I
C H R O N I C L E S
CHAP. XXV.
David,
having settled the courses of these Levites that were to attend the priests in
their ministrations, proceeds, in this chapter, to put those into a method
that were appointed to be singers and musicians in the temple. Here is, I. The
persons that were to be employed, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (ver. 1), their
sons (ver. 2-6), and other skilful persons, ver. 7. II. The order in which
they were to attend determined by lot, ver. 8-31.
|
The
Courses of the Singers.
|
B.
C. 1015.
|
|
|
1 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: 2 Of the
sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of
Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the
king. 3 Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and
Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father
Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the LORD.
4 Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and
Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah,
Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth: 5 All these were
the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn.
And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6 All
these were under the hands of their father for song in the house
of the LORD,
with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God,
according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. 7 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 fourscore and eight.
Observe, I. Singing the praises of God is here called prophesying (v.
1-3), not that all those who were employed in this service were honoured with
the visions of God, or could foretel things to come. Heman indeed is said to
be the king's seer in the words of God (v. 5); but the psalms
they sang were composed by the prophets, and many of them were prophetical;
and the edification of the church was intended in it, as well as the glory of
God. In Samuel's time singing the praises of God went by the name of prophesying
(1 Sam. x. 5; xix. 20), and perhaps that is intended in what St. Paul calls prophesying,
1 Cor. xi. 4; xiv. 24.
II. This is here called a service, and the persons employed in it workmen,
v. 1. Not but that it is the greatest liberty and pleasure to be
employed in praising God: what is heaven but that? But it intimates that it is
our duty to make a business of it, and stir up all that is within us to it;
and that, in our present state of corruption and infirmity, it will not be
done as it should be done without labour and struggle. We must take pains with
our hearts to bring them, and keep them, to this work, and to engage all that
is within us.
III. Here were, in compliance with the temper of that dispensation, a great
variety of musical instruments used, harps, psalteries, cymbals (v.
1, 6), and here was one that lifted up the horn (v. 5), that is,
used wind-music. The bringing of such concerts of music into the worship of
God now is what none pretend to. But those who use such concerts for their own
entertainment should feel themselves obliged to preserve them always free from
any thing that savours of immorality or profaneness, by this consideration,
that time was when they were sacred; and then those were justly
condemned who brought them into common use, Amos vi. 5. They invented to
themselves instruments of music like David.
IV. The glory and honour of God were principally intended in all this
temple-music, whether vocal or instrumental. It was to give thanks, and
praise the Lord, that the singers were employed, v. 3. It was in
the songs of the Lord that they were instructed (v. 7), that is, for
songs in the house of the Lord, v. 6. This agrees with the
intention of the perpetuating of psalmody in the gospel-church, which is to
make melody with the heart, in conjunction with the voice, unto the
Lord, Eph. v. 19.
V. The order of the king is likewise taken notice of, v. 2 and again v.
6. In those matters indeed David acted as a prophet; but his taking care for
the due and regular observance of divine institutions, both ancient and
modern, is an example to all in authority to use their power for the promoting
of religion, and the enforcing of the laws of Christ. Let them thus be ministers
of God for good.
VI. The fathers presided in this service, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (v.
1), and the children were under the hands of their father, v. 2,
3, 6. This gives a good example to parents to train up their children, and
indeed to all seniors to instruct their juniors in the service of God, and
particularly in praising him, than which there is no part of our work more
necessary or more worthy to be transmitted to the succeeding generations. It
gives also an example to the younger to submit themselves to the elder
(whose experience and observation fit them for direction), and, as far as may
be, to do what they do under their hand. It is probable that Heman,
Asaph, and Jeduthun, were bred up under Samuel, and had their education in the
schools of the prophets which he was the founder and president of; then they
were pupils, now they came to be masters. Those that would be eminent must
begin early, and take time to prepare themselves. This good work of singing
God's praises Samuel revived, and set on foot, but lived not to see it brought
to the perfection it appears in here. Solomon perfects what David began, so
David perfects what Samuel began. Let all, in their day, do what they can for
God and his church, though they cannot carry it so far as they would; when
they are gone God can out of stones raise up others who shall build upon their
foundation and bring forth the top-stone.
VII. There were others also, besides the sons of these three great men, who
are called their brethren (probably because they had been wont to join
with them in their private concerts), who were instructed in the songs of
the Lord, and were cunning or well skilled therein, v. 7. They were
all Levites and were in number 288. Now, 1. These were a good number, and a
competent number to keep up the service in the house of God; for they were all
skilful in the work to which they were called. When David the king was so much
addicted to divine poesy and music many others, all that had a genius for it,
applied their studies and endeavours that way. Those do religion a great deal
of good service that bring the exercises of devotion into reputation. 2. Yet
these were but a small number in comparison with the 4000 whom David appointed
thus to praise the Lord, ch. xxiii. 5. Where were all the rest
when only 288, and those but by twelve in a course, were separated to this
service? It is probable that all the rest were divided into as many courses,
and were to follow as these led. Or, perhaps, these were for songs in the
house of the Lord (v. 6), with whom any that worshipped in the
courts of that house might join; and the rest were disposed of, all the
kingdom over, to preside in the country congregations, in this good work: for,
though the sacrifices instituted by the hand of Moses might be offered but at
one place, the psalms penned by David might be sung every where, 1 Tim. ii. 8.
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 (ch.
vi. 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 v. 3; Shimei, mentioned v.
17, is supposed to have been the sixth], and Heman fourteen, in all
twenty-four (who were named, v. 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, v. 8. Small and great,
teachers and scholars, stand alike before God, who goes not according to our
rules of distinction and precedency. See Matt. xx. 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.
Contents
|
Next
Section
