1 Chronicles 25:1

The twenty-four courses of those who were to be engaged in the temple service as singers and musicians fill up this chapter. They are to be taken from the three great families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun. For the captains of the host , as designating those who superintended the order of temple worship, see 1 Chronicles 22:17 ; 1 Chronicles 23:2 ; 1 Chronicles 24:6 ; as also Numbers 4:3 ; Numbers 8:23 . The sons of Asaph . (For a clear instance of the use of the preposition (lamed) prefixed, as here, see Ezra 8:24 .) The English should appear "the sons of Asaph." Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun belonged respectively to the Gershon, Kohath, and Merarite families ( 1 Chronicles 6:18-32 ). Thus these singers and musicians were drawn from each great branch of Levi; viz. from Gershon, four through Asaph; from Kohath, six through Jeduthun; and from Merari, fourteen through Heman; while the whole number of those trained to sing was two hundred and eighty-eight. Who should prophesy . The Hebrew הַגִּבְּאִים ( Jeremiah 14:14 , Jeremiah 14:16 ) stands for Niphal participle plural, the singular of which ( חַנּבָּא ) appears in the following two verses. These were the utterers in song of the Divine mind and will. The essential meaning of the expression evidently is to use the voice in sacred service, more or less under Divine impulse. With cymbals . These instruments were used to regulate the time (compare this verse with 1 Chronicles 13:8 ). For some particulars respecting these and other musical instruments used in Israel at this time, the article "Music" in Smith's 'Bible Dictionary' may be consulted with advantage. And the number , etc. The literal translation of the last clause of this verse is, And was their number, the men of work, for their service, i.e. "And the number of workmen for the service was." The workmen intend, of course, those who performed the service.