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:

Moreover David and the captains of the host set apart for the service certain 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 them that did the work according to their service was:

Moreover David and the chief .officers of the army separated for the ministry the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Idithun : to prophesy with harps, and with psalteries, and with cymbals according to their number serving in their appointed office.

And David and the captains of the host separated for the service those of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun who were to prophesy with harps and lutes and cymbals; and the number of the men employed according to their service was:

Moreover David and the captains of the host separated for the service certain 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 them that did the work according to their service was:

And David and the heads of the host separate for service, of the sons of Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun, who are prophesying with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals, and the number of the workmen is according to their service.

Further, David and the chiefs of the servants of the holy place made selection of certain of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun for the work of prophets, to make melody with corded instruments and brass; and the number of the men for the work they had to do was:

Then David and the magistrates of the army set apart, for the ministry, the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with harps and psalteries and cymbals, in accord with their number, having been dedicated to their appointed office.

The captains of the host - Rather, "the princes" of 1-Chronicles 23:2; 1-Chronicles 24:6.

David and the captains of the host - The chiefs of those who formed the several orders: not military captains.
Should prophesy - Should accompany their musical instruments with prayer and singing.

Moreover David and the captains of the host (a) 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:
(a) The singers were divided into 24 courses, so that every course or order contained twelve, and in all there were 288, as in (1-Chronicles 25:7).

Moreover, David and the captains of the host separated to the service,.... Of singing the praises of God; this was done by the princes of the people, and the chief of the priests, who were gathered together, and before whom the lots were cast, both for priests and Levites, and now here for the singers, see 1-Chronicles 22:2 and those that were separated were
of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun; or Ethan, the three precentors, or chief of the singers:
who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals; sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, endited by the Holy Spirit of God; which contained in them prophecies concerning things to come, particularly relating to the Messiah, of which there are many in the book of Psalm; and to the tunes of these they played on the above instruments of music:
and the number of the workmen, according to their service, was; as follows.

David put those in order who were appointed to be singers and musicians in the temple. To prophesy, in this place, means praising God with great earnestness and devout affections, under the influences of the Holy Spirit. In raising these affections, poetry and music were employed. If the Spirit of God do not put life and fervour into our devotions, they will, however ordered, be a lifeless, worthless form.

NUMBER AND OFFICE OF THE SINGERS. (1-Chronicles 25:1-7)
David and the captains of the host--that is, the princes (1-Chronicles 23:2; 1-Chronicles 24:6). It is probable that the king was attended on the occasion of arranging the singers by the same parties that are mentioned as having assisted him in regulating the order of the priests and Levites.

The twenty-four classes of musicians. - 1-Chronicles 25:1. "David and the princes of the host separated for the service the sons of Asaph," etc. הצּבא שׂרי are not princes of the Levite host; for although the service of the Levites is called צבא צבא in Numbers 4:23, yet the princes of the Levites are nowhere called הצבא שׂרי. This expression rather denotes either the leaders of the army of the chiefs of Israel, as the host of Jahve, Exodus 12:17, Exodus 12:41, etc. Here it is used in the last signification, as synonymous with princes of Israel (1-Chronicles 23:2); in Exodus 24:6 we have simply the princes, along with whom the heads of the fathers'-houses of the priests and the Levites are mentioned. לעבדה הבדּיל, separate for the service; cf. Numbers 16:9. The ל in אסף לבני is nota acc. Since Asaph was, according to 1-Chronicles 6:39-43, a descendant of Gershon, Heman, according to 1-Chronicles 6:33-38, a descendant of Kohath, and Jeduthun (= Ethan) a descendant of Merari (1-Chronicles 6:44-47), all the chief families of Levi had representatives among the singers. The Kethibh הנביאים is an orthographical error for הנּבּאים (Keri), partic. Niph., corresponding to the singular הנּבּא, 1-Chronicles 25:2 and 1-Chronicles 25:3. נּבּא, 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. 1-Chronicles 15:16. The suffix in מספּרם refers to the following noun, which is subordinated to the word מספּר as genitive; cf. the similar construction עצל נפשׁו, his, the sluggard's, soul, Proverbs 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)."

And captains - All the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites, whom David gathered together, 1-Chronicles 23:2, for this very end, that with their approbation and consent, all these things might be established; who are here fitly called the captains of the host; for the princes were, under David, the chief captains of the militia of the kingdom; and as the Levites are called an host, and the Lord's host, because of their number and order in holy ministrations; so these priests and Levites were the captains and governors of the rest. Separated - Distributed them into their several ranks: which, tho' chiefly done by David as a prophet, and by Divine direction, yet is imputed in part to the captains of the host, because it was done with their concurrence and approbation. The service - To the service of God under the conduct of these persons. Prophecy - Praise God by singing the psalms of David, and other sacred songs made by themselves, who were prophets, or by other prophets or holy men of God. Workmen - Of the persons employed in this sacred work. This good work it seems Samuel revived, but did not live to bring it to perfection. Let each in his day do what he can for God, tho' he cannot carry it so far as he would. When we are gone, God can raise up others to build on our foundation, and bring forth the top - stone.