1Ch 25:2-5 | KD | STEP | With אסף לבני the enumeration beings: “Of Asaph’s sons were, or to Asaph’s sons belonged, Zacchur,” etc. Four are here named, but the number is not stated, while it is given in the case of the sons of Jeduthun and Heman, and 1Ch 25:5. על־יד, at the hand, alternates with על־ידי ( and ), and אסף יד על does not of itself express a different relationship to Asaph than that expressed by המּלך ידי על with reference to the king. It signifies only “under (according to) the direction of;” and in the king, Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman are co-ordinated, inasmuch as the musical part of the worship was arranged by David and the three chief musicians in common, although only the latter were concerned in its performance. In לידוּתוּן is placed at the beginning, because the choir of singers led by him bore his name; and so also in the case of Heman, 1Ch 25:4. “As to Jeduthun, were sons of Jeduthun.” The word sons in these catalogues denotes not merely actual sons, but those intellectually sons, i.e., scholars taught by the master. This is clear from the fact that the twenty-four classes, each of which numbered twelve men, consist of sons and brothers of the leaders. The names given as those of the sons of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, in , do not represent the whole number of the scholars of these masters, but only the presidents of the twenty-four classes of Levites who were engaged under their leadership in performing the sacred music. Only five sons of Jeduthun are named in our text, while according to the number given there should be six. A comparison of the names in vv. 9-31 shows that in the name שׁמעי ( ) has been dropped out. בּכּנּור belongs to ידוּתוּן: under the direction of their father Jeduthun (the master), upon the kinnor (see on ), who was inspired to sing praise, i.e., who played inspiredly to bring praise and honour to the Lord; cf. ; , etc.

‏ 1 Chronicles 25:2-5

With אסף לבני the enumeration beings: “Of Asaph’s sons were, or to Asaph’s sons belonged, Zacchur,” etc. Four are here named, but the number is not stated, while it is given in the case of the sons of Jeduthun and Heman, 1Ch 25:3 and 1Ch 25:5. על־יד, at the hand, alternates with על־ידי (1Ch 25:3 and 1Ch 25:6), and אסף יד על does not of itself express a different relationship to Asaph than that expressed by המּלך ידי על with reference to the king. It signifies only “under (according to) the direction of;” and in 1Ch 25:6 the king, Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman are co-ordinated, inasmuch as the musical part of the worship was arranged by David and the three chief musicians in common, although only the latter were concerned in its performance. In 1Ch 25:3 לידוּתוּן is placed at the beginning, because the choir of singers led by him bore his name; and so also in the case of Heman, 1Ch 25:4. “As to Jeduthun, were sons of Jeduthun.” The word sons in these catalogues denotes not merely actual sons, but those intellectually sons, i.e., scholars taught by the master. This is clear from the fact that the twenty-four classes, each of which numbered twelve men, consist of sons and brothers of the leaders. The names given as those of the sons of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, in 1Ch 25:2-5, do not represent the whole number of the scholars of these masters, but only the presidents of the twenty-four classes of Levites who were engaged under their leadership in performing the sacred music. Only five sons of Jeduthun are named in our text, while according to the number given there should be six. A comparison of the names in vv. 9-31 shows that in 1Ch 25:3 the name שׁמעי (1Ch 25:17) has been dropped out. בּכּנּור belongs to ידוּתוּן: under the direction of their father Jeduthun (the master), upon the kinnor (see on 1Ch 15:16), who was inspired to sing praise, i.e., who played inspiredly to bring praise and honour to the Lord; cf. 1Ch 16:4; 1Ch 23:30, etc. 1Ch 25:4-5

Fourteen sons of Heman are enumerated. עזר רממתּי is one name, cf. 31, although עזר is without doubt to be supplied also after גּדּלתּי. Probably also מחזיאות is to be supplied in thought after the names. מלותי, I made full, and הותיר, increased. (Note: On these names Ewald ways, ausf. Lehrb. der Hebr. Sprache, §274, S. 672, der 7 Ausg.: “It is thought that the utterance of a great prophet is to be found cut up into names of near relatives, when the words, עזר רממתּי גּדּלתּי מחזיאות הותיר מלותי 'I have given great and lofty help,

I have to fulness spoken oracles,' which manifestly form a verse, and may have been the commencement of a famed ancient oracle, are found transferred to the five musical sons of Heman, Giddalti(ezer), Romamtiezer, Mallothi, Hothir, and Machazioth.”)

Heman is called in 1Ch 25:5 the seer of the king in the words of God, because he, along with his gift of song, was endowed also with the prophetic gift, and as seer made known to the king revelations of God. In 2Ch 35:15 the same thing is predicated also of Jeduthun, and in the same sense the prophet Gad is called in 1Ch 21:9 David’s seer. קרן להרים the Masoretes have connected with the preceding, by placing Athnach under the קרן, and the phrase has been wholly misunderstood by the Rabbins and Christian commentators. Berth., e.g., connects it with האלהים בּדברי, and translates, “to sound loud upon horns, according to the divine command,” referring to 2Ch 29:15, where, however, both meaning and accentuation forbid us to connect יהוה בּדברי with what follows. This interpretation of the words is thoroughly wrong, not only because the Levites under Heman’s direction did not blow horns, the horn not being one of the instruments played by the Levites in connection with the worship, but also because on linguistic grounds it is objectionable. קרן הרים קרן .el never has the signification to blow the horn; for to elevate the horn signifies everywhere to heighten the power of any one, or unfold, show power; cf. 1Sa 2:10; Lam 2:17; Psa 148:14; Psa 89:18; Psa 92:11, etc. That is the meaning of the phrase here, and the words are to be connected, according to their sense, with what follows: “to elevate the horn,” i.e., to give power, God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters; i.e., to make Heman’s race mighty for the praise of God, God gave him so many sons and daughters.