1 Chronicles 6 · a question people ask

Are Heman and Ethan the men named in the Psalms and in 1 Kings?

In the text

The Bible doesn't say. Here Heman is "Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel" (6:33), of "the sons of the Kohathites" (6:33), and Ethan is "Ethan the son of Kishi" (6:44), of "the sons of Merari" (6:44). When David brings up the ark, "the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah" (15:17). Chapter 2 names "Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara" among "The sons of Zerah" (2:6). 1 Kings says Solomon was "wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol" (1 Kings 4:31). Psalm 88's title has "A contemplation by Heman, the Ezrahite" (Psalm 88:1), and Psalm 89's "A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite" (Psalm 89:1). None of these verses says whether its Heman or Ethan is the singer of this chapter, and they are left side by side.

The verses

“These are those who served, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,”
1 Chronicles 6:33 · World English Bible
“On the left hand their brothers the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,”
1 Chronicles 6:44 · World English Bible
“The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara—five of them in all.”
1 Chronicles 2:6 · World English Bible
“So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brothers, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;”
1 Chronicles 15:17 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 1 Chronicles 6

1 Chronicles 6: The singers and the altar

1 Chronicles 6 gives the singers their places: Heman, Asaph on his right hand, Ethan's family on the left (6:33, 6:39, 6:44), and Heman's line runs back through Samuel and Korah to Levi (6:33-38). But at the altars, "Aaron and his sons offered", "to make atonement for Israel" (6:49).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions