1 Chronicles 25:5

1Ch 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.

Ver. 5. The king’s seer.] And, as some think, a psalmographer.

To lift up the horn.] Whereas Asaph and Jeduthun’s task was to sing such psalms chiefly as tended to the instruction and comfort of the people: Heman was appointed to sing such as did set forth the exaltation of David’s, but especially of Christ’s, kingdom: Ad exaltandam potentiam et dignitatem regiam. {a}

{a} Vatab.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch 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 1Ch 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.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, Prophet.

Or, power, meaning of the king.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Heman the king's seer--The title of "seer" or "prophet of David" is also given to Gad (Ch1 21:9), and to Jeduthun (Ch2 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 (Ch1 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 (Psa 68:25).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 5. To lift up the horn] "The horn of prophecy," says Jarchi; "to sound with the trumpet in the words of prophecy before the Lord."-T.

Three daughters.] These also were employed among the singers.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(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. 1Sa_10:5-6; 2Ki_3:15; Exo_15:20.) Comp. also Note on 1Ch_25:1, above.

Seer.—Heb., hôzèh. Literally, gazer. The word rendered “seer” in 1Ch_26:28 and 1Sa_9:9 is different (rô’èh). Gad was called “David’s seer” (1Ch_21:9); so also Jeduthun is “the king’s seer” (2Ch_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. 2Ch_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. 1Sa_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. Exo_15:20; Jdg_11:34; 1Sa_18:6.) The Syriac omits the whole verse.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. the king’s seer] This title is given to Gad in 1Ch_21:9, and to Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, all three in 2Ch_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. 2Ch_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 1Ch_25:4.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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, Psa 127:3.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Seer; a title usually given to the real prophets, who foresee future things. (Menochius) --- Gad has this title, 2 Paralipomenon xxiv. 11. But Heman’s office was to proclaim the words of God, with the sound of the horn. This musician had formerly been fixed at Gabaon, chap. xvi. 41. (Calmet) --- To lift up the horn, or to sing those psalms, which regarded the kingdom of David, and of Christ, as others were composed for the instruction of the people. (Tirinus) --- Daughters. These are specified, only because they joined with their brethren, in singing in the temple. (Abulensis, q. 14.) (Menochius) --- At least, we find that there were bands of young women, in the solemn procession. (Haydock) (Chap. xv. 20., and Psalm lxvii. 26.) (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The king’s seer, or prophet, which is the same thing, 1Sa 9:9. Either he was a prophet as well as a singer; or he is thus called because he prophesied in the sense designed, 1Ch 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 Psa 92:10; Psa 132:17. Or rather,

2. Properly, to praise God with the sound of a trumpet, (as was usual, as 2Ch 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.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. Heman the king’s seer in the words of God — Besides his musical talent, Heman had also the gift of revelation, to make known to the king the things of God. Asaph and Jeduthun were also seers. 2Ch_29:30; 2Ch_35:15.

To lift up the horn — The expression is obscure as it stands in the present text. Some understand it of the use of the horn in the musical service, but as the horn is not named among the instruments used by these Levites, some of the best expositors connect the phrase with what follows, and explain it in the metaphorical sense of increasing one’s power. For this sense of the words comp. 1Sa_2:10; Psa_148:14; Lam_2:17. So, to increase Heman’s power and honour God “gave” him “fourteen sons and three daughters.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For the expression, the king"s seer, and as other instances of the office, see 1Ch_21:9; 2Ch_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 1Ch_21:9, 1Ch_21:19. The expression needs not to be generalized into "in the matters ofGod," 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, Jos_6:5) but that it falls in with the very frequent figurative use of the phrase as it occurs in the very same words (Psa_75:5, 6 89:18, 25 92:12 112:9; 1Sa_2:1, 1Sa_2:10, 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 TeYiw opens it. The possible order may be,

All these sons were to Heman, the kings seer, by the words of God, to lift up the horn. The absence of the third personal pronoun suffix to rq, 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.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The king's seer - He is called the king's seer, either 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 - To sing Divine songs as were inspired by God to the prophets or holy men of God. 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: tho' he was also skilled in other instruments of music which he used in the house of God.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

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, Psa 127:3.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

the king’s seer, in words of God to raise the horn the horn of the prophecy, for he would prophesy for the king. A similar instance of this is (I Sam. 2:10): “... and raise the horn of His anointed one.”

and God gave Heman Had not God given him children, it would have been impossible for him to have fourteen sons and three daughters, with all of them fit to be chiefs of watches. A similar case is (Ruth 4:13): “... and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.” Had not this been a gift from the Lord, it would have been impossible for Boaz to father a son, because he was old. Similarly, (Deut. 34:1): “and the Lord showed him all the land.” Had this vision not been from the Lord, it would have been impossible to see so far.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.