25:1 David and the army officers selected some of Asaph’s sons, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy as they played stringed instruments and cymbals.¹ The following men were assigned this responsibility:²

25:2 From the sons of Asaph: Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were supervised by Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s supervision.³

25:3 From the sons of Jeduthun:⁴ Gedaliah, Zeri,⁵ Jeshaiah, Hashabiah and Mattithiah—six in all,⁶ under supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied as he played a harp, giving thanks and praise to the LORD.

25:4 From the sons of Heman:⁷ Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Machazioth. 25:5 All these were the sons of Heman, the king’s prophet. God had promised him these sons in order to make him prestigious.⁸ God gave Heman 14 sons and three daughters.

25:6 All of these were under the supervision of their fathers; they were musicians in the LORD’s temple, playing cymbals and stringed instruments as they served in God’s temple. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king. 25:7 They and their relatives, all of them skilled and trained to make music to the LORD, numbered 288.⁹

25:8 They cast lots to determine their responsibilities—oldest as well as youngest, teacher as well as student.¹⁰

25:9 The first lot went to Asaph’s son Joseph,¹¹

the second to Gedaliah and his relatives and sons—12 in all,

25:10 the third to Zakkur and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:11 the fourth to Izri¹² and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:12 the fifth to Nethaniah and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:13 the sixth to Bukkiah and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:14 the seventh to Jesarelah and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:15 the eighth to Jeshaiah and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:16 the ninth to Mattaniah and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:17 the tenth to Shimei and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:18 the eleventh to Azarel and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:19 the twelfth to Hashabiah and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:20 the thirteenth to Shubael and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:21 the fourteenth to Mattithiah and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:22 the fifteenth to Jerimoth and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:23 the sixteenth to Hananiah and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:24 the seventeenth to Joshbekashah and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:25 the eighteenth to Hanani and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:26 the nineteenth to Mallothi and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:27 the twentieth to Eliathah and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:28 the twenty-first to Hothir and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:29 the twenty-second to Giddalti and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:30 the twenty-third to Machazioth and his sons and relatives—12 in all,

25:31 the twenty-fourth to Romamti-Ezer and his sons and relatives—12 in all.