1 Chronicles

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:

1King David and the army leaders chose men for a special job. They picked men from the families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun. These men would sing God's words while playing harps, lyres, and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who did this work.

2Of 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.

2From Asaph's sons: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. Their father Asaph was in charge of them. The king told Asaph how the work should be done.

3Of 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.

3From Jeduthun's sons: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah. There were six of them. Their father Jeduthun was in charge of them. He played the harp and sang God's words, thanking and praising the LORD.

NoteThe verse says six sons but names only five. The missing name is Shimei, who shows up later in verse 17.

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

4From Heman's sons: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.

5All 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.

5All these were sons of Heman. Heman was the king's seer, a man who told the king what God said. God had promised to make Heman strong and honored. God gave him fourteen sons and three daughters.

NoteThe old words here are "to lift up the horn." That was a way of saying to make someone strong and honored.

6All 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.

6Their fathers led all of them in the singing at the LORD's house. They played cymbals, lyres, and harps for the worship there. The king told Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman what to do.

7So 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.

7They and their relatives were all taught to sing the LORD's songs. Every one of them was skilled at it. There were 288 of them in all.

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

8They drew lots to see which group would serve at which time. Young and old were treated the same. So were teachers and students.

NoteDrawing lots was a way of choosing by chance. It was a little like drawing straws.

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

9The first lot went to Joseph, from Asaph's family. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve. The second went to Gedaliah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

10The third went to Zaccur. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

11The fourth went to Izri. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

12The fifth went to Nethaniah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

13The sixth went to Bukkiah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

14The seventh went to Jesharelah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

15The eighth went to Jeshaiah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

16The ninth went to Mattaniah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

17The tenth went to Shimei. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

18The eleventh went to Azareel. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

19The twelfth went to Hashabiah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

20The thirteenth went to Shubael. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

21The fourteenth went to Mattithiah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

22The fifteenth went to Jeremoth. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

23The sixteenth went to Hananiah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

24The seventeenth went to Joshbekashah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

25The eighteenth went to Hanani. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

26The nineteenth went to Mallothi. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

27The twentieth went to Eliathah. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

28The twenty-first went to Hothir. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

29The twenty-second went to Giddalti. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

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

30The twenty-third went to Mahazioth. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.

31The four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.

31The twenty-fourth went to Romamti-ezer. With his sons and relatives, there were twelve.