David Organizes the Musicians

¹David and the army officers selected some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy as they played stringed instruments and cymbals. The following men were assigned this responsibility:[#tn Heb “David and the officers of the army set apart for service the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, the ones prophesying by harps, by lyres, and by cymbals.”; #tn Heb “and their number was, the men of work for their service.”]

²From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were supervised by Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision.[#tn Heb “the sons of Asaph [were] upon the hand of Asaph, the one prophesying upon the hands of the king.”]

³From the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah – six in all, under supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied as he played a harp, giving thanks and praise to the Lord .[#tn Heb “belonging to Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun.”; #tn This name appears as “Izri” in v. 10.; #tc One Hebrew ms and some LXX mss supply the name “Shimei” after “Jeshaiah.” Most Hebrew mss omit the name here (but cf. v. 17).; #tc The list includes only five names. Apparently the name “Shimei” (see v. 17), which appears in one medieval Hebrew ms and in the LXX, has been accidentally omitted from the Hebrew text.]

⁴From the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth.[#tn Heb “belonging to Heman, the sons of Heman.”]

⁵All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s prophet. God had promised him these sons in order to make him prestigious. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.[#tn Heb “by the words of God to exalt a horn.” An animal’s horn is sometimes used metaphorically as a symbol of strength and honor. See BDB 901-2 s.v. קֶרֶנ.]

⁶All of these were under the supervision of their fathers; they were musicians in the Lord ’s temple, playing cymbals and stringed instruments as they served in God’s temple. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the supervision of the king.

⁷They and their relatives, all of them skilled and trained to make music to the Lord , numbered two hundred eighty-eight.[#tn Heb “and their number with their brothers, trained in music to the Lord, all skilled, was 288.”]

⁸They cast lots to determine their responsibilities – oldest as well as youngest, teacher as well as student.[#tn Heb “and they cast lots [for] service, just as like small, like great, teacher with student.”]

⁹The first lot went to Asaph’s son Joseph and his relatives and sons – twelve in all,[#tc Heb “The first lot went to Asaph, to Joseph.” Apparently the recurring formula, “and his sons and his relatives, twelve” has been accidentally omitted from the Hebrew text at this point (see vv. 10-31; the formula is slightly different in v. 9b). If the number “twelve” is not supplied here, the total comes to only 276, not the 288 required by v. 7.]

the second to Gedaliah and his relatives and sons – twelve in all,

¹⁰the third to Zaccur and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

¹¹the fourth to Izri and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,[#tn “Izri” is a variant of the name “Zeri” (cf. 25:3).]

¹²the fifth to Nethaniah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

¹³the sixth to Bukkiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

¹⁴the seventh to Jesharelah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,[#tn “Jesharelah” is a variant of the name “Asarelah” (cf. 25:2).]

¹⁵the eighth to Jeshaiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

¹⁶the ninth to Mattaniah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

¹⁷the tenth to Shimei and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

¹⁸the eleventh to Azarel and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,[#tn “Azarel” is a variant of the name “Uzziel” (cf. 25:4).]

¹⁹the twelfth to Hashabiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

²⁰the thirteenth to Shubael and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

²¹the fourteenth to Mattithiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

²²the fifteenth to Jerimoth and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

²³the sixteenth to Hananiah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

²⁴the seventeenth to Joshbekashah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

²⁵the eighteenth to Hanani and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

²⁶the nineteenth to Mallothi and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

²⁷the twentieth to Eliathah and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

²⁸the twenty-first to Hothir and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

²⁹the twenty-second to Giddalti and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

³⁰the twenty-third to Mahazioth and his sons and relatives – twelve in all,

³¹the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer and his sons and relatives – twelve in all.