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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - 1 Chronicles 25:1 - 25:1
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The twenty-four classes of musicians. - 1Ch 25:1. “David and the princes of the host separated for the service the sons of Asaph,” etc. הַצָּבָא שָׂרֵי are not princes of the Levite host; for although the service of the Levites is called צָבָא צְבֹא in Num 4:23, yet the princes of the Levites are nowhere called הָצָבָא שָׂרֵי. This expression rather denotes either the leaders of the army of the chiefs of Israel, as the host of Jahve, Exo 12:17, Exo 12:41, etc. Here it is used in the last signification, as synonymous with princes of Israel (1Ch 23:2); in Exo 24:6 we have simply the princes, along with whom the heads of the fathers'-houses of the priests and the Levites are mentioned. לַעֲבֹדָה הִבְדִּיל, separate for the service; cf. Num 16:9. The לְ in אָסָף לִבְנֵי is nota acc. Since Asaph was, according to 1Ch 6:39-43, a descendant of Gershon, Heman, according to 1Ch 6:33-38, a descendant of Kohath, and Jeduthun (= Ethan) a descendant of Merari (1Ch 6:44-47), all the chief families of Levi had representatives among the singers. The Kethibh הנביאים is an orthographical error for הַנִּבְּאִים (Keri), partic. Niph., corresponding to the singular הַנִּבָּא, 1Ch 25:2 and 1Ch 25:3. נִּבָּא, prophetare, is here used in its wider signification of the singing and playing to the praise of God performed in the power of the Divine Spirit. In reference to the instruments of these chief musicians, cf. 1Ch 15:16. The suffix in מִסְפָּרָם refers to the following noun, which is subordinated to the word מִסְפָּר as genitive; cf. the similar construction עָצֵל נַפְשֹׁו, his, the sluggard's, soul, Pro 13:4, and Ew. §309, e. “Their number (the number) of the workmen for the service, i.e., of those who performed the work of the service, was (as follows).”