1 Chronicles 25:5

All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) All these were the sons of Heman.—Literally, Were sons to Heman.

The king’s seer in the words of God.—Or, in the things of God, in Divine (that is, liturgical) matters. Heman was a prophet as well as a minstrel. (For the connection between music and prophecy, comp. 1Samuel 10:5-6; 2Kings 3:15; Exodus 15:20.) Comp. also Note on 1Chronicles 25:1, above.

Seer.—Heb., hōzèh. Literally, gazer. The word rendered “seer” in 1Chronicles 26:28 and 1Samuel 9:9 is different (rō’èh). Gad was called “David’s seer” (1Chronicles 21:9); so also Jeduthun is “the king’s seer” (2Chronicles 35:15).

To lift up the horn.—That is, according to Bertheau, “to blow the horns loudly.” With this he connects the preceding phrase, which he renders “by God’s commands.” (Comp. 2Chronicles 29:15.) But the horn does not appear elsewhere among the instruments of the Temple musicians, and the phrase “to lift up the horn” of a person is a well-known Hebrew metaphor. (Comp. 1Samuel 2:10 : “May he give strength to his king, and lift up the horn of his anointed.”) Thus it seems that the meaning is that God gave all these “sons”—i.e., proficient disciples—to Heman in order to strengthen him for his work by providing him with a strong body of able assistants.

And three daughters.—The mention of “three daughters” is interesting, as an indication that women sustained a part in the service of song. (Comp. Exodus 15:20; Judges 11:34; 1Samuel 18:6.) The Syriac omits the whole verse.

Benson Commentary

1 Chronicles 25:5. The king’s seer — Or prophet. Either he was a prophet as well as a singer; or he is thus called because he prophesied, or praised God, in the sense designed 1 Chronicles 25:1. And he is called the king’s seer, because the king took special delight in him; or because he frequently attended the king in his palace, executing his sacred office there, while the rest were employed in the tabernacle. In the words of God — To sing such divine songs as were inspired by God to the prophets or holy men of God. To lift up the horn — To praise God with the sound of a trumpet, or some other musical instrument made of horn, which, being a martial kind of music, might be most grateful to David’s martial spirit: though he was also skilled in other instruments of music which he used in the house of God.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

25:1-31 The singers and musicians. - David put those in order who were appointed to be singers and musicians in the temple. To prophesy, in this place, means praising God with great earnestness and devout affections, under the influences of the Holy Spirit. In raising these affections, poetry and music were employed. If the Spirit of God do not put life and fervour into our devotions, they will, however ordered, be a lifeless, worthless form.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To lift up the horn - Some take this literally, and consider that Heman and his sons played on the born in the musical services; but there is no other evidence that the horn was so employed. Perhaps the most probable explanation is that it has been transferred from the next clause, where (as here) it followed the word "God," with the sense that "God, to exalt Heman's horn (or, increase his dignity), gave him fourteen sons and three daughters."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. Heman the king's seer—The title of "seer" or "prophet of David" is also given to Gad (1Ch 21:9), and to Jeduthun (2Ch 29:14, 15), in the words (Margin, "matters") of God.

to lift up the horn—that is, to blow loudly in the worship of God; or perhaps it means nothing more than that he presided over the wind instruments, as Jeduthun over the harp. Heman had been appointed at first to serve at Gibeon (1Ch 16:41). But his destination seems to have been changed at a subsequent period.

God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters—The daughters are mentioned, solely because from their musical taste and talents they formed part of the choir (Ps 68:25).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The king’s seer, or prophet, which is the same thing, 1 Samuel 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 Chronicles 25:1. And he is called the king’s seer, either because the king took special delight in him, or because he frequently attended upon the king in his palace, executing his sacred office there, while the rest were constantly employed in the tabernacle. In the words of God, i.e. to sing such Divine songs as were inspired by God to the prophets or holy men of God. To lift up the horn; either,

1. Metaphorically, to extol and praise God for exalting

the horn (i.e. the power and kingdom) of David; of which phrase see Psalm 92:10 Psalm 132:17. Or rather,

2. Properly, to praise God with the sound of a trumpet, (as was usual, as 2 Chronicles 5:12 13:12) or some other musical instrument made of horn, which being a martial kind of music, might be most grateful to David’s martial spirit; though he was also skilled in other instruments of music, which he used in the house of God, as is expressed in the next verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

All these were the sons of Heman, the king's seer,.... The prophet of the king, as the Targum, who was frequently with him, assisting him

in the words of God: in divine things:

to lift up the horn; to blow with the hornpipe or trumpet, and to magnify and set forth the greatness of the kingdom of Israel, and especially of the King Messiah, the horn of salvation, that would be raised up in the house of David:

and God gave to Heman fourteen sons; whose names are before mentioned:

and three daughters; of whom we have no more account, only may observe, that both are the gifts of God, and an heritage from him, Psalm 127:3.

