Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
1 Chronicles 25:16

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Arrangements for the Levites (23:1-26:32)

Having appointed Solomon to be his successor, David made further arrangements for the service of the temple. First, he set out a plan to distribute duties among the Levites. A census showed that there were 38,000 Levites eligible for temple service. Of these, 14,000 were official record-keepers, judges, guards, singers and musicians. The remainder were to help in the general service of the temple (23:1-6). Clearly, there were far too many Levites to work in the temple all at the same time. David therefore divided them into groups according to their families, the total number of groups coming to twenty-four (7-23).

Each Levitical group was to serve in the temple two weeks each year. (This accounted for forty-eight weeks. The remaining four weeks would be taken up with the festivals of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, when all the men of Israel were to assemble at the central place of worship. On these occasions all Levites would be on duty; see Exodus 23:14-17.) The work of the Levites included assisting the priests, keeping the temple clean, providing the music and singing for worship, and attending to the many practical matters connected with the sacrifices and ceremonies (24-32).

The priests also were divided into twenty-four groups, each of which served in the temple for two weeks per year as outlined above. The service alternated between the Eleazar branch and the Ithamar branch of the Aaronic family. Each priest’s turn for service was decided by drawing lots (24:1-6). The names of the twenty-four priestly groups are then given (7-19), followed by a further list of some Levitical families (20-31).
Among the temple singers (a total of 4,000; see 23:5) were 288 specially skilled musicians. Included in these were twenty-four leaders (25:1-7). These 288 musicians were also divided into twenty-four groups that served in rotation. Their job was apparently to train and lead the section to which they were assigned (8-31).
There were also 4,000 gate-keepers, or temple guards (see 23:5). They too were probably divided into twenty-four groups who took turns to go on duty. The number of positions to be guarded was twenty-four (26:1-19). The wealth that David and others won for Israel through their conquests was administered by a group of treasurers, whose names are listed (20-28). The 6,000 judges (see 23:4) were most likely organized on a rotation system for their service. Some of them were concerned with the central administration, some worked only in the area west of Jordan, and some worked only among the two and a half tribes that were located east of Jordan (29-32).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah; he and his brethren and sons were twelve: the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve: the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brethren, twelve: the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve: the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brethren, twelve: the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the one and twentieth to Hothir, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the two and twentieth to Giddalti, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the three and twentieth to Mahazioth, his sons and his brethren, twelve: for the four and twentieth to Romamtiezer, his sons and his brethren, twelve.”

Regarding David’s injecting the use of mechanical instruments of music, and other noise-makers into God’s worship, see my notes on the two preceding chapters, namely, 1 Chronicles 23 and 1 Chronicles 24.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 25

In chapter twenty-five.

Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun, those who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was ( 1 Chronicles 25:1 ):

Now they were commissioned to prophesy, which does not mean foretelling necessarily, but forth telling the works of God. So the music was declaring the greatness, the glory, the power, the beauty of God. So you that are musicians, think about that when you go to write your music. Let it express the greatness, the glory, the power of God. Speaking forth the glories of God in the music. And of course, so much of our hymnology is involved with "a mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing" and all. And declaring the greatness. "All hail the power of Jesus' name." And declaring the glories, the power of God. And that's really what the music is to do, is to speak forth the praises and the glory of God. And so these men that were appointed that they should prophesy with their harps and all. That is, speaking forth God's glory.

Now verse six.

And all of these were under the hands of the fathers for song in the house of the LORD, with the cymbals, the psalteries, the harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, and all. So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred and eighty-eight ( 1 Chronicles 25:6-7 ).

Musicians that were cunning and used their instruments in praising the Lord.

And then they cast the lots, into again twenty-four orders. The first lot came forth from Asaph to Joseph ( 1 Chronicles 25:8-9 ):

And it goes on to the various orders that were developed in the cast of lots. "

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Ver. 16 :-

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      8 And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar.   9 Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve:   10 The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   11 The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   12 The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   13 The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   14 The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   15 The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   16 The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   17 The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   18 The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   19 The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   20 The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   21 The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   22 The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   23 The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   24 The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   25 The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   26 The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   27 The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   28 The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   29 The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   30 The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:   31 The four and twentieth to Romamti-ezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.

      Twenty-four persons are named in the beginning of this chapter as sons of those three great men, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun. Ethan was the third (1 Chronicles 6:44; 1 Chronicles 6:44), but probably he was dead before the establishment was perfected and Jeduthun came in his room. [Or perhaps Ethan and Jeduthun were two names for the same person.] Of these three Providence so ordered it that Asaph had four sons, Jeduthun six [only five are mentioned 1 Chronicles 25:3; 1 Chronicles 25:3; Shimei, mentioned 1 Chronicles 25:17; 1 Chronicles 25:17, is supposed to have been the sixth], and Heman fourteen, in all twenty-four (who were named, 1 Chronicles 25:2-4; 1 Chronicles 25:2-4), who were all qualified for the service and called to it. But the question was, In what order must they serve? This was determined by lot, to prevent strife for precedency, a sin which most easily besets many that otherwise are good people.

      I. The lot was thrown impartially. They were placed in twenty-four companies, twelve in a company, in two rows, twelve companies in a row, and so they cast lots, ward against ward, putting them all upon a level, small and great, teacher and scholar. They did not go according to their age, or according to their standing, or the degrees they had taken in the music-schools; but it was referred to God, 1 Chronicles 25:8; 1 Chronicles 25:8. Small and great, teachers and scholars, stand alike before God, who goes not according to our rules of distinction and precedency. See Matthew 20:23.

      II. God determined it as he pleased, taking account, it is probable, of the respective merits of the persons, which are of much more importance than seniority of age or priority of birth. Let us compare them with the preceding catalogue and we shall find that, 1. Josephus was the second son of Asaph. 2. Gedaliah the eldest son of Jeduthun. 3. Zaccur the eldest of Asaph. 4. Izri the second of Jeduthun. 5. Nethaniah the third of Asaph. 6. Bukkiah the eldest of Heman. 7. Jesharelah the youngest of Asaph. 8. Jeshaiah the third of Jeduthun. 9. Mattaniah the second of Heman. 10. Shimei the youngest of Jeduthun. 11. Azareel the third of Heman. 12. Hashabiah the fourth of Jeduthun. 13. Shubael the fourth of Heman. 14. Mattithiah the fifth of Jeduthun. 15. Jeremoth the fifth of Heman. 16. Hananiah the sixth of Heman. 17. Joshbekashah the eleventh of Heman. 18. Hanani the seventh of Heman. 19. Mallothi the twelfth of Heman. 20. Eliathah the eighth of Heman. 21. Hothir the thirteenth of Heman. 22. Giddalti the ninth of Heman. 23. Mehazioth the fourteenth of Heman. And, lastly, Romamti-ezer, the tenth of Heman. See how God increased some and preferred the younger before the elder.

      III. Each of these had in his chorus the number of twelve, called their sons and their brethren, because they observed them as sons, and concurred with them as brethren. Probably twelve, some for the voice and others for the instrument, made up the concert. Let us learn with one mind and one mouth to glorify God, and that will be the best concert.