1 Chronicles 25: The singers: Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, and the twenty-four lots

In plain English: David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy (or: speak or sing by inspiration; the written letters can also be read "the prophets"; see the note) with harps, stringed instruments and cymbals. The number of the men who did the work of their service was:

The Hebrew word: "Prophesy" is naba, which the dictionary gives as "to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)". In verse 1 the Hebrew letters as written spell nabi, which the dictionary gives as "a prophet or (generally) inspired man"; the verse is read "who prophesy", and this Bible has it so. Verses 2 and 3 have the verb naba. The Hebrew puts it with the harps, stringed instruments and cymbals.

What changes: Read as "speak by inspiration", they spoke by inspiration to the music. Read as "sing by inspiration", their song itself was the prophesying. Read as the letters are written, "the prophets", the verse calls the men prophets with harps, stringed instruments and cymbals. The text does not say which; verse 3 says the prophesying was "giving thanks and praising Yahweh".

Good to know: Heman and Jeduthun are named in 1 Chronicles 16:41, and Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun together in 2 Chronicles 5:12. 1 Chronicles 15:17 names Heman, Asaph and Ethan the son of Kushaiah, of Merari. The text does not say whether Ethan and Jeduthun are the same man.

In plain English: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah. The sons of Asaph were under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied under the hand (this Bible: at the order) of the king.

The Hebrew words: "Under the hand" is word for word "on the hands" (yad, "hand"), meaning under the direction of: Asaph's sons are under Asaph, Jeduthun's sons under Jeduthun (verse 3), and all of them under their father (verse 6), and Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman under the king.

In plain English: Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei (not in the Hebrew; see the note), Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the harp, giving thanks and praising Yahweh.

Good to know: The Hebrew names five sons of Jeduthun here: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, and then says "six". This Bible puts in Shimei. Verse 17 has a Shimei, the tenth lot. The text does not say who the sixth son is.

In plain English: Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth.

In plain English: All these were the sons of Heman, the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn (see the note). God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

The Hebrew words: "Seer" is chozeh, which the dictionary gives as "a beholder in vision". This Bible says "seer" or a longer form in 16 of the 21 verses that use it. "Horn" is qeren, which the dictionary gives as "a horn (as projecting) ... figuratively, power". "To lift up" is from rum, "to be high actively, to rise or raise".

What changes: Read word for word, "to lift up the horn" is to raise a horn. Read as a picture of power (the dictionary adds "figuratively, power"), as in Psalm 89:17, "our horn will be exalted", it is to raise up strength. The text does not say which. It says only that Heman was the king's seer in the words of God, and that God gave him fourteen sons and three daughters.

In plain English: All these were under the hands of their father for song in Yahweh's house, with cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, for the service of God's house. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the hand of the king.

In plain English: Their number, with their brothers who were trained in song to Yahweh, every skilled (literally: understanding) person, was two hundred eighty-eight.

In plain English: They cast lots for their duties, the small the same as the great, the teacher with the pupil (this Bible: the student).

The Hebrew words: "Teacher" is from bin, "to understand", and "pupil" is talmid, which the dictionary gives as "a pupil".

In plain English: The first lot came out for Asaph, for Joseph; the second, for Gedaliah, he and his brothers and sons, twelve;

In plain English: the third, Zaccur, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the fourth, for Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the fifth, Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the sixth, Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the seventh, Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the eighth, Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the ninth, Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the tenth, Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the eleventh, Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the twelfth, for Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the fifteenth, for Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the sixteenth, for Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the seventeenth, for Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the eighteenth, for Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the nineteenth, for Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the twentieth, for Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the twenty-first, for Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the twenty-second, for Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the twenty-third, for Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve;

In plain English: the twenty-fourth, for Romamti-Ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.