So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.

And the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in singing unto Jehovah, even all that were skilful, was two hundred fourscore and eight.

And the number of them with their brethren, that taught the song of the Lord, all the teachers, were two hundred and eighty-eight,

And the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of Jehovah, all of them skilful, was two hundred and eighty-eight.

So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were skillful, was two hundred and eighty eight.

And their number, with their brethren, taught in the song of Jehovah, all who are intelligent, is two hundred, eighty and eight.

And the number of them, with their brothers who were trained and expert in making melody to the Lord, was two hundred and eighty-eight.

Now the number of these, with their brothers, who were instructing in the song of the Lord, all the teachers, were two hundred eighty-eight.

With their brethren - i. e., "with others of the tribe of Levi." Each son of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, was at the head of a band of twelve skilled musicians, consisting partly of his own sons, partly of Levites belonging to other families 1 Chr. 25:9-31. The 24 band-leaders, together with their bands, formed a body of 288 persons (24 x 12 =288) Besides these, we hear of there being above 3,700 singers, who were probably divided, like the trained musicians, into 24 courses, which must have contained about 155 each 1-Chronicles 23:5.

Two hundred fourscore and eight - That it twelve classes of twenty-four Levites each; for two hundred and eighty-eight divided by twelve quotes twenty-four.

So the number of them, with their brethren,.... Who each of them had twelve with them, as after reckoned:
that were instructed in the songs of the Lord; taught how to sing them:
even all that were cunning; expert and well skilled in the science of singing:
was two hundred and eighty eight; for there being twenty four classes answerable to those of the priests, and twelve in each class, twelve times twenty four makes two hundred and eighty eight.

Cunning - Who were so skilful that they were able to teach others; and together with their scholars, made up the four thousand mentioned 1-Chronicles 23:5.