The Temple Musicians
David appoints men over the music of the LORD’s house after the ark comes to rest, and they continue serving before the tabernacle until Solomon builds the temple. Their ministry is orderly, public, and carried out according to appointed duties.
T31hese are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark rested there. 32They ministered with song before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. And they performed their duties according to the regulations given them. 33These are the men who served, together with their sons.
Heman the singer is named first, and his ancestry is traced back through Samuel, Korah, Kohath, Levi, and Israel. His line binds temple song to both Levitical service and Israel’s larger story.
34Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, 35the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, 36the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, 37the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, 38the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
Asaph, serving at Heman’s right hand, is introduced with his own genealogy back through Gershom to Levi. His place beside Heman shows a shared ministry drawn from another Levitical branch.
39Heman’s kinsman was Asaph, who served at his right hand: 40Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea, the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah, 41the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, 42the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, 43the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.
On the left stand their kinsmen from Merari, represented by Ethan, whose ancestry is traced back to Levi. The musical service is thus framed by all three Levitical houses together.
44On the left were their kinsmen, the sons of Merari: 45Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, 46the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, 47the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.