I Chronicles 25:1 "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:"

In that the divisions being made here applied to the sons of Levi only, the "captains of the host" were the leaders in the Tabernacle at the time of David. These assignments were made for those talented in music, and teaching. The service at the altar of God was limited to the sons of Aaron in the beginning, yet as time went by, the appointments became cloudy. This name "Jeduthun" is probably another name for Ethan.

The purpose was to "Prophesy with harps"; It was not given to be "performed" or "rendered", "so the music therefore eminently was spiritual", as stated in the footnotes of "the Companion Bible". We will see in verse five that the words spoken were "the words of God", not of any man, but Divine words used in Divine worship for the Temple.

I Chronicles 25:2 "Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king."

I Chronicles 25:3 "Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the Lord."

There were six to be assigned by their father Jeduthun, yet there are only five named here. The sixth is named in verse seventeen.

I Chronicles 25:4 "Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Geddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshebashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth:"

When you take the six sons of Heman and put those six names together in order, the meaning of their names makes a sentence in the Hebrew language. Many have stated that it was a prayer, yet it is more a sign that Heman named each of his sons with a set purpose in mind. In English that prayer would read; "I have magnified, and I have raised up help; Sitting in trouble, I have spoken many oracles."

I Chronicles 25:5 "All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters."

I Chronicles 25:6 "All these were under the hands of their father for son in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman."

I Chronicles 25:7 "So the numbering them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the Lord, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight [288]."

These songs that were made are unto the Lord, not of man. The word "cunning" would be better translated "skilful". Most of those that were making the preparation for the building of the temple were not of Israel nor of any of the tribes, but they were Kenites from the land of Hemath. They were there as skilled craftsman in their trade. Likewise, some of those assigned to the music were also "strangers", Nethinims given to service in the making of music.

I Chronicles 25:8 "And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar."

I Chronicles 25:9 "Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve:"

As you read through this list of names, notice that at the end of each division of Levites it states, "were twelve", or of the government. The number twelve is the number for government in biblical numerics. The Levites had control over the activity within the Temple which controlled the affairs of the people.

I Chronicles 25:10 "The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:11 "The fourth to Izri, he, his sons and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:12 "The fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve,"

I Chronicles 25:13 "The sixth to Bukikiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:14 "The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:15 "The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:16 "The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:17 "The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:18 "The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:19 "The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:20 "The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:21 "The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:22 "The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, hs sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:23 "The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:24 "The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:25 "The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:

I Chronicles 25:26 "The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, wee twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:27 "The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:28 "The one and twentieth to Hothir, He, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:29 "The two and twentieth to Geddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:30 "The three and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:"

I Chronicles 25:31 "The four and twentieth to Romanti-ezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve."