Musicians and Singers

When David brought the ark to Jerusalem, he told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers, playing lyres, harps and cymbals and raising their voices with joy (1 Chronicles 15:16). The Levites appointed Heman, Asaph and Ethan, who sounded the bronze cymbals (1 Chronicles 15:17, 19). A second rank played harps and lyres (1 Chronicles 15:20–21), Chenaniah led the singing because he was skillful (1 Chronicles 15:22), and priests blew trumpets before the ark (1 Chronicles 15:24). Asaph led the praise before the ark, and Jahaziel and Benaiah blew the trumpets (1 Chronicles 16:5–6).

Later David and the army commanders set apart sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun "to prophesy with the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals" (1 Chronicles 25:1). Their sons were organized into twenty-four divisions by lot (1 Chronicles 25:2–31). At the dedication of Solomon’s temple, the Levitical singers stood east of the altar with the priests blowing trumpets (2 Chronicles 5:12).

After the exile, Nehemiah gathered the singers for the dedication of the rebuilt wall. Two thanksgiving choirs processed along the wall, one led by Zechariah son of Jonathan with the musical instruments of David (Nehemiah 12:35–36), and the singers sang under the direction of Jezrahiah (Nehemiah 12:42).

This list names only those the text places among the singers and players. Ancestors, procession leaders and the kings who ordered the music are not on it. Ethan has no record of his own, so he is not listed.