1Ch 6:31-48 | KingComments | STEP | There seem to be three groups of singers. The main group is formed by Heman and his sons ( ), with to his right as a second group Asaph and his sons ( ), and to his left as a third group Ethan and his sons ( ). Each of these three groups comes from one of the sons of Levi. Heman belongs to the Kohathites, Asaph to the Gershonites and Ethan to the Merarites. The singers are also important for the temple service. In 1 Chronicles 25 the singers are mentioned in more detail. Also in 1 Chronicles 15-16 we meet them. In the tabernacle service, when the people are in the wilderness, there are no singers. The three main singers appear in the book of Psalms, as do the sons of Korah mentioned in . The three sons of Levi each have a different service. Yet there is a service they have in common: each of the sons has a family of singers ( ). After the song of Moses ( ) we do not hear about singing. It is only here that we hear about it again. You can only sing when the ark – a type of the Lord Jesus – has found a resting place ( ). Where the Lord Jesus can dwell in the midst, there can be singing. The “tent of meeting” ( ) is not important in the first place because the members of God’s people can meet there, but because God can meet with them there. Every singer performs his service by singing the praises of God. Thus, every service that takes place in the church may be done by singing, even if it concerns the service of admonishing (cf. ). The Levites “served in their office according to their order”, which for us corresponds to that all things are “done properly and in an orderly manner” ( ). Heman ( ) is the grandson of Samuel. Heman does not walk in the way of his father ( ), but in the way of his grandfather.

‏ 1 Chronicles 6:31-48

The Singers

There seem to be three groups of singers. The main group is formed by Heman and his sons (1Chr 6:33), with to his right as a second group Asaph and his sons (1Chr 6:39), and to his left as a third group Ethan and his sons (1Chr 6:44). Each of these three groups comes from one of the sons of Levi. Heman belongs to the Kohathites, Asaph to the Gershonites and Ethan to the Merarites.

The singers are also important for the temple service. In 1 Chronicles 25 the singers are mentioned in more detail. Also in 1 Chronicles 15-16 we meet them. In the tabernacle service, when the people are in the wilderness, there are no singers. The three main singers appear in the book of Psalms, as do the sons of Korah mentioned in 1Chr 6:37.

The three sons of Levi each have a different service. Yet there is a service they have in common: each of the sons has a family of singers (1Chr 6:33 ; 39 ; 44). After the song of Moses (Exo 15:1) we do not hear about singing. It is only here that we hear about it again. You can only sing when the ark – a type of the Lord Jesus – has found a resting place (1Chr 6:31). Where the Lord Jesus can dwell in the midst, there can be singing.

The “tent of meeting” (1Chr 6:32) is not important in the first place because the members of God’s people can meet there, but because God can meet with them there. Every singer performs his service by singing the praises of God. Thus, every service that takes place in the church may be done by singing, even if it concerns the service of admonishing (cf. Col 3:16). The Levites “served in their office according to their order”, which for us corresponds to that all things are “done properly and in an orderly manner” (1Cor 14:40).

Heman (1Chr 6:33) is the grandson of Samuel. Heman does not walk in the way of his father (1Sam 8:2-3), but in the way of his grandfather.

Service of Levites and Priests

In these two verses we see the distinction between the Levites and the priests. The different service of the Levites is a picture of what we find in the New Testament in the different gifts that all members of the church have (Rom 12:4-8; 1Cor 12:4 ; 11; Eph 4:7 ; 11). However, there is also a common service, and that is the priestly service. That service consists of singing, which is “a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name” (Heb 13:15b). This is not left to special gifts, nor is it dependent on them.