1 Chron. 25 The number and offices of the singers out of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, 1 Chron. 25:1–7. Their division by lot into twenty-four orders, 1 Chron. 25:8–31

The captains of the host; both of the civil and sacred host, to wit, all the princes of Israel, with the priests and the Levites, whom David gathered together, 1 Chron.

Under the hands of Asaph, i.e. under his oversight and direction. According to the order of the king; in such manner and order as David appointed.

The sons of Jeduthun, or, his sons, (the construct form being used before the absolute, of which there are examples in Scripture,) Jeduthun, called by his father’s name; otherwise they are not six, unless either Jeduthun their father be included in that number, or Shimei, mentioned 1 Chron.

The king’s seer, or prophet, which is the same thing, 1 Sam. 9:9. Either he was a prophet as well as a singer; or he is thus called because he prophesied in the sense designed, 1 Chron. 25:1.

Under the hands. i.e. under his direction, as 1 Chron. 25:2. According to the king’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, Heb. by the hands of the king, and of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, i.e. according to the king’s appointment, and under the conduct of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.

All that were cunning; who were so skilful that they were able to teach others. Two hundred fourscore and eight; which, together with their scholars, make up the four thousand mentioned 1 Chron. 23:5.

Ward against ward, i.e. a ward, or rank, or course of Levites answerable to one of the priests, upon whom the Levites were to wait in their holy ministrations, 1 Chron. 23:28. As well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar, without any respect to their different ages or abilities.

For Asaph to Joseph, i.e. for the family of Asaph, of which Joseph was. Here that clause, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve, is to be understood, as it is expressed in all the following verses, otherwise they do not make up that number of two hundred and eighty-eight mentioned 1 Chron.