Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 25:1
Additionally, David and the commanders of the army set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy with the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals. The following is the list of the men who performed this service:
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records King David and military commanders formally appointing descendants of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to lead musical worship while the sanctuary service was being organized.
The words — וַ/יַּבְדֵּ֣ל (va/yavdel) means "and he separated," indicating formal designation, while לַ/עֲבֹדָ֗ה (la/avodah) denotes the specific "service" of prophetic music.
The thread — This appointment pattern reappears when musicians accompany prophetic ministry in 1 Samuel 10:5, when harp music precedes divine revelation in 2 Kings 3:15, and when Heman is identified as a singer from the Kohathites rather than a priest in 1 Chronicles 6:33.
Why it lands — It requires the reader to recognize that worship ministry was deliberately structured and authorized by leadership, not left to spontaneous assembly.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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:
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 3:15 But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha
- 1 Chronicles 6:33 These are the men who served, together with their sons. From the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,
- 1 Samuel 10:5 After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.
- 1 Chronicles 6:39 Heman’s kinsman was Asaph, who served at his right hand: Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea,
- Nehemiah 12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from all their homes and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing, accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.
- Revelation 15:2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps from God,
- 1 Chronicles 15:16 David also told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers to lift up their voices with joy, accompanied by musical instruments—harps, lyres, and cymbals.
- 1 Chronicles 23:5 4,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the LORD with the instruments I have made for giving praise.”
- 1 Chronicles 25:3 From the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah—six in all—under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the harp, giving thanks and praise to the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 23:13 And she looked and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, while the singers with musical instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason, treason!”