Matthew Poole's Commentary Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was: The number and offices of the singers out of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, 1 Chronicles 25:1-7. Their division by lot into twenty-four orders, 1 Chronicles 25:8-31 The captains of the host; both of the civil and sacred host, to wit, all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites, whom David gathered together, 1 Chronicles 23:2, for this very end, that in their presence, and 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 or commanders of the militia or trained bands of the kingdom: and as the Levites are called a host, and the Lord’s host, Numbers 4:3, and elsewhere, because of their number and order in holy ministrations; so these priests and Levites were the captains and governors of the rest. Separated, i.e. distributed them into their several ranks and orders; which, though chiefly done by David as a prophet, and by Divine direction, as hath been oft observed, yet is here imputed in part to the captains of the host, because it was done with their concurrence and approbation. To the service of the sons of Asaph, &c, i.e. to the service of God under the conduct and command of these persons. Who should prophesy, i.e. praise God by singing the Psalms of David, (of which See Poole "1 Chronicles 16:7",) and other sacred songs made by themselves, who were prophets in some sort, or by other prophets or holy men of God. Or this action of theirs is called prophesying, because it had been formerly performed by the prophets; and the sons of the prophets; of which see 1 Samuel 10:5 19:20 2 Kings 3:15 1 Chronicles 15:19. The number of the workmen; of the persons employed in this sacred work. Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king. Under the hands of Asaph, i.e. under his oversight and direction. According to the order of the king; in such manner and order as David appointed. Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the LORD. The sons of Jeduthun, or, his sons, (the construct form being used before the absolute, of which there are examples in Scripture,) Jeduthun, called by his father’s name; otherwise they are not six, unless either Jeduthun their father be included in that number, or Shimei, mentioned 1 Chronicles 25:17, be one of them, as many learned men think. See the like, 1 Chronicles 24:23. Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth: No text from Poole on this verse. All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. The king’s seer, or prophet, which is the same thing, 1 Samuel 9:9. Either he was a prophet as well as a singer; or he is thus called because he prophesied in the sense designed, 1 Chronicles 25:1. And he is called the king’s seer, either because the king took special delight in him, or because he frequently attended upon the king in his palace, executing his sacred office there, while the rest were constantly employed in the tabernacle. In the words of God, i.e. to sing such Divine songs as were inspired by God to the prophets or holy men of God. To lift up the horn; either, 1. Metaphorically, to extol and praise God for exalting the horn (i.e. the power and kingdom) of David; of which phrase see Psalm 92:10 Psalm 132:17. Or rather, 2. Properly, to praise God with the sound of a trumpet, (as was usual, as 2 Chronicles 5:12 13:12) 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, as is expressed in the next verse. All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. Under the hands. i.e. under his direction, as 1 Chronicles 25:2. According to the king’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, Heb. by the hands of the king, and of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, i.e. according to the king’s appointment, and under the conduct of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight. All that were cunning; who were so skilful that they were able to teach others. Two hundred fourscore and eight; which, together with their scholars, make up the four thousand mentioned 1 Chronicles 23:5. And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. Ward against ward, i.e. a ward, or rank, or 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 small as the great, the teacher as the scholar, without any respect to their different ages or abilities. Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve: For Asaph to Joseph, i.e. 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 1 Chronicles 25:7. To Gedaliah, who, Heb. he; which word being here expressed, is rightly understood and supplied in the rest. The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: No text from Poole on this verse. The four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve. No text from Poole on this verse. |
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