Uzziel
Uzziel (Azarel), a Levite musician, served during David's reign.
Biography
Uzziel, also identified as Azarel in some manuscript traditions, appears in 1 Chronicles 25:4 and 25:18 among the Levitical musicians appointed by King David to lead the musical worship of Israel. He was among the sons of Heman, one of three chief musicians, alongside Asaph and Jeduthun, who oversaw the elaborate system of sacred music David organized for the temple. This Uzziel's role as a musician in David's court placed him within one of the most celebrated periods of Israelite worship, when David himself composed psalms and organized a highly structured liturgical program. The name Azarel, meaning "God has helped," may reflect a variant reading or an alternate name used in different textual traditions.
Significance
Uzziel/Azarel's appointment as a Levitical musician in David's worship organization (1 Chronicles 25) underscores the centrality of music in Israel's covenant life with God. David's careful structuring of sacred song was not merely cultural but theological, an act of devotion that acknowledged God's majesty and provision. This Uzziel stands as a representative of those who serve God through the arts, affirming that musical gifts employed in worship are a holy vocation. His inclusion in the genealogical record signals that such service was honored and considered part of the permanent legacy of Israel's worship tradition.
Verse Appearances (1)
2Chr
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]