Reference: Levites
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All the descendants of Levi may be comprised under this name, Ex 6:16,25; Jos 3:3, (see LEVI;) but chiefly those who were employed in the lower services in the temple, by which they were distinguished from the priests, who were of the race of Levi by Aaron, and were employed in higher offices, Nu 3:6-10; 18:2-7. God chose the Levites for the service of his tabernacle and temple, instead of the firstborn of all Israel, to whom such duties naturally belonged, and who were already sacred to God in memory of the great deliverance in Egypt. Ex 13; Nu 3:12-13,39-51. In the wilderness, the Levites took charge of the tabernacle and its contents; and conveyed it from place to place, each of the three families having a separate portion, Nu 1:51; 4; 1Ch 15:2,27. After the building of the temple they took charge of the gates, of the sacred vessels, of the preparation of the showbread and other offerings, and of the singing and instrumental music, 1Ch 9; 23; 2Ch 29. They brought wood, water, etc., for the priests; aided them in preparing the sacrifices, and in collecting and disbursing the contributions of the people, 2Ch 30:16-17; 35:1. They were also the temple guards, Ne 13:13,22; and the salutation and response in Ps 134 are thought by Bishop Lowth to have been their song in the night. But besides their services in the temple, they performed a very important part in teaching the people, 2Ch 30:22; Ne 8:7, among whom they were scattered, binding the tribes together, and promoting virtue and piety. They studied the law, and were the ordinary judges of the country, but subordinate to the priests, 2Ch 17:9; 19:8-11. God provided for the subsistence of the Levites, by giving to them the tithe of corn, fruit, and cattle; but they paid to the priests the tenth of their tithes; and as the Levites possessed no estates in land, the tithes which the priests received from them were considered as the first fruits which they were to offer to the Lord, Nu 18:21-32. The payment of tithes to the Levites appears not to have been enforced, but depended on the goodwill of the people; hence the special charges laid on their brethren, not to forget them, De 2:12,18-19.
God assigned for the habitation of the Levites forty-eight cities, with fields, pastures, and gardens, Nu 35. Of these, thirteen were given to the priests, all in the tribes near Jerusalem. Six of the Levitical cities were appointed as cities of refuge, Jos 20-21. While the Levites were actually employed in the temple, they were supported out of the provisions kept in store there, and out of the daily offerings. The same privilege was granted to volunteers, drawn to Jerusalem by the fervor of their love to God's service, De 12:18-19; 18:6-8. The consecration of Levites was without much ceremony. See Nu 8:5-22; 2Ch 29:34.
The Levites wore no peculiar dress to distinguish them from other Israelites, till the time of Agrippa. His innovation in this matter is mentioned by Josephus, who remarked that the ancient customs of the country were never forsaken with impunity.
The Levites were divided into different classes: the Gershomites, Kohathites, and Merarites, Nu 3:17-20. They were still further divided into courses, like the priests, 1Ch 23-26. At first, they entered in full on their public duties at thirty years of age, Nu 4:3; 8:25; but David fixed the age for commencing at twenty years; and at fifty they were exempt, 1Ch 23:24-27. The different courses of porters, singers, guards, etc., were on duty in succession, one week at a time, 1Ch 23-26; 2Ch 23:4,8; 31:17; Ezr 3:8-12. After the revolt of the ten tribes, a large portion of the Levites abandoned their cities in Israel, and dwelt in Judah, 2Ch 11:12-14; 13:9-11. After the captivity, numbers of them returned from beyond the Euphrates to Judea, Ne 11:15-19; 12:24-31. In the New Testament they are not often mentioned, Lu 10:32; Joh 1:19; Ac 4:36. The "scribes" and "doctors," however, are supposed to have belonged chiefly to this class.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And these the names of the sons of Levi, according to their generation; Gershon, and Kohath and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi, seven and thirty and a hundred years.
And Eleazar the son of Aaron, took to him from the daughters of Putiel, for a wife; and she will bare to him Phinehas: these the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their tribes.
And in the removing of the dwelling the Levites shall take it down, and in pitching the dwelling, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger coming near shall die.
Bring near the tribe of Levi, and make it stand before Aaron the priest; and they served him. And they watched his watches, and the watches of all the assembly before the tent of appointment to do the work of the dwelling. read more. And they shall watch all the vessels of the tent of appointment, and the watches of the sons of Israel, to do the work of the dwelling. And give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; being given they were given to him from the sons of Israel. And Aaron and his sons thou shalt set up, and they shall watch their priesthood; and the stranger coming near shall die.
And I, behold, I took the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of all the first-born cleaving the womb from the sons of Israel: and the Levites were to me. For to me all the first-born: in the day I struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to me every first-born in Israel, from man to cattle: to me they shall be: I am Jehovah.
