1 Chronicles 25:31 (KJV)

What does 1 Chronicles 25:31 mean?

1 Chronicles 25:31 records that the twenty-fourth group of musicians, led by Romamtiezer, along with his sons and relatives, consisted of twelve members. This verse is part of a list assigning duties to different families of temple musicians in King David’s time.

The book of 1 Chronicles is describing how King David organized the Levites for musical service in the temple. This verse specifically names the last group in a sequence of twenty-four, showing the careful, structured way the musicians were divided. Each group, including Romamtiezer’s, had twelve people, emphasizing order and equality in temple worship.

The Hebrew behind 1 Chronicles 25:31

• רוֹמַמְתִּיעֶזֶר (Romamtiezer, transliteration: Romamtiezer): This is a personal name, likely the leader of this particular group of musicians. The name itself is unique and not much else is known about him outside this list.
• בֵּן (ben, transliteration: sons): This word refers to Romamtiezer’s sons, showing that musical service often involved family groups.
• אַח (ach, transliteration: brethren): This word means "brothers" or "relatives," indicating that the group included extended family, not just immediate sons.
• עֶשְׂרִים (esrim, transliteration: twentieth) and אַרְבַּע (arba, transliteration: four): Together, these words specify the "twenty-fourth" division, highlighting the organized structure.
• שְׁנֵים-עָשָׂר (shneim asar, transliteration: twelve): This number is repeated for each group, underlining that every division had the same number of members, which points to fairness and balance in the assignments.

Why 1 Chronicles 25:31 matters

• This verse shows the detailed organization King David put into temple worship, making sure every group had equal representation and responsibility.
• The listing of family groups, including both sons and other relatives, highlights the communal and generational nature of service in ancient Israel.
• By naming each group and its leader, the passage honors the individuals and families who contributed to the spiritual life of the nation, even if they are not widely known today.