^25:1David and the army officers selected some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy as they played stringed instruments and cymbals.¹ The following men were assigned this responsibility:²

^25:2From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were supervised by Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision.³

^25:3From the sons of Jeduthun:⁴ Gedaliah, Zeri,⁵ Jeshaiah,⁶ Hashabiah, and Mattithiah—six in all,⁷ under supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied as he played a harp, giving thanks and praise to the Lord.

^25:4From the sons of Heman:⁸ Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. ^25:5All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s prophet. God had promised him these sons in order to make him prestigious.⁹ God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

^25:6All 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. ^25:7They and their relatives, all of them skilled and trained to make music to the Lord, numbered two hundred eighty-eight.¹⁰

^25:8They cast lots to determine their responsibilities—oldest as well as youngest, teacher as well as student.¹¹

^25:9The first lot went to Asaph’s son Joseph and his relatives and sons—twelve in all,¹²

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

^25:10the third to Zaccur and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:11the fourth to Izri¹³ and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:12the fifth to Nethaniah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:13the sixth to Bukkiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:14the seventh to Jesharelah¹⁴ and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:15the eighth to Jeshaiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:16the ninth to Mattaniah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:17the tenth to Shimei and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:18the eleventh to Azarel¹⁵ and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:19the twelfth to Hashabiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:20the thirteenth to Shubael and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:21the fourteenth to Mattithiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:22the fifteenth to Jerimoth and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:23the sixteenth to Hananiah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:24the seventeenth to Joshbekashah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:25the eighteenth to Hanani and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:26the nineteenth to Mallothi and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:27the twentieth to Eliathah and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:28the twenty-first to Hothir and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:29the twenty-second to Giddalti and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:30the twenty-third to Mahazioth and his sons and relatives—twelve in all,

^25:31the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer and his sons and relatives—twelve in all.

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Footnotes

1 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.”
2 Heb “and their number was, the men of work for their service.”
3 Heb “the sons of Asaph [were] upon the hand of Asaph, the one prophesying upon the hands of the king.”
4 Heb “belonging to Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun.”
5 This name appears as “Izri” in v. 10.
6 One Hebrew and some supply the name “Shimei” after “Jeshaiah.” Most Hebrew omit the name here (but cf. v. 17).
7 The list includes only five names. Apparently the name “Shimei” (see v. 17), which appears in one medieval Hebrew and in the , has been accidentally omitted from the Hebrew text.
8 Heb “belonging to Heman, the sons of Heman.”
9 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 901–2 קֶרֶן.
10 Heb “and their number with their brothers, trained in music to the Lord, all skilled, was 288.”
11 Heb “and they cast lots [for] service, just as like small, like great, teacher with student.”
12 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.
13 “Izri” is a variant of the name “Zeri” (cf. 25:3).
14 “Jesharelah” is a variant of the name “Asarelah” (cf. 25:2).
15 “Azarel” is a variant of the name “Uzziel” (cf. 25:4).