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HEMAN.—There appear at first to be three different men of this name in the OT. 1. A legendary wise man whose wisdom Solomon excelled (1Ki_4:31). 2. A son (or clan) of Zerah of the tribe of Judah (1Ch_2:6), probably also alluded to in the title of Psa_88:1-18 as Heman the Ezrahite, Ezrah being another form of Zerah. 3. A Korahite singer of the time of David, said to be the son of Joel the son of Samuel (1Ch_6:33; cf. also 1Ch_15:17; 1Ch_15:19, 1Ch_16:41, 1Ch_25:1-6). As Chronicles in a number of cases confuses the genealogy of Judah with that of Levi (cf., e.g., 1Ch_2:42-43 with 1Ch_6:2), and as the wise men of 1Ki_4:31 are legendary, it is probable that the three Hemans are the same legendary ancestor of a clan celebrated for its music and wisdom. This view finds some support in the fact that the title of Psa_88:1-18 makes Heman both an Ezrahite (Judahite) and a Korahite (Levite).
George A. Barton.