Jehiel

Levite and musician in the Lord's temple

Also known as: Jeguel, Jeuel, Jehi'el

The united kingdomPriestWise manc. 1000 BC

Jehiel was a Levite who served as a musician and gatekeeper at the ark of the covenant during King David's reign. He was among those appointed to sing praises and play instruments when the ark was brought to Jerusalem. The name Jehiel appears in several places in the Bible and refers to different individuals, but the most prominent is the Levite who served in temple worship.

Key events

Appointed as a musician at the ark of the covenant

Jehiel was appointed by David as one of the Levites to play the harp and lyres before the Lord's ark of the covenant.

18and with them their relatives of the second rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.
וְעִמָּהֶ֖ם אֲחֵיהֶ֣ם הַמִּשְׁנִ֑ים זְכַרְיָ֡הוּ בֵּ֡ן וְיַֽעֲזִיאֵ֡ל וּשְׁמֽ͏ִירָמ֡וֹת וִיחִיאֵ֣ל ׀ וְעֻנִּ֡י אֱלִיאָ֡ב וּבְנָיָ֡הוּ וּמַֽעֲשֵׂיָ֡הוּ וּמַתִּתְיָהוּ֩ וֶאֱלִ֨יפְלֵ֜הוּ וּמִקְנֵיָ֨הוּ וְעֹבֵ֥ד אֱדֹ֛ם וִֽיעִיאֵ֖ל הַשֹּׁעֲרִֽים׃ ‬
20Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps set to alamoth;
וּזְכַרְיָ֨ה וַעֲזִיאֵ֜ל וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֤וֹת וִֽיחִיאֵל֙ וְעֻנִּ֣י וֽ͏ֶאֱלִיאָ֔ב וּמַעֲשֵׂיָ֖הוּ וּבְנָיָ֑הוּ בִּנְבָלִ֖ים עַל־עֲלָמֽוֹת׃ ‬
21and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres set to sheminith.
וּמַתִּתְיָ֣הוּ וֶאֱלִֽיפְלֵ֗הוּ וּמִקְנֵיָ֙הוּ֙ וְעֹבֵ֣ד אֱדֹ֔ם וִֽיעִיאֵ֖ל וַעֲזַזְיָ֑הוּ בְּכִנֹּר֥וֹת עַל־הַשְּׁמִינִ֖ית לְנַצֵּֽחַ׃ ‬

Service at the ark in Jerusalem

Jehiel served regularly before the ark of the covenant after it was brought to Jerusalem, as part of the regular worship service.

5Asaph was the chief, Zechariah second to him, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with harps and lyres; and Asaph sounded the cymbals.
אָסָ֥ף הָרֹ֖אשׁ וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ זְכַרְיָ֑ה יְעִיאֵ֡ל וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת וִֽיחִיאֵ֡ל וּמַתִּתְיָ֡ה וֶאֱלִיאָ֡ב וּבְנָיָהוּ֩ וְעֹבֵ֨ד אֱדֹ֜ם וֽ͏ִיעִיאֵ֗ל בִּכְלֵ֤י נְבָלִים֙ וּבְכִנֹּר֔וֹת וְאָסָ֖ף בַּֽמְצִלְתַּ֥יִם מַשְׁמִֽיעַ׃ ‬
6The priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.
וּבְנָיָ֥הוּ וְיַחֲזִיאֵ֖ל הַכֹּהֲנִ֑ים בַּחֲצֹצְר֣וֹת תָּמִ֔יד לִפְנֵ֖י אֲר֥וֹן בְּרִית־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ ‬

Praise upon the arrival of the ark

When the ark arrived in Jerusalem, Jeiel participated in the great celebration of praise with cymbals, harps, and lyres.

