33 These are the singers, heads of fathers' [houses] of the Levites, [who lived] in the chambers [and were] free [from other service]; for they were employed in their work day and night.
These are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of Yahweh, after that the ark had rest. They ministered with song before the tent of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem: and they waited on their office according to their order. These are those who waited, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,
Moreover, David and the captains of the host set apart for the service certain 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 those who did the work according to their service was: of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph, under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied after the order of the king. Of Jeduthun; the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Yahweh. Of Heman; the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God; Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman being under the order of the king. The number of them, with their brothers who were instructed in singing to Yahweh, even all who were skillful, was two hundred eighty-eight. They cast lots for their offices, all alike, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah; he and his brothers and sons were twelve: the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brothers, twelve: the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve: the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve: the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve: the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the one and twentieth to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the two and twentieth to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the three and twentieth to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve: for the four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.
David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brothers the singers, with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud and lifting up the voice with joy. So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; and with them their brothers of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the doorkeepers. So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, [were appointed] with cymbals of brass to sound aloud; and Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries set to Alamoth; and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps tuned to the eight-stringed lyre, to lead. Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was over the song: he instructed about the song, because he was skillful.
He appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of Yahweh, and to celebrate and to thank and praise Yahweh, the God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with psalteries and with harps; and Asaph with cymbals, sounding aloud; and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually, before the ark of the covenant of God.
The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the business of the house of God. For there was a commandment from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as every day required.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 9
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 9 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 9
This chapter intimates to us that one end of recording all these genealogies was to direct the Jews, now that they had returned out of captivity, with whom to incorporate and where to reside; for here we have an account of those who first took possession of Jerusalem after their return from Babylon, and began the rebuilding of it upon the old foundation.
1Ch 9:1-13
The first verse looks back upon the foregoing genealogies, and tells us they were gathered out of the books of the kings of Israel and Judah, not that which we have in the canon of scripture, but another civil record, which was authentic, as the king's books with us. Mentioning Israel and Judah, the historian takes notice of their being carried away to Babylon for their transgression. Let that judgment never be forgotten, but ever be remembered, for warning to posterity to take heed of those sins that brought it upon them. Whenever we speak of any calamity that has befallen us, it is good to add this, "it was for my transgression,' that God may be justified and clear when he judges. Then follows an account of the first inhabitants, after their return from captivity, that dwelt in their cities, especially in Jerusalem.
1Ch 9:14-34
We have here a further account of the good posture which the affairs of religion were put into immediately upon the return of the people out of Babylon. They had smarted for their former neglect of ordinances and under the late want of ordinances. Both these considerations made them very zealous and forward in setting up the worship of God among them; so they began their worship of God at the right end. Instances hereof we have here.
1Ch 9:35-44
These verses are the very same with ch. 8:29-38, giving an account of the ancestors of Saul and the posterity of Jonathan. There it is the conclusion of the genealogy of Benjamin; here it is an introduction to the story of Saul. We take the repetition as we find it; but if we admit that there are in the originals, especially in these books, some errors of the transcribers, I should be tempted to think this repetition arose from a blunder. Some one, in copying out these genealogies, having written those words, v. 34 (These dwelt in Jerusalem), cast his eye on the same words, ch. 8:28 (These dwelt in Jerusalem), and so went on with what followed there, instead of going on with what followed here; and, when he perceived his mistake, was loth to make a blot in his book, and so let it stand. We have a rule in our law, Redundans non nocet-Redundancies do no harm.