The Word Made Fresh
1Then David and the army commanders set aside some of the families of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun to engage in prophesying with lyres, harps and cymbals. Here is a list of those who performed this ministry.
2The sons of Asaph were Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. They were under Asaph’s direction and prophesied under the king’s supervision.
3The sons of Jeduthun were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah. They served under their father’s direction. Jeduthun prophesied with the lyre, giving thanks and praising the LORD.
4Heman’s sons were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. 5All these were sons of Heman, the king’s prophet. God had promised to bless him and had given him fourteen sons and three daughters.
6They served the temple, performing with cymbals, harps, and lyres, under their father. 7Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman served at the king’s discretion. 7They and their relatives were trained to sing to the LORD, and all two hundred eighty-eight of them were gifted. 8All of them, young and old, teachers and students alike, cast lots for their service.
9The first lot chose Asaph’s son Joseph. The second chose Gedaliah. 10The third chose Zaccur. 11The fourth chose Izri. 12The fifth chose Nethaniah. 13The sixth chose Bukkiah. 14The seventh chose Jesarelah. 15The eighth chose Jeshaiah. 16The ninth chose Mattaniah. 17The tenth chose Shimei. 18The eleventh chose Azarel. 19The twelfth chose Hashabiah. 20The thirteenth chose Shubael. 21The fourteenth chose Mattithiah. 22The fifteenth chose Jeremoth. 23The sixteenth chose Hananiah. 24The seventeenth chose Joshbekashah. 25The eighteenth chose Hanani. 26The nineteenth chose Mallothi. 27The twentieth chose Eliathah. 28The twenty-first chose Hothir. 29The twenty-second chose Giddalti. 30The twenty-third chose Mahazioth. 31The twenty-fourth chose Romamti-Ezer.
Each of the twenty-four, together with his sons and relatives, made up a unit of twelve.
Commentary
1-8: David is particularly interested in the music department and assigns certain of the Kohathites to be responsible for it. Asaph, Heman, and Ethan (aka Jeduthun) have already been mentioned in connection with worship music (see 15:19, 16:7). So, we find in the book of Psalms certain Psalms that are ascribed to Asaph (Palm 50, and Psalms 73 – 83); or to Heman (Psalm 88); or to Ethan/Jeduthun (Psalms 39, 62, 77 and 89).
9-31: Twenty-four lots, or sections, of the musicians are set apart for service in the temple.
Takeaway
Exquisitely boring, isn’t it? But David wants to make sure the worship life of the people is well ordered and well done. “Liturgy” is from a Latin word that means “the work of the people.” We don’t come to worship to watch others do all the work; the worshippers are participants as well.