whom the execution of the liturgic singing was entrusted. The names of their sons,vide 1Ch 25:1-6. The object of the following genealogies is to show their descent from Levi. “Of the sons of the Kohathite family (is) Heman the singer.” המשׁורר, ὁ ψαλτῳδός lxx. Heman is named first as being the head of the choir of singers who stood in the centre, while Asaph and his choir stood on his right hand, and on the left Ethan and his choir, so that when they sang in concert the conducting of the whole fell to Heman. His family is traced back in 1Ch 6:33-38 through twenty members to “Kohath the son of Levi, then son of Israel” (Jacob).
Verses 39-43
1Ch 6:39-43 (Hebrew_Bible_6:24-28). “His brother Asaph,” who is Heman's brother only in the more general sense of being closely connected with him, partly by their common descent from Levi, partly by their common calling, was a descendant of Gershon from his younger son Shimei. His genealogy contains only fifteen names to Gershon, five less than that of his contemporary Heman, probably because here and there intermediate names are omitted.
Verses 44-47
1Ch 6:44-47 (Hebrew_Bible_6:29-32). “And the sons of Merari their brethren (i.e., the brethren of the choirs of Heman and Asaph) on the left (i.e., forming the choir which stood on the left hand) were Ethan and his sons.” As in the case of Asaph, so also in that of Ethan, וּבניהם (1Ch 6:18) is omitted, but is to be supplied; when the introductory clause “and the sons of Merari” is at once explained. Ethan is a Merarite of the younger line of Mushi (see above). The name of his father is here קישׁי, and in 1Ch 15:17 it is קוּשׁיהוּ, which latter is clearly the original form, which has been shortened into Kishi. Instead of the name Ethan (איתן) as here and in 1Ch 15:19, we find in other passage a Jeduthun mentioned as third chief-musician, along with Heman and Asaph (cf. 1Ch 25:1; 2Ch 35:15; Neh 11:17, cf. 1Ch 6:41); from which we see that Jeduthun was another name for Ethan, probably a by-name - ידוּתוּן, “praiseman” - which he had received from his calling, although nothing is said in the Old Testament as to the origin of this name. His genealogy contains only twelve names to Merari, being thus still more abridged than that of Asaph.
Verses 48-49
1Ch 6:48-49 (Hebrew_Bible_6:33-34). “And their brethren the Levites,” i.e., the other Levites besides the singers just mentioned, “were נתוּנים given for every service of the dwelling of the house of God,” i.e., given to Aaron and his sons (the priests) for the performance of service in the carrying on of the worship; cf. Num 3:9; Num 8:16-19; Num 18:6. But Aaron and his sons had three duties to perform: (
