1 Chronicles 25)
1 Moreover David and the heads of the Temple service (see Num. 4:23,30,35,39,43; 8:24) separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, (probably another name for Ethan. See 16:41) who should prophesy with harps, (not "perform", or "render". The music therefore eminently spiritual. See v.5) with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:
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.
3 Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, (only 5 named. The 6th is Shimei [v.17]) under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the Lord.
4 Of Heman: the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, (the fact that the meanings of these 6 names form a complete sentence in Hebrew is no more proof that this a mistaken "obscure and ancient prayer", that that of the chronicler has strung together a list of 6 names in order to form a sentence. What it shows is that Heman, in naming his sons, did so with the set purpose, as parents have often done since his day. The supposed prayer would read: "I have magnified and raised up help; Sitting in trouble, I have spoken many oracles.") and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth:
5 All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, (not the words of man. None but Divine words used in Divine worship) to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
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.
7 So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the Lord, (not man) even all that were skillful, (see 22:15. Cp. Ex. 26:1) was two hundred fourscore and eight. (288 = 24 x 12. 12 the number of Governmental perfection is a factor in all that pertains to government. Cp. 27:1. See THE SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE ON NUMBERS)
8 And they cast lots, (see Ex. 28:30. Num. 26:55) ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.
9 Now the first lot came forth (i.e out of the ephod, the bag behind the high priests breastplate; the lap, or bag of Prov. 16:35. Cp. Josh. 21:4, and note in previous verse) for Asaph to Joseph: (not the eldest son, cp. v.2) the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren (relatives) and sons were twelve:
10 The third to Zaccur, (the son of Asaph, v.2) he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
11 The fourth to Izri, (another spelling of Zeri, v.3. Just as we spell the same name differently: e.g. Ester and Hester, Elisabeth and Elizabeth, Ellen and hellen, Catherine and Katherine, Norah and Nora) he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
12 The fifth to Nethaniah, 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 Jesharelah, (Asarelah of v.2) 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 Azareel, (Uzziel of v.4) he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
19 The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
20 The thirteenth to Shubael, 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 Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
31 The four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.