HEMAN

(Heʹman) [faithful].

1. One of four wise men whose wisdom, though great, was surpassed by that of King Solomon. Heman, Calcol and Darda are designated as “the sons of Mahol,” an expression thought by some to refer to an association of dancers or musicians. (1 Ki. 4:31) This Heman appears to be further identified at 1 Chronicles 2:3-6 as a descendant of Judah through “Zerah.” The similarity between the names Zerah and Ezrah, as well as the fact that Ethan (another of the four wise men mentioned at 1 Kings 4:31) is called an “Ezrahite” (evidently, derived from “Ezrah”), tends to confirm the conclusion that this Heman is referred to as “Heman the Ezrahite” in the superscription of Psalm 88.

2. Son of Joel and grandson of the prophet Samuel of the family of Kohathites; a Levite singer and cymbalist during the reigns of David and Solomon. (1 Chron. 6:33; 15:17-19; 2 Chron. 5:11, 12) Heman was the father of fourteen sons and three daughters, and led his family in song at the house of Jehovah. However, he himself, along with Asaph and Jeduthun, was under the immediate control of the King.—1 Chron. 25:1, 4-6.