1 Chronicles · Chapter 25

V. 1. And captains-All the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites, whom David gathered together, 1 Chronicles 23:2, for this very end, that with their approbation and consent, all these things might be established; who are here fitly called the captains of the host; for the princes were, under David, the chief captains of the militia of the kingdom; and as the Levites are called an host, and the Lord’s host, because of their number and order in holy ministrations; so these priests and Levites were the captains and governors of the rest. Separated-Distributed them into their several ranks: which, tho’ chiefly done by David as a prophet, and by Divine direction, yet is imputed in part to the captains of the host, because it was done with their concurrence and approbation. The service-To the service of God under the conduct of these persons. Prophecy-Praise God by singing the psalms of David, and other sacred songs made by themselves, who were prophets, or by other prophets or holy men of God. Workmen-Of the persons employed in this sacred work. This good work it seems Samuel revived, but did not live to bring it to perfection. Let each in his day do what he can for God, tho’ he cannot carry it so far as he would. When we are gone, God can raise up others to build on our foundation, and bring forth the top-stone.

Verse 1. David and the captains of the host] The chiefs of those who formed the several orders: not military captains.

Should prophesy] Should accompany their musical instruments with prayer and singing.

Verse 1. And captains — All the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites, whom David gathered together (1 Chronicles 23:2) for this very end, that, with their approbation and consent, all these things might be established, who are here fitly called the captains of the host; for the princes were, under David, the chief captains of the militia of the kingdom; and as the Levites are called a host, and the Lord’s host, because of their number and order in holy ministrations, so these priests and Levites were the captains and governors of the rest. Separated — Distributed them into their several ranks: which, though chiefly done by David as a prophet, and by divine direction, yet is imputed in part to the captains of the host, because it was done with their concurrence and approbation. The service — To the service of God, under the conduct of these persons. Who should prophesy — Praise God by singing the psalms of David, and other sacred songs made by themselves, who were prophets, or by other prophets or holy men of God. The number of the workmen according to their service — Although this sacred work of praising God is here termed service, and the persons employed in it workmen, yet it is the greatest liberty and pleasure to be engaged in it. But the expressions intimate that it is our duty to make a business of it, and stir up all that is within us to it; and that in our present state of corruption and infirmity, it will not be done, as it should be done, without labour and struggle. We must take pains with our hearts to bring and keep them to this work, and to engage all that is within us in it. It is probable, Heman, Asaph, and Jeduthun were bred up under Samuel, and had their education in the schools of the prophets, of which he was the founder and president. Then they were pupils, now they come to be masters. Those that would be eminent must begin early and take time to prepare themselves. This good work, of singing God’s praises, Samuel revived and set on foot, but lived not to see it brought to the perfection in which it appears here. Solomon perfects what David began. So David perfects what Samuel began. Let each in their day do what they can for God and his church, though they cannot carry it so far as they would; when they are gone, God can out of stones raise up others, who shall build upon their foundation, and bring forth the top-stone.

Verse 1. Prophesy with harps. They sung, as well as played, in the service of the Lord, the compositions or psalms of holy men. The harp is the lyre of the Latin versions. Music in religious worship has a divine sanction; and in the hands of these men it must have acquired perfection. Yet in the primitive church, partly through poverty, and partly through persecution and fear, it was not much used. We do not read of music in churches till after the time of Constantine. See Psalm cl.

1. Captains of the host — Not military captains, but princes, chief men of Israel, who formed David’s cabinet for counsel and assisted in all these arrangements of the priests and Levites. Prophesy with harps — This prophesying was the public recitation of psalms to the praise of God, a service which had long been cultivated in the schools of the prophets. See note on 1 Samuel 10:5.

V. 2. Of Asaph-Under his direction. Of the king-In such manner and order as David appointed.

Verse 2. Which prophesied] Sung hymns and prayed. But the Targum understands this of prophesying in the proper sense of the term; and therefore says, “Who prophesied by the Holy Spirit.” Jarchi is of the same opinion and quotes the case of Elisha, 2 Kings 3:15; While the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord [i.e., the spirit of prophecy] was upon him.

Verses 2, 3. Under the hands of Asaph — Under his oversight and direction. According to the order of the king — In such manner and order as David appointed. The sons of Jeduthun, six — Jeduthun, their father, being included in that number; or Shimei, mentioned verse 17.

2. Prophesied according to the order of the king — That is, in accordance with David’s arrangements and orders.

V. 3. Six-Jeduthun their father being included in that number: or Shimei, mentioned ver. 17.

Verse 3. The sons of Jeduthun-six] That is, six with their father, otherwise, there are but five. Hence it is said, they were under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, &c.

Verses 2, 3. Under the hands of Asaph — Under his oversight and direction. According to the order of the king — In such manner and order as David appointed. The sons of Jeduthun, six — Jeduthun, their father, being included in that number; or Shimei, mentioned verse 17.

3. Six — Only five names are here given, but a comparison of names in vers. 9-31 shows that Shimei (ver. 17) has been dropped out of the text of this verse.