4He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel:
וַיִּתֵּ֞ן לִפְנֵ֨י אֲר֧וֹן יְהוָ֛ה מִן־הַלְוִיִּ֖ם מְשָׁרְתִ֑ים וּלְהַזְכִּיר֙ וּלְהוֹד֣וֹת וּלְהַלֵּ֔ל לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ ‬
5Asaph was the chief, Zechariah second to him, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with harps and lyres; and Asaph sounded the cymbals.
אָסָ֥ף הָרֹ֖אשׁ וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ זְכַרְיָ֑ה יְעִיאֵ֡ל וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת וִֽיחִיאֵ֡ל וּמַתִּתְיָ֡ה וֶאֱלִיאָ֡ב וּבְנָיָהוּ֩ וְעֹבֵ֨ד אֱדֹ֜ם וֽ͏ִיעִיאֵ֗ל בִּכְלֵ֤י נְבָלִים֙ וּבְכִנֹּר֔וֹת וְאָסָ֖ף בַּֽמְצִלְתַּ֥יִם מַשְׁמִֽיעַ׃ ‬
7That day David first appointed Asaph and his brothers to give thanks to the LORD in this way:
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא אָ֣ז נָתַ֤ן דָּוִיד֙ בָּרֹ֔אשׁ לְהֹד֖וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה בְּיַד־אָסָ֖ף וְאֶחָֽיו׃ פ ‬

David's arrangement of the Levites' service

King David organized the Levites' service at the sanctuary, and Jeiel was given a fixed place among the musicians who praised the Lord daily.

37David left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to minister before the ark regularly, according to each day's requirements.
וַיַּֽעֲזָב־שָׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ אֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָ֔ה לְאָסָ֖ף וּלְאֶחָ֑יו לְשָׁרֵ֞ת לִפְנֵ֧י הָאָר֛וֹן תָּמִ֖יד לִדְבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃ ‬
38He also left Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight associates; Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were gatekeepers.
וְעֹבֵ֥ד אֱדֹ֛ם וַאֲחֵיהֶ֖ם שִׁשִּׁ֣ים וּשְׁמוֹנָ֑ה וְעֹבֵ֨ד אֱדֹ֧ם בֶּן־יְדִית֛וּן וְחֹסָ֖ה לְשֹׁעֲרִֽים׃ ‬
41With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, "for his mercy endures forever."
וְעִמָּהֶם֙ הֵימָ֣ן וִֽידוּת֔וּן וּשְׁאָר֙ הַבְּרוּרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִקְּב֖וּ בְּשֵׁמ֑וֹת לְהֹדוֹת֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה כִּ֥י לְעוֹלָ֖ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ ‬
42Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the trumpets and cymbals and for the other instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.
וְעִמָּהֶם֩ הֵימָ֨ן וִֽידוּת֜וּן חֲצֹצְר֤וֹת וּמְצִלְתַּ֙יִם֙ לְמַשְׁמִיעִ֔ים וּכְלֵ֖י שִׁ֣יר הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וּבְנֵ֥י יְדוּת֖וּן לַשָּֽׁעַר׃ ‬

Jeiel mentioned in Ezra's time

Another Jeiel is mentioned among those who had taken foreign wives and who had to send them away after returning from exile in Babylon.

43From the sons of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
מִבְּנֵ֖י נְב֑וֹ יְעִיאֵ֤ל מַתִּתְיָה֙ זָבָ֣ד זְבִינָ֔א *ידו **יַדַּ֥י וְיוֹאֵ֖ל בְּנָיָֽה׃ ‬

Jeiel in the genealogy of Benjamin

A Jeiel is named as an ancestor in the genealogy of Benjamin and as the father of Gibeon, linking him to King Saul's family.

35Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon; his wife's name was Maacah.
וּבְגִבְע֛וֹן יָשְׁב֥וּ אֲבִֽי־גִבְע֖וֹן *יעואל **יְעִיאֵ֑ל וְשֵׁ֥ם אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מַעֲכָֽה׃ ‬
36His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab,
וּבְנ֥וֹ הַבְּכ֖וֹר עַבְדּ֑וֹן וְצ֣וּר וְקִ֔ישׁ וּבַ֥עַל וְנֵ֖ר וְנָדָֽב׃ ‬
39Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malchi-shua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
וְנֵר֙ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־קִ֔ישׁ וְקִ֖ישׁ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־שָׁא֑וּל וְשָׁא֗וּל הוֹלִ֤יד אֶת־יְהֽוֹנָתָן֙ וְאֶת־מַלְכִּי־שׁ֔וּעַ וְאֶת־אֲבִינָדָ֖ב וְאֶת־אֶשְׁבָּֽעַל׃ ‬

Mentioned in the Bible (24)