Shimei (a Levite who received the tenth lot in temple service (1 Chron 25))

Levitical temple singer with the tenth lot

The united kingdomPriestc. 1000 BC

Shimei was a Levitical musician and singer who served in the temple during King David's time. He was one of the sons of Jeduthun and received the tenth lot when David organized the musical divisions of the temple service. His service was part of the organized worship that David prepared for Solomon's temple.

Family

Key events

Appointed as temple singer

Shimei was appointed as one of the Levitical singers during David's organization of temple service, as a son of Jeduthun.

1David and the commanders of the army set apart for service the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals. This was the number of the men who did this work according to their service:
וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל דָּוִיד֩ וְשָׂרֵ֨י הַצָּבָ֜א לַעֲבֹדָ֗ה לִבְנֵ֤י אָסָף֙ וְהֵימָ֣ן וִֽידוּת֔וּן *הנביאים **הַֽנִּבְּאִ֛ים בְּכִנֹּר֥וֹת בִּנְבָלִ֖ים וּבִמְצִלְתָּ֑יִם וַֽיְהִי֙ מִסְפָּרָ֔ם אַנְשֵׁ֥י מְלָאכָ֖ה לַעֲבֹדָתָֽם׃ ‬
2Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied at the king's command.
לִבְנֵ֣י אָסָ֗ף זַכּ֧וּר וְיוֹסֵ֛ף וּנְתַנְיָ֥ה וַאֲשַׂרְאֵ֖לָה בְּנֵ֣י אָסָ֑ף עַ֚ל יַד־אָסָ֔ף הַנִּבָּ֖א עַל־יְדֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ‬
3Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah — six in all — under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the lyre, giving thanks and praise to the LORD.
לִידוּת֑וּן בְּנֵ֣י יְדוּת֡וּן גְּדַלְיָ֡הוּ וּצְרִ֡י וִֽ֠ישַׁעְיָהוּ חֲשַׁבְיָ֨הוּ וּמַתִּתְיָ֜הוּ שִׁשָּׁ֗ה עַל֩ יְדֵ֨י אֲבִיהֶ֤ם יְדוּתוּן֙ בַּכִּנּ֔וֹר הַנִּבָּ֕א עַל־הֹד֥וֹת וְהַלֵּ֖ל לַיהוָֽה׃ ס ‬

The Tenth Lot

Shimei received the tenth lot, which determined his division and duty rotation in the temple. His group consisted of twelve people, including his sons and brothers.

17the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers — twelve;
הָעֲשִׂירִ֣י שִׁמְעִ֔י בָּנָ֥יו וְאֶחָ֖יו שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֽׂר׃ ‬

David's Organization of Temple Service

King David organized the Levites into 24 divisions for singing and music in the temple, where Shimei and his family were assigned their place.

1David and the commanders of the army set apart for service the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals. This was the number of the men who did this work according to their service:
וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל דָּוִיד֩ וְשָׂרֵ֨י הַצָּבָ֜א לַעֲבֹדָ֗ה לִבְנֵ֤י אָסָף֙ וְהֵימָ֣ן וִֽידוּת֔וּן *הנביאים **הַֽנִּבְּאִ֛ים בְּכִנֹּר֥וֹת בִּנְבָלִ֖ים וּבִמְצִלְתָּ֑יִם וַֽיְהִי֙ מִסְפָּרָ֔ם אַנְשֵׁ֥י מְלָאכָ֖ה לַעֲבֹדָתָֽם׃ ‬
2Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied at the king's command.
לִבְנֵ֣י אָסָ֗ף זַכּ֧וּר וְיוֹסֵ֛ף וּנְתַנְיָ֥ה וַאֲשַׂרְאֵ֖לָה בְּנֵ֣י אָסָ֑ף עַ֚ל יַד־אָסָ֔ף הַנִּבָּ֖א עַל־יְדֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ‬
6All of them were under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman served under the king's direction.
כָּל־אֵ֣לֶּה עַל־יְדֵי֩ אֲבִיהֶ֨ם בַּשִּׁ֜יר בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֗ה בִּמְצִלְתַּ֙יִם֙ נְבָלִ֣ים וְכִנֹּר֔וֹת לַעֲבֹדַ֖ת בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים עַ֚ל יְדֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ ס אָסָ֥ף וִידוּת֖וּן וְהֵימָֽן׃ ‬
7Their number, together with their kinsmen trained in singing to the LORD — all of them skilled — was two hundred eighty-eight.
וַיְהִ֤י מִסְפָּרָם֙ עִם־אֲחֵיהֶ֔ם מְלֻמְּדֵי־שִׁ֖יר לַיהוָ֑ה כָּל־הַ֨מֵּבִ֔ין מָאתַ֖יִם שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים וּשְׁמוֹנָֽה׃ ‬

Jeduthun's Sons in Service

Shimei was one of six sons of Jeduthun who all served under their father's leadership with the harp, to praise and sing praises to the Lord.

3Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah — six in all — under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the lyre, giving thanks and praise to the LORD.
לִידוּת֑וּן בְּנֵ֣י יְדוּת֡וּן גְּדַלְיָ֡הוּ וּצְרִ֡י וִֽ֠ישַׁעְיָהוּ חֲשַׁבְיָ֨הוּ וּמַתִּתְיָ֜הוּ שִׁשָּׁ֗ה עַל֩ יְדֵ֨י אֲבִיהֶ֤ם יְדוּתוּן֙ בַּכִּנּ֔וֹר הַנִּבָּ֕א עַל־הֹד֥וֹת וְהַלֵּ֖ל לַיהוָֽה׃ ס ‬

The Role of Music in Worship

Shimei was part of a large musical community of 288 trained singers who served the Lord with song and instruments in the sanctuary.

7Their number, together with their kinsmen trained in singing to the LORD — all of them skilled — was two hundred eighty-eight.
וַיְהִ֤י מִסְפָּרָם֙ עִם־אֲחֵיהֶ֔ם מְלֻמְּדֵי־שִׁ֖יר לַיהוָ֑ה כָּל־הַ֨מֵּבִ֔ין מָאתַ֖יִם שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים וּשְׁמוֹנָֽה׃ ‬
8They cast lots for their duties, small and great alike, teacher along with pupil.
וַיַּפִּ֜ילוּ גּוֹרָל֣וֹת מִשְׁמֶ֗רֶת לְעֻמַּת֙ כַּקָּטֹ֣ן כַּגָּד֔וֹל מֵבִ֖ין עִם־תַּלְמִֽיד׃ פ ‬

Mentioned in the Bible (1)