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The Music Groups

25 David and the leaders of the army separated the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun for special service. Their special service was to prophesy God’s message with harps, lyres, and cymbals. Here is a list of the men who served this way:

From Asaph’s family: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah. King David chose Asaph to prophesy. And Asaph led his sons.

From Jeduthun’s family: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah. There were six of them. Jeduthun led his sons. Jeduthun used harps to prophesy and give thanks and praise to the Lord.

Heman’s sons who served were Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael, and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti Ezer; Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth. All these men were Heman’s sons. Heman was David’s seer. God promised to make Heman strong. So Heman had many sons. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

Heman led all his sons in singing in the Lord’s temple.[a] His sons used cymbals, lyres, and harps. That was their way of serving in God’s temple. King David chose these men. These men and their relatives from the tribe of Levi were trained to sing. There were 288 men who learned to sing praises to the Lord. They threw lots to choose the different kinds of work each person was to do. Everyone was treated the same. Young and old were treated the same. And the teacher was treated the same as the student.

The first one chosen was Asaph (Joseph).

Second, there were 12 men chosen from Gedaliah’s sons and relatives.

10 Third, there were 12 men chosen from Zaccur’s sons and relatives.

11 Fourth, there were 12 men chosen from Izri’s sons and relatives.

12 Fifth, there were 12 men chosen from Nethaniah’s sons and relatives.

13 Sixth, there were 12 men chosen from Bukkiah’s sons and relatives.

14 Seventh, there were 12 men chosen from Asarelah’s sons and relatives.

15 Eighth, there were 12 men chosen from Jeshaiah’s sons and relatives.

16 Ninth, there were 12 men chosen from Mattaniah’s sons and relatives.

17 Tenth, there were 12 men chosen from Shimei’s sons and relatives.

18 Eleventh, there were 12 men chosen from Azarel’s sons and relatives.

19 Twelfth, there were 12 men chosen from Hashabiah’s sons and relatives.

20 Thirteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Shubael’s sons and relatives.

21 Fourteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Mattithiah’s sons and relatives.

22 Fifteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Jeremoth’s sons and relatives.

23 Sixteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Hananiah’s sons and relatives.

24 Seventeenth, there were 12 men chosen from Joshbekashah’s sons and relatives.

25 Eighteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Hanani’s sons and relatives.

26 Nineteenth, there were 12 men chosen from Mallothi’s sons and relatives.

27 Twentieth, there were 12 men chosen from Eliathah’s sons and relatives.

28 Twenty-first, there were 12 men chosen from Hothir’s sons and relatives.

29 Twenty-second, there were 12 men chosen from Giddalti’s sons and relatives.

30 Twenty-third, there were 12 men chosen from Mahazioth’s sons and relatives.

31 Twenty-fourth, there were 12 men chosen from Romamti Ezer’s sons and relatives.

The Gatekeepers

26 These are the groups of the gatekeepers from the Korah family:

There was Meshelemiah, son of Kore. Kore was from the family of Asaph. Meshelemiah had sons. Zechariah was the oldest son. Jediael was the second son. Zebadiah was the third son. Jathniel was the fourth son. Elam was the fifth son. Jehohanan was the sixth son. And Eliehoenai was the seventh son.

Obed Edom had sons. His oldest son was Shemaiah. Jehozabad was his second son. Joah was his third son. Sacar was his fourth son. Nethanel was his fifth son. Ammiel was his sixth son, Issachar his seventh son, and Peullethai his eighth son. God really blessed Obed Edom.[b] Obed Edom’s son was Shemaiah. Shemaiah also had sons. His sons were leaders in their father’s family because they were brave soldiers. Shemaiah’s sons were Othni, Rephael, Obed, Elzabad, Elihu, and Semakiah. Elzabad’s relatives were skilled workers. All these men were Obed Edom’s descendants. These men and their sons and relatives were powerful men. They were good guards. Obed Edom had 62 descendants.

Meshelemiah had sons and relatives who were powerful men. In all there were 18 sons and relatives.

10 These are the gatekeepers from the Merari family: Hosah, son of Merari, chose his son Shimri to be the leader, even though he was not the oldest son. 11 Hilkiah was Hosah’s second son, Tebaliah his third, and Zechariah his fourth son. In all Hosah had 13 sons and relatives who were gatekeepers.

12 These were the leaders of the groups of the gatekeepers. The gatekeepers had a special way to serve in the Lord’s Temple, just as their relatives did. 13 Each family was given a gate to guard. Lots were thrown to choose a gate for a family. Young and old were treated the same.

14 Meshelemiah was chosen to guard the East Gate. Then lots were thrown for Meshelemiah’s son Zechariah. Zechariah was a wise counselor. Zechariah was chosen for the North Gate. 15 Obed Edom was chosen for the South Gate. And Obed Edom’s sons were chosen to guard the house where the valuable things were kept. 16 Shuppim and Hosah were chosen for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road.

Guards stood side by side. 17 Six Levites stood guard every day at the East Gate. Four Levites stood guard every day at the North Gate. Four Levites stood guard at the South Gate. And two Levites guarded the house where the valuable things were kept. 18 There were four guards at the western court[c] and two guards on the road to the court.

19 These were the groups of the gatekeepers from the families of Korah and Merari.

The Treasurers and Other Officials

20 Ahijah was from the tribe of Levi. Ahijah was responsible for taking care of the valuable things in God’s Temple. Ahijah also was responsible for the places where the holy things were kept.

21 Ladan was from Gershon’s family. Jehieli was one of the leaders of the tribe of Ladan. 22 Jehieli’s sons were Zetham and Zetham’s brother Joel. They were responsible for the valuable things in the Lord’s Temple.

23 Other leaders were chosen from the tribes of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

24 Shubael was the leader responsible for the valuable things kept in the Temple. Shubael was Gershom’s son. Gershom was Moses’ son. 25 These were Shubael’s relatives: His relatives from Eliezer were Rehabiah, Eliezer’s son; Jeshaiah, Rehabiah’s son; Joram, Jeshaiah’s son; Zicri, Joram’s son; and Shelomith, Zicri’s son. 26 Shelomith and his relatives were responsible for everything that David had collected for the Temple.

The officers of the army also gave things for the Temple. 27 They gave some of the things taken in wars. They gave these things to be used for the Lord’s Temple. 28 Shelomith and his relatives took care of all the things that people gave to be used for the Temple. This included the things given by Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah.

29 Kenaniah was from the Izhar family. Kenaniah and his sons had work outside the Temple. They worked as court officers and judges in different places in Israel. 30 Hashabiah was from the Hebron family. Hashabiah and his relatives were responsible for all the Lord’s work and for the king’s business in Israel west of the Jordan River. There were 1700 powerful men in Hashabiah’s group. 31 The family history of the Hebron family shows that Jeriah was their leader. When David had been king for 40 years, he ordered his people to search through the family histories for strong and skilled men. Some of them were found among the Hebron family living in the town of Jazer in Gilead. 32 Jeriah had 2700 relatives who were powerful men and leaders of families. King David gave these 2700 relatives the responsibility of leading the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh in taking care of God’s work and the king’s business.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 25:6 temple Here, this means the Holy Tent where people went to worship the Lord.
  2. 1 Chronicles 26:5 Obed Edom God blessed Obed Edom when the Box of the Agreement stayed at his house. See 1 Chron. 21.
  3. 1 Chronicles 26:18 court The meaning of this word is uncertain.

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