SERIES K --- ISRAEL’S GOLDEN AGE --- LESSON 19

MINISTRY OF PRAISE

THE PRIESTS AND THEIR DUTIES

From 1 Chronicles 24:1-19: 25

The priests, who had descended from Aaron, were divided into two groups, named after Aaron’s sons, Eleazar and Ithamar. Aaron’s other two sons, Nadab and Abihu, had died before their father and left no children. All the descendants of Aaron came through Eleazar and Ithamar. With the help of Zadok, who was the leader of the Eleazar group and the help of Ahinlelech, who was the leader of the Ithamar group, King David divided the two groups of Aaron’s descendants into several sub-groups. David divided Eleazar’s descendants into sixteen groups and Ithamar’s descendants into eight groups, for it was a known fact that Eleazar’s descendants had more good leaders than Ithamar’s descendants. The priests were assigned their work by casting lots. In that way, no one was favoured above anyone else, for there were high officers of the temple in each group. Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe wrote the names in the presence of the king, the princes, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech the son of Abiathar and the other leaders of the priests and Levites. Each task was to be carried out by two groups from the Eleazar division and one group from the Ithamar division. Here is the way the work was assigned, with the number of each group and the name of its leader:

1 --- Jehoiarib, 2 --- Jedaiah, 3 --- Harim, 4 --- Seorim, 5 --- Malchijah, 6 --- Mijamin, 7 --- Hakkoz, 8 --- Abijah, 9 --- Jeshuah, 10 --- Shecaniah, 11 --- Jeshuah, 12 --- Jakim, 13 --- Huppah, 14 --- Jeshebeab, 15 --- Bilgah, 16 --- Miner, 17 --- Hezir, 18 --- Aphses, 19 --- Pethahiah, 20 --- Jehezekel, 21 --- Jachin, 22 --- Gamul, 23 --- Delaiah and 24 --- Maaziah.

Each of these groups was assigned to special work in serving Adonai in His house, according to the instructions that their ancestor Aaron received from Adonai YHVH of Israel. Next David and the tabernacle officials appointed some of the families of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun to prophesy, accompanied by the music of lyres, harps and cymbals. These were the people and their work: Asaph, who prophesied under the king’s direction, led his own sons, Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asarelab. The six sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, Zen, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah; were under the leadership of their father, who prophesied in praise and thanksgiving to Adonai. YHVH gave Heman fourteen sons: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth and also three daughters. Their work was to play cymbals, harps, and zithers under their father’s leadership, serving Adonai in the tabernacle. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were directly responsible to the king. They and their families were all expert singers, and all two hundred and eighty-eight of them were appointed to their specific jobs by casting lots, thus no favour could be shown to older people or people with more fame. The first lot was for Joseph, who was from Asaph’s family. The second through twenty-fourth lots were for the following leaders, each with twelve sons and brothers:

1 --- Gedaliah, 2 --- Zaccur, 3 --- Izri, 4 --- Nethaniah, 5 --- Bukkiah, 6 --- Jesharelah, 7 --- Jeshariah, 8 --- Mattaniah, 9 --- Shimei, 10 --- Azareel, 11 --- Hashabiah, 12 --- Shubael, 13 --- Mattithiah, 14 --- Jeremoth, 15 --- Hananiah, 16 --- Joshbekashah, 17 --- Hanani, 18 --- Mallothi, 19 --- Eliathah, 20 --- Hothir, 21 --- Giddalti, 22 --- Mahazioth and 23 --- Romamti-ezer.

COMMENTARY

THE SINGING OF PSALMS

Service in the House of YHVH included music and praise as well as labour. Every talent of YHVH’s people found expression in worship of Adonai. The singing of psalms played a large part in the religious life of the Israelites. It was a regular element of worship in the temple and in daily life. David himself was a musician; he wrote many psalms and probably accompanied himself on the harp when he sang. There were basically three different kinds of psalm singing: directed, responsive and unison. During the directed psalm, the leader chanted the words and a group of Levites or the full congregation repeated them after him. Psalm 124 falls into this group. When the responsive; or antiphonal; psalm was sung, the leader or a group of Levites sang each verse and another group then responded with a phrase that was repeated each time; the refrain. Psalm 136 is an example; its repeated refrain is [for his steadfast love endures forever.] Unison psalm singing meant everyone sang the same words at the same time. It probably was the most popular kind. The Songs of Ascents -- Psalms 120-1 34, were very likely sung by the pilgrims as they made their way to Jerusalem for the festivals. In the courtyard of the temple that Herod the Great built, the Levites sang these psalms as they went up the fifteen steps separating the Women’s Court from the Court of Israel. By about 250 B.C., one special psalm was assigned to each day of the week in temple worship. They were the following:

Sunday = Psalm 24; / Monday = Psalm 48; / Tuesday = Psalm 82; / Wednesday = Psalm 94; / Thursday = Psalm 81; / Friday = Psalm 93; / Saturday [Shabbat] = Psalm 92.

These were each sung after the daily sacrifice was made. On special festivals, other psalms were added. These were called the [Hallel] because they usually begin with [Hallelujah,] which means, [Praise Adonai.] They were -- Psalms 113-118 and were sung at the Feasts of the New Moon, Passover, Shavuot, Tabernacles and Dedication. Psalms were also sung in the synagogue, where the Israelites assembled and sometimes worshiped when they did not use the temple. Musical instruments were played as accompaniment to the singing of psalms. During David’s time, four instruments were particularly popular. The harp first, was a stringed instrument, made of wood, often highly decorated; it had eight or ten strings and was plucked or strummed. The lyre resembled the harp, though it was probably smaller; it may have had a lower tone. Horns were made from animal’s horns; the ram’s horn, [shofar,] was used only on special occasions. Cymbals were metal or wooden cups or plates that were struck together. The rich tradition of psalm singing is carried through in the singing of hymns in the churches of the modern world.