Number and Services of Musicians
25 Moreover, David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals; and the number of [a]those who performed their service was: 2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and [b]Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the [c]direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the [d]direction of the king. 3 Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, [e]Zeri, Jeshaiah, [f]Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the [g]direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord. 4 Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, [h]Uzziel, [i]Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. 5 All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer to [j]exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman. 6 All these were under the [k]direction of their father to sing in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the [l]direction of the king. 7 Their number who were trained in singing to the Lord, with their [m]relatives, all who were skillful, was 288.
Divisions of Musicians
8 They cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil.
9 Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph, the second for Gedaliah, he with his relatives and sons were twelve; 10 the third to Zaccur, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 11 the fourth to [n]Izri, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 12 the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 13 the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 14 the seventh to [o]Jesharelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 15 the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 16 the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 17 the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 18 the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 19 the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 20 for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 21 for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 22 for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 23 for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 24 for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 25 for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 26 for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 27 for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 28 for the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 29 for the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 30 for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; 31 for the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his relatives, twelve.
While the second half of this chapter bears a similar idea to chapter 24, the first part talks about the “duties” of these Levites. In short, it was to lead the people in praise, song, and thanksgiving. But something caught my eye this time: “who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord.” It’s the second time that prophesy is mentioned alongside the musical service that these Levites were to perform.
And it’s not as if prophesy was one more thing they were dedicated towards. Rather, the giving thanks and praise was part of what it meant to prophesy. Now to be clear, there is a difference between the duties of prophecy and the “gift” of prophecy. I’ll not dive into that too much, but prophecy as we think of it today, that is, to tell the future, was not the only meaning of the word.
The more common meaning in the Bible is apparently something I’ve never noticed before, which is to “bubble forth” or to “speak for another”. Other scholars have noted that it is typically used with several ideas: to reveal the word of God (orally), to teach the mysteries of the (written) word of God, and also in the leading of worship/song (“sacred poetry”). Even if we might not call them the “gift of prophecy”, any talent God gives us is a gift.
So maybe you still don’t have any of those gifts, but God gives everyone a gift (or two or three), and He wants us to use them for His glory. Those who have a gifting in the area of prophecy (as listed above, not necessarily in telling the future), should use it wisely and listen for God to speak to them and through them.
And so it is with all of us, we should listen for what God wants to do in our lives with the gifts that He has given us. If we are willing, God will use all of us, and will give us wisdom and knowledge that is beyond us, much like the “prophets” of old.