V. 5. The king’s seer-He is called the king’s seer, either because the king took special delight in him; or because he frequently attended the king in his palace, executing his sacred office there, while the rest were employed in the tabernacle. In the words-To sing Divine songs as were inspired by God to the prophets or holy men of God. The horn-To praise God with the sound of a trumpet or some other musical instrument made of horn, which being a martial kind of music, might be most grateful to David’s martial spirit: tho’ he was also skilled in other instruments of music which he used in the house of God.

Verse 5. To lift up the horn] “The horn of prophecy,” says Jarchi; “to sound with the trumpet in the words of prophecy before the Lord.”-T. Three daughters.] These also were employed among the singers.

Verse 5. The king’s seer — Or prophet. Either he was a prophet as well as a singer; or he is thus called because he prophesied, or praised God, in the sense designed verse 1. And he is called the king’s seer, because the king took special delight in him; or because he frequently attended the king in his palace, executing his sacred office there, while the rest were employed in the tabernacle. In the words of God — To sing such divine songs as were inspired by God to the prophets or holy men of God. To lift up the horn — To praise God with the sound of a trumpet, or some other musical instrument made of horn, which, being a martial kind of music, might be most grateful to David’s martial spirit: though he was also skilled in other instruments of music which he used in the house of God.

Ver. 5. All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer, viz. fourteen sons that blew the horn; his three daughters were equally trained to music. They were nobly born, and enjoyed religious dignity in the temple of the Lord. Asaph and his sons had the first rank.

5. Heman the king’s seer in the words of God — Besides his musical talent, Heman had also the gift of revelation, to make known to the king the things of God. Asaph and Jeduthun were also seers. 2 Chronicles 29:30; 35:15. To lift up the horn — The expression is obscure as it stands in the present text. Some understand it of the use of the horn in the musical service, but as the horn is not named among the instruments used by these Levites, some of the best expositors connect the phrase with what follows, and explain it in the metaphorical sense of increasing one’s power. For this sense of the words comp. 1 Samuel 2:10; Psalm 148:14; Lamentations 2:17. So, to increase Heman’s power and honour God “gave” him “fourteen sons and three daughters.”

6. Under the hands of their father — Under the direction and leadership of their father.

V. 7. Cunning-Who were so skilful that they were able to teach others; and together with their scholars, made up the four thousand mentioned 1 Chronicles 23:5.

Verse 7. Two hundred fourscore and eight.] That it twelve classes of twenty-four Levites each; for two hundred and eighty-eight divided by twelve quotes twenty-four.

Verse 7. All that were cunning — Who were so skilful that they were able to teach others; and, together with their scholars, made up the four thousand mentioned 1 Chronicles 23:5.

7. All that were cunning — All that were skilled or disciplined in the service of song.

V. 8. Ward-A course of Levites answerable to one of the priests, upon whom the Levites were to wait in their holy ministrations, 1 Chronicles 23:28. The scholar-Without any respect to their different ages or abilities.

Verse 8. Ward against ward — A course of Levites answerable to one of the priests, upon whom the Levites were to wait in their holy ministrations, 1 Chronicles 23:28. As well the teacher as the scholar — Without any respect to their different ages or abilities.

8. They cast lots, ward against ward — The word rendered ward means a charge, a guardianship or superintendency. They cast lots to determine the order in which these different classes of singers should serve in the holy service, one class having charge until succeeded in the regular order by another. Our translators have repeated the word ward, but the Hebrew text reads literally: They cast lots for the charge, in the same manner as the small so the great, the skilled with the scholar. Of the four thousand Levites appointed for the service of song, (1 Chronicles 23:5,) the two hundred and eighty eight represented in verses 9-31 were the skilled ones, (“all that were cunning,” verse 7.) And these were so arranged and distributed by lot that the rest of the four thousand (3,712) were amply supplied with teachers, there being one teacher for about thirteen scholars. So both the small and great, (that is, the older and the younger, comp. 1 Chronicles 24:31,) the teachers and the scholars, were divided into classes, and distributed by lot.

V. 9. To Joseph-For the family of Asaph, of which Joseph was. Here that clause, he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve, is to be understood, as it is expressed in all the following verses, otherwise they do not make up that number of two hundred and eighty-eight mentioned ver. 7.

Verse 9. For Asaph to Joseph] His first-born. The second to Gedaliah] The first-born of Jeduthun.

Verse 9. To Joseph — For the family of Asaph, of which Joseph was. Here that clause, he, his sons, and his brethren were twelve, is to be understood as it is expressed in all the following verses, otherwise they do not make up that number of two hundred and eighty-eight, mentioned verse 7.

Verse 10. The third to Zaccur] The first-born of Asaph.

Verse 11. The fourth to Izri] The second son of Jeduthun.

Verse 12. The fifth to Nethaniah] The third son of Asaph. Thus we find the lot did not run in any particular kind of order.

Verse 14. Jesharelah] Supposed to be the same with Uzziel, son of Heman.

Verse 31. Romamti-ezer] Both these names belong to the same person. He is mentioned also 1 Chronicles 25:4.

With this immense parade of noise and show, (David’s own invention,) Christianity has nothing to do.

I CHRONICLES