1 Chronicles 25:1
in 1 Chronicles 25Additionally, David and the commanders of the army set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun to prophesy with the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals. The following is the list of the men who performed this service:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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:
KJV
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:
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 25
Commentary
8 notes on this verseDavid 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.
This site's exposition
the captains of the host separated
on 1 Chronicles 25:1-3
David separates three families, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, to a service the chapter names with the verb it uses of the prophets: they should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals. The same verb returns of Jeduthun's sons in verse three, who prophesied with a harp to give thanks and to praise the LORD, so the chapter states its own doctrine in its own words rather than leaving a reader to infer it. Clarke notes the Targum reads the verb as prophesying by the Holy Spirit and cites Elisha calling for a minstrel before the hand of the LORD came upon him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
We read in the first book of Paralipomena that when the prophet David grew old in years devoted to the Lord, he chose four thousand young men from the people of Israel to render the psalms, which he had composed through the Lord's inspiration, so …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Not but that it is the greatest liberty and pleasure to be employed in praising God: what is heaven but that? But it intimates that it is our duty to make a business of it, and stir up all that is within us to it; and that, in our present state of corruption and infirmity, it will not be done as it should be done without labour and struggle.
), not that all those who were employed in this service were honoured with the visions of God, or could foretel things to come. Heman indeed is said to be the king's seer in the words of God (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
Moreover, David and the captains of the host separated to the service,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
David and the captains of the host--that is, the princes (1Ch 23:2; 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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The captains of the host - Rather, “the princes” of 1Ch 23:2; 1Ch 24:6.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Who prophesied by order of the king. This refers to the psalms that Asaph composed: he would compose them with Divine inspiration.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל | vaiyavdel | and he separated | H914 → | 42 times |
| דָּוִיד֩ | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וְשָׂרֵ֨י | vesarei | and [the] commanders of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| הַצָּבָ֜א | hatzava' | the army | H6635 → | 485 times |
| לַעֲבֹדָ֗ה | laavodah | for service | H5656 → | 145 times |
| לִבְנֵ֤י | livnei | <to> [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אָסָף֙ | ʾasaf | Asaph | H623 → | 34 times |
| וְהֵימָ֣ן | veheiman | and Heman | H1968 → | 16 times |
| וִֽידוּת֔וּן | vidutun | and Jeduthun | H3038 → | 14 times |
| הַֽנִּבְּאִ֛ים | hanebiim | who prophesied | H5012 → | 115 times |
| בְּכִנֹּר֥וֹת | bekhinorot | with harps | H3658 → | 42 times |
| בִּנְבָלִ֖ים | binvalim | with lyres | H5035 → | 38 times |
| וּבִמְצִלְתָּ֑יִם | uvimtziltayim | and with cymbals | H4700 → | 13 times |
| וַֽיְהִי֙ | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מִסְפָּרָ֔ם | misparam | number their | H4557 → | 134 times |
| אַנְשֵׁ֥י | ʾanshei | men of | H582 → | 566 times |
| מְלָאכָ֖ה | melakhah | work | H4399 → | 167 times |
| לַעֲבֹדָתָֽם׃ | laavodatam | for service their | H5656 → | 145 times |
וַיַּבְדֵּ֣לand he separated
vaiyavdelH914 →42 times
דָּוִיד֩David
davidH1732 →999 times
וְשָׂרֵ֨יand [the] commanders of
vesareiH8269 →421 times
הַצָּבָ֜אthe army
hatzava'H6635 →485 times
לַעֲבֹדָ֗הfor service
laavodahH5656 →145 times
לִבְנֵ֤י<to> [the] sons of
livneiH1121 →4930 times
אָסָף֙Asaph
ʾasafH623 →34 times
וְהֵימָ֣ןand Heman
veheimanH1968 →16 times
וִֽידוּת֔וּןand Jeduthun
vidutunH3038 →14 times
הַֽנִּבְּאִ֛יםwho prophesied
hanebiimH5012 →115 times
בְּכִנֹּר֥וֹתwith harps
bekhinorotH3658 →42 times
בִּנְבָלִ֖יםwith lyres
binvalimH5035 →38 times
וּבִמְצִלְתָּ֑יִםand with cymbals
uvimtziltayimH4700 →13 times
וַֽיְהִי֙and it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
מִסְפָּרָ֔םnumber their
misparamH4557 →134 times
אַנְשֵׁ֥יmen of
ʾansheiH582 →566 times
מְלָאכָ֖הwork
melakhahH4399 →167 times
לַעֲבֹדָתָֽם׃for service their
laavodatamH5656 →145 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Kings 3:15But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 16:23
And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play, and Saul would become well, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.
- Ephesians 5:18–19
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
- 1 Samuel 10:5
After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded…
- Ezekiel 1:3
the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.
- 1 Kings 18:46
And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
- 1 Samuel 16:23
Through
1 Samuel 10:5After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded…
it leads to
- 2 Kings 3:15
But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha
- 1 Samuel 13:3
Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
- 1 Samuel 19:20
he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.
- 2 Kings 3:15
About 1 Chronicles

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS, PREFACE 2; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
