Levite Administration-part 2

Levite Administration-part 2

            I Chronicles 16:5 also shows the order and chain of command of the Levite musicians.  "Asaph the chief (7218) , and next (mishneh 4932) to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom:  and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals."  This example show their rank.  Asaph was chief and the rest were "next" or mishna which means of the second rank.  Note that this organization specified that the Levites of second rank would play melodic musical instruments and that Asaph the conductor would sound or direct with the cymbals.

            I Chronicles 15:16-24 is another example of Levite music organization.  Verse sixteen states, "And David spake to the chief (8269) of the Levites to appoint (amad 5975) their brethren to be singers with instruments of music. . ." and verse seventeen continues, "So the Levites appointed (5975) Heman. . .Asaph. . .and Ethan. . ." and verse eighteen "And with them their brethren of the second (4932) degree. . ."All of these musicians as well as the students mentioned in chapter twenty-five of I Chronicles were all under these three chief musicians.  It would seem there could be little doubt that the chronicler is stressing the organization, excellence, and administration of the Levite musicians.  The example left for us is that everyone had a rank and a job and as far as we know they worked together in harmony without one single complaint recorded in scripture.