Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - 1 Chronicles 25:2 - 25:2

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Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - 1 Chronicles 25:2 - 25:2


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With אָסָף לִבְנֵי 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. עַל־יַד, at the hand, alternates with עַל־יְדֵי (1Ch 25:3 and 1Ch 25:6), and אָסָף יַד עַל does not of itself express a different relationship to Asaph than that expressed by הַמֶּלֶךְ יְדֵי עַל 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 לִידוּתוּן 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 שִׁמְעִי (1Ch 25:17) has been dropped out. בַּכִּנֹּור belongs to יְדוּתוּן: 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.