Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 1 Chronicles · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
Verſ. 1. DAvid and the captains of the hoſt ſeparated to the ſervice of the ſonnes of Aſaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who ſhould prophecy with harps, &c.] By the captains of the hoſt, here ſome underſtand the chief of that ſacred hoſt of the prieſts and Levites who ſerved in the Temple: but the moſt of Expoſitours underſtand it of thoſe princes of Iſrael mentioned chap. 23.2. whom David called together when he went about this work of eſtabliſhing an order for the ſervice of the prieſts and Levites, who are here called captains of the host; becauſe indeed the chief Nobles and Princes of Iſrael, were captains of Davids hoſt. However, that which is ſaid of theſe captains is, that they ſeparated to the ſervice of the ſonnes of Aſaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun who ſhould prophecy with harps, &c.] That is, that having appointed the foure and twenty ſonnes of Aſaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (called alſo Ethan, chap. 15.17.) to be the chief in the foure and twenty quires of ſingers, that were to perform that ſervice in their ſeverall courſes (which is here called prophecying with cymballs, &c. of which ſee the note 1. Sam. 10.5.) after that they alſo ſeparated ſuch other of their brethren the Levites here after mentioned, as were to be inſtructed by them, and to joyn in that ſervice under them in their ſeverall courſes.
Verſ. 2. The ſonnes of Aſaph under the hands of Aſaph, which propheſied according to the order of the king.] For he gave order for the ſeverall courſes of the ſingers, yea and happely too for the tunes and times of ſinging, and withall the moſt of the Pſalmes they ſung were penned by David, and by him were aſſigned ſome for the ſonnes of Aſaph, others for the ſonnes of Jeduthun and Heman, as by the title of many Pſalmes is evident.
Verſ. 3. The ſonnes of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeſhaiah, and Haſhabiah, and Mattathiah, ſix, &c.] That is, there were ſix of Jeduthuns poſterity that were heads of ſeverall courſes of the ſingers. Indeed here are but five named (unleſſe, as ſome think, Jeduthun the father be reckoned into the number) but the ſixth was Shimei, mentioned ver. 17. who is omitted here, happely becauſe he was not the ſonne, but the grand-child of Jeduthun, and this is indeed the more probable, becauſe that Shimei mentioned verſ 17. is no where here named.
Verſ. 5. All theſe were the ſonnes of Heman the kings ſeer in the words of God, to lift up the horn.] By the kings Seer may be meant, either that he was a Prophet, as Na…an and Gad were; or at leaſt that he was employed in that propheticall work of ſetting forth the praiſes of God, as the other in Pſalmes, and Hymns, and ſpirituall ſongs, compoſed by men that were inſpired by God, and therefore called here the words of God, and that to lift up the horn, whereby ſome muſicall inſtrument is meant; or elſe the meaning is, that theſe ſonnes of Heman were chiefly imployed in ſinging thoſe Pſalmes which concerned ſome glorious victories that God had given his people or the exalting and ſtrengthening of Davids kingdome, which was eſpecially accompliſhed in Chriſt, and conſequently contained many glorious promiſes concerning the kingdome of Chriſt the promiſed Meſſiah.
Verſ. 7. So the number of them, with their brethren that were inſtructed in the ſongs of the Lord, even all that were cunning, &c. That is, the numbers of theſe ſonnes of Aſaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, together with their brethren which were cunning and expert in muſick, leaders and teachers of others, was two hundred eighty eight. It is manifeſt that there were foure thouſand Levites ſet apart for ſingers, chap. 23.5. If all theſe therefore ſerved in the Temple (as is moſt probable, though ſome Expoſitours hold indeed that ſome of them were imployed in the Synagogues) being divided into twenty foure courſes, there muſt needs be about eight ſcore in every courſe: but under each of the twenty foure ſonnes of Aſaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, there were appointed eleven that were cunning men of the ſonnes and brethren of theſe chief ſingers, to be leaders end inſtructers of the reſt, which indeed with the twenty foure heads of each courſes, do make two hundred eighty eight: for twenty foure times twelve amounts to two hundred eighty eight.
Verſ. 8. And they cast lots, ward againſt ward, as well the ſmall as the great, the teacher as the ſcholar.] That is, for every courſe of the Prieſts there was alſo a courſe of the Levites that were ſingers and ſo all were aſſigned to their ſeverall courſes by lot, as well the chief of them that were of the ſonnes and brethren of Aſaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, and teachers of the reſt, as thoſe that were of an inferiour rank, the Levites that ſerved under them, and were inſtructed by them.
Verſ. 9. The ſecond to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and ſonnes were twelve.] And the like muſt be underſtood of Joſeph, who had the firſt lot. See the note upon verſ. 7.