Jeduthun, a Levite (Semite), lived during the reign of king David and was mentioned in the passages of Psalms 39; 62 and 77.
At least one of Jeduthun's descendants will be familiar with many readers of the Bible.
Jeduthun and his descendants were listed in reverse order in 1 Chronicles and a few other references.
Jeduthun, himself, served king David as a prophet, according to verse 3. 1 Chronicles 25:1-6:
1. David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:
2. From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were under the supervision of Asaph, who prophesied under the king's supervision.
3. As for Jeduthun, from his sons: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six in all, under the supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied, using the harp in thanking and praising the LORD.
4. As for Heman, from his sons: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shubael and Jerimoth; Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-Ezer; Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir and Mahazioth.
5. All these were sons of Heman the king's seer. They were given him through the promises of God to exalt him. God gave Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
6. All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the LORD, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king.
Since no other man named Jeduthun was stated, Obed-Edom seems to be another descendant of Jeduthun. 1 Chronicles 16:37-42:
37. David left Asaph and his associates before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister there regularly, according to each day's requirements.
38. He also left Obed-Edom and his sixty-eight associates to minister with them. Obed-Edom son of Jeduthun, and also Hosah, were gatekeepers.
39. David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the LORD at the high place in Gibeon
40. to present burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of the LORD, which he had given Israel.
41. With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, "for his love endures forever."
42. Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were stationed at the gate.
As you can recall from 2 Samuel 6, the Ark of the Covenant was kept at the home of Obed-Edom who was said to have been a Gittite (from Gath) after it was returned by the Philistines.
When the Ark was brought to the Temple in 2 Chronicles 5:12:
12. All the Levites who were musicians--Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives--stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets.
When Hezekiah rededicated the temple, 2 more descendants of Jeduthun were listed in 2 Chronicles 29:12-14:
12. Then these Levites set to work: from the Kohathites, Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah; from the Merarites, Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel; from the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah;
13. from the descendants of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; from the descendants of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah;
14. from the descendants of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; from the descendants of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.
Later still, during Josiah's reign we read in 2 Chronicles 35:15:
15. The musicians, the descendants of Asaph, were in the places prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun the king's seer. The gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their posts, because their fellow Levites made the preparations for them.
Two more descendants of Jeduthun returned from the Babylonian exile through the line of Galal.
Jeduthun ... Galal > Shemaiah > Obadiah
Jeduthun ... Galal > Shammua > Abda
1 Chronicles 9:16:
1. All Israel was listed in the genealogies recorded in the book of the kings of Israel. The people of Judah were taken captive to Babylon because of their unfaithfulness.
2. Now the first to resettle on their own property in their own towns were some Israelites, priests, Levites and temple servants.
3. Those from Judah, from Benjamin, and from Ephraim and Manasseh who lived in Jerusalem were:
...
14. Of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, a Merarite;
15. Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal and Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zicri, the son of Asaph;
16. Obadiah son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun; and Berekiah son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.
Nehemiah 11:17:
15. From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;
16. Shabbethai and Jozabad, two of the heads of the Levites, who had charge of the outside work of the house of God;
17. Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the director who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.
