21 Bible Verses about Musicians

These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of Jehovah after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them. Here are the men who served, together with their sons: From the Kohathites: Heman, the musician, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,read more.
the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Heman's associate Asaph, who served at his right hand: Asaph son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea, the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malkijah, the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, the son of Jahath, the son of Gershon, the son of Levi; and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand: Ethan son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer, the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.

David told the Levite leaders to appoint some of their brothers to serve as musicians. They were expected to play music on harps, lyres, and cymbals to produce joyful music for singing. So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, and from his relatives they appointed Asaph Berechiah's son. From their own relatives, Merari's descendants, they appointed Ethan son of Kushaiah.

David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals; and the number of those who performed their service was: Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah the sons of Asaph under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king. Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising Jehovah.read more.
Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. All these the sons of Heman the king's seer to exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman.

The musicians Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were appointed to play bronze cymbals. Zechariah, Jaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were appointed to play harps tuned according to alamoth. Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were appointed to play lyres and to conduct the eighth.

David told the Levite leaders to appoint some of their brothers to serve as musicians. They were expected to play music on harps, lyres, and cymbals to produce joyful music for singing.

All these were under the direction of their father to sing in the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman under the direction of the king. Their number who were trained in singing to Jehovah, with their relatives, all who were skillful, two hundred eighty-eight.

They cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil. Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph, the second for Gedaliah, he with his relatives and sons were twelve. the third to Zaccur, his sons and his relatives, twelve;read more.
the fourth to Izri, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the seventh to Jesharelah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his relatives, twelve; the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the fifteenth to Jeremoth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the eighteenth to Hanani, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the nineteenth to Mallothi, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the twentieth to Eliathah, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the twenty-first to Hothir, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the twenty-second to Giddalti, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the twenty-third to Mahazioth, his sons and his relatives, twelve; for the twenty-fourth to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his relatives, twelve.

All the Levites who were musicians: Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, their sons, and their relatives were dressed in fine linen and stood east of the altar with cymbals, harps, and lyres. With the musicians were one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets. When the priests left the holy place, the trumpeters and singers praised and thanked Jehovah in unison. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments, they sang in praise to Jehovah: He is good; his mercy (lovingkindness) endures forever. Then Jehovah's Temple was filled with a cloud.

Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night.

The following musicians of the Levite clan of Asaph were in the places assigned to them by King David's instructions: Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, the king's prophet. The guards at the Temple gates did not need to leave their posts, because the other Levites prepared the Passover for them.

Cain had intercourse with his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Later Cain built a city. He named it after his son Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.read more.
Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.

His servants said to him: We know that a distressing spirit sent by God is tormenting you. So give us the order and we will look for a man who knows how to play the harp. Then when the distressing spirit comes on you, the man can play his harp, and you will be all right again. Saul ordered: Find me a man who plays well and bring him to me.read more.
One of his attendants said: Jesse of the town of Bethlehem has a son who is a good musician. He is also a brave and handsome man, a good soldier, and an able speaker. Jehovah is with him.

Whenever the distressing spirit from God bothered Saul, David would play his harp. Saul would relax and feel better. The distressing spirit would go away.

The next day Jehovah let a distressing spirit take control of Saul. He began acting like a crazy man inside his house. David came to play the harp for Saul as usual. This time Saul had a spear in his hand. Saul balanced the spear in his hand and said: I will give David a blow! I will pin him to the wall. David got away from him twice.

One night, David was in Saul's home, playing the harp for him. Saul sat there with a spear in his hand. The distressing spirit from Jehovah took control of him. Saul tried to pin David to the wall with his spear. David dodged it, and Saul's spear struck the wall. David escaped from Saul that night.

David and all the Israelites danced and sang with all their might to honor Jehovah. They played harps, lyres, drums, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals.

These are the last words of David: Here is the declaration by David, son of Jesse. The declaration by the man whom God raised up, whom the God of Jacob anointed, the singer of Israel's psalms:

O God, Your festival processions can be seen by everyone. They are the processions for my God, my king, into the holy place. The singers are in front. The musicians are behind them. The young women beating tambourines are between them.

King Jehoshaphat asked: Do we have a prophet here to consult Jehovah? An officer of King Joram's forces answered: Elisha son of Shaphat is here who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah. The word of Jehovah is with him, King Jehoshaphat said. So the three kings went to Elisha. Why should I have anything to do with you? Elisha said to the king of Israel. Go consult the prophets your father and mother consulted. No! Joram king of Israel replied. It is Jehovah who placed us three kings at the mercy of the king of Moab.read more.
Elisha answered: By the living God Jehovah, whom I serve, I swear that I would have nothing to do with you if I did not respect your ally, King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Now bring me a musician. As the musician played his harp, the power of Jehovah came on Elisha. He said: This is what Jehovah says: 'Dig ditches all over this dry streambed (wadi). You will not see any rain or wind. This streambed will be filled with water and you and your animals will have plenty to drink. Elisha continued: This is an easy thing for Jehovah to do. He will also give you victory over the Moabites. You will conquer all their beautiful fortified cities. You will cut down all their fruit trees, stop all their springs, and ruin all their fertile fields by covering them with stones.

By the rivers of Babylon, we sat down and cried as we remembered Zion. In the midst of it we hung our harps on poplar trees. It was there that those who had captured us demanded that we sing. Those who guarded us wanted us to entertain them. They said: Sing a song from Zion for us!

A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and hurled it into the sea. He said: With violence the great city Babylon will be thrown down, and it will not be found any longer. The sound of harp players, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, will not be heard anymore in you. No craftsman will be found in you. The sound of a millstone will not be heard in you anymore.