, 1Chr 25:4