25TH CHAPTER

David Appoints Musicians for the Temple

1 David and the army commanders appointed the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to serve as prophets with lyres, harps, and cymbals. This is the list of the men who performed this service: 

2 From the sons of Asaph were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asharelah. (They were directed by Asaph, who served as a prophet under the king’s direction.) 

3 From the sons of Jeduthun were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, Mattithiah. (The six brothers were directed by their father, the prophet Jeduthun. They thanked and praised the Lord as they played lyres.) 

4 From the sons of Heman were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5 (All of them were the sons of the king’s seera Heman. They were given to him to make him prominent, as God had promised. So God gave Heman 14 sons and 3 daughters.) 

6 All these ⸤Levites⸥ sang at the Lord’s temple under the direction of their fathers Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. They played cymbals, lyres, and harps for worship in God’s temple under the direction of the king. 7 They, along with their relatives, were trained, skilled musicians for the Lord. There were 288 of them. 

8 They drew lots for their assignment of duties, the youngest as well as the oldest, the skilled ⸤musicians⸥ along with the students. 

9 The first lot drawn chose Joseph, the son of Asaph. 

The second chose Gedaliah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

10 The third chose Zaccur, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

11 The fourth chose Izri, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

12 The fifth chose Nethaniah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

13 The sixth chose Bukkiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

14 The seventh chose Jesarelah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

15 The eighth chose Jeshaiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

16 The ninth chose Mattaniah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

17 The tenth chose Shimei, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

18 The eleventh chose Azarel, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

19 The twelfth chose Hashabiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

20 The thirteenth chose Shubael, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

21 The fourteenth chose Mattithiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

22 The fifteenth chose Jeremoth, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

23 The sixteenth chose Hananiah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

24 The seventeenth chose Joshbekashah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

25 The eighteenth chose Hanani, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

26 The nineteenth chose Mallothi, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

27 The twentieth chose Eliathah, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

28 The twenty-first chose Hothir, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

29 The twenty-second chose Giddalti, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

30 The twenty-third chose Mahazioth, his sons, and his relatives—12 men. 

31 The twenty-fourth chose Romamti Ezer, his sons, and his relatives—12 men.