Geneva Study Bible

All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. the king’s seer] This title is given to Gad in 1 Chronicles 21:9, and to Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, all three in 2 Chronicles 35:15 (LXX. not Heb.).

in the words of God] The exact meaning of this is uncertain; it may either mean “in divine things” (i.e. arrangements for worship), or “by divine appointment” (cp. 2 Chronicles 29:15 “by the words of the Lord”).

to lift up the horn] i.e. to make loud blasts upon the horn.

fourteen sons] Corresponding with the fourteen names given in 1 Chronicles 25:4.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 5. - For the expression, the king's seer, and as other instances of the office, see 1 Chronicles 21:9; 2 Chronicles 35:15, in neither of which places, however, have we the attendant phrase, in the words of God. Yet we have the same sense strictly implied in 1 Chronicles 21:9, 19. The expression needs not to be generalized into "in the matters of God," but evidently describes the seer (Heman, Gad, or Jeduthun) as the authorized medium of verbal communication between God and the king. There is difficulty in assigning the right place of the clause, to lift up the horn. There can be no doubt at all that it contains no allusion whatever to the horn as an instrument of sound (the almost solitary approach to which use of the word is found in Joshua 6:5), but that it falls in with the very frequent figurative use of the phrase as it occurs in the very same words (Psalm 75:5, 6; Psalm 89:18, 25; Psalm 92:12; Psalm 112:9; 1 Samuel 2:1, 10, etc.), and which means "to add to the strength" or "honour" of any one. The allusion is to the number of Heman's children being a mark of the honour God set on him. The words cannot go with the latter part of the verse, while the conjunction (vav) in וַיִּתֵּן opens it. The possible order may be, All these sons were to Heman, the king's seer, by the words of God, to lift up the horn. The absence of the third personal pronoun suffix to קֶרֶן is noticeable, place the clause where we will The statement of the fourteen sons and three daughters belonging to Heman, in this verse, shows that up to this point the word "sons" is used in its stricter sense, however true it may be that the sense is amplified in vers. 10-31. 1 Chronicles 25:5

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Fourteen sons of Heman are enumerated. עזר רממתּי is one name, cf. 31, although עזר is without doubt to be supplied also after גּדּלתּי. Probably also מחזיאות is to be supplied in thought after the names. מלותי, I made full, and הותיר, increased.

(Note: On these names Ewald ways, ausf. Lehrb. der Hebr. Sprache, 274, S. 672, der 7 Ausg.: "It is thought that the utterance of a great prophet is to be found cut up into names of near relatives, when the words,

עזר רממתּי גּדּלתּי

מחזיאות הותיר מלותי

'I have given great and lofty help,

I have to fulness spoken oracles,'

which manifestly form a verse, and may have been the commencement of a famed ancient oracle, are found transferred to the five musical sons of Heman, Giddalti(ezer), Romamtiezer, Mallothi, Hothir, and Machazioth.")

Heman is called in 1 Chronicles 25:5 the seer of the king in the words of God, because he, along with his gift of song, was endowed also with the prophetic gift, and as seer made known to the king revelations of God. In 2 Chronicles 35:15 the same thing is predicated also of Jeduthun, and in the same sense the prophet Gad is called in 1 Chronicles 21:9 David's seer. קרן להרים the Masoretes have connected with the preceding, by placing Athnach under the קרן, and the phrase has been wholly misunderstood by the Rabbins and Christian commentators. Berth., e.g., connects it with האלהים בּדברי, and translates, "to sound loud upon horns, according to the divine command," referring to 2 Chronicles 29:15, where, however, both meaning and accentuation forbid us to connect יהוה בּדברי with what follows. This interpretation of the words is thoroughly wrong, not only because the Levites under Heman's direction did not blow horns, the horn not being one of the instruments played by the Levites in connection with the worship, but also because on linguistic grounds it is objectionable. קרן הרים קרן .el never has the signification to blow the horn; for to elevate the horn signifies everywhere to heighten the power of any one, or unfold, show power; cf. 1 Samuel 2:10; Lamentations 2:17; Psalm 148:14; Psalm 89:18; Psalm 92:11, etc. That is the meaning of the phrase here, and the words are to be connected, according to their sense, with what follows: "to elevate the horn," i.e., to give power, God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters; i.e., to make Heman's race mighty for the praise of God, God gave him so many sons and daughters.