16 Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.

17 So the Levites appointed ^aHeman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, ^bAsaph the son of Berechiah; and of their brethren, the sons of Merari, ^cEthan the son of Kushaiah;  ‡

18 and with them their brethren of the second rank: Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, the gatekeepers;  ‡

19 the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were to sound the cymbals of bronze;

20 Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with strings according to ^aAlamoth;  ‡

21 Mattithiah, Elipheleh, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah, to direct with harps on the ^aSheminith;  ‡

22 Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful;

23 Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark;

24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, ^awere to blow the trumpets before the ark of God; and ^bObed-Edom and Jehiah, doorkeepers for the ark.  ‡