And these shall be the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. And these the names of the sons of Gershon according to their families: Libni and Shimei. read more. And the sons of Kohath, according to their families: Amram, and Izebar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the sons of Merari according to their families: Mahli, and Mushi; these they of the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
All they being reviewed of the Levites, which Moses reviewed and Aaron, at the mouth of Jehovah, according to their families, every male from the son of a month and above, two and twenty thousand. And Jehovah will say to Moses, Review every first-born male to the sons of Israel, from the son of a month and above, and take up the number of names. read more. And take the Levites for me (I Jehovah) instead of all the first-born of the sons of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the first-born among the cattle of the sons of Israel. And Moses reviewed as Jehovah commanded him, all the first-born of the sons of Israel. And every first-born male shall be according to the number of names, from the son of a month and above, for those being reviewed, two and twenty thousand three and seventy and two hundred. And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, Take the Levites instead of all the first-born of the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be to me: I Jehovah. And the price of redemption of the three and seventy and two hundred, of those remaining over the Levites, from the first-born of the sons of Israel: And thou shalt take five shekels by the heads, according to the holy shekel thou shalt take: twenty gerahs the shekel. And give the silver to Aaron and to his sons, the price of redemption of those remaining over among them. And Moses will take the silver of the price of their redemption, from those remaining over them redeemed of the Levites. From the first-born of the sons of Israel he took the silver; five and sixty and three hundred and a thousand, according to the holy shekel. And Moses will give the silver of those being redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons, at the mouth of Jehovah, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
From the son of thirty years and above, and to the son of fifty years, all coming in to war to do the works of the tent of appointment
And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, Take the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and cleanse them. read more. And thus thou shalt do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle upon them the water of sin, and they caused a razor to pass over upon all their flesh, and they washed their garments, and they were cleansed. And they took a bullock, son of a cow, and his gift fine flour mixed with oil, and a second bullock, son of a cow, thou shalt take for sin. And bring near the Levites before the tent of appointment: and gather all the assembly of the sons of Israel. And bring near the Levites before Jehovah: and the sons of Israel placed their hands upon the Levites. And Aaron lifted up the Levites, a lifting up before Jehovah, from the sons of Israel; and they were to serve the service of Jehovah. And the Levites shall place their hands upon the head of the bullocks: and they did the one a sin, and the one a burnt-offering to Jehovah, to expiate for the Levites. And cause the Levites to stand before Aaron and before his sons, and lift them up a lifting up to Jehovah. And separate the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel and the Levites were to me. And after this the Levites shall go in to serve the tent of appointment: and cleanse them, and lift them up a lifting up. For being given, they were given to me from the midst of the sons of Israel; instead of the first-born cleaving every womb, every one from the sons of Israel, have I taken them to me. For to me all the first-born among the sons of Israel among man and among cattle: in the day I struck every first-born in the land of Egypt I consecrated them to me. And I will take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel. And I will give the Levites, being given to Aaron and to his sons, from the midst of the sons of Israel, to work the works of the sons of Israel in the tent of appointment, and to expiate for the sons of Israel: and there shall not be a blow among the sons of Israel, in the sons of Israel coming to the holy place. And Moses will do, and Aaron, and all the assembly of the sons of Israel, to the Levites according to all which Jehovah commanded Moses for the Levites; so to them did the sons of Israel. And the Levites will be purified, and will wash their garments; and Aaron will lift them up, a lifting up before Jehovah; and Aaron will expiate for them to cleanse them. And after this the Levites went to serve their service in the tent of appointment, before Aaron and before his sons: as Jehovah commanded Moses for the Levites, so to them did they.
And from the son of fifty years, he shall turn back from the warfare of the service, and shall serve no more.
And also thy brethren, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou near with thee, and they shall be joined to thee, and they shall serve thee: and thou and thy sons with thee, before the tent of testimony. And they watched thy watches, and the watches of all the tent: but to the vessels of the holy place, and to the altar they shall not come near, and they shall not die, also they, also ye. read more. And they were joined to thee, and they watched the watches of the tent of appointment for all the service of the tent: and the stranger shall not come near to you And ye watched the watches of the holy place, and the watches of the altar; and anger shall no more be upon the sons of Israel. And I, behold, I took your brethren the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel: to you being given a gift to Jehovah to serve the services of the tent of appointment And thou and thy sons with thee shall watch your priesthood for all the word of the altar, and to within the vail; and ye served: the services a gift I will give your priesthood; and the stranger coming near shall die.
And to the sons of Levi, behold, I gave all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for their services which they served, the service of the tent of appointment And the sons of Israel shall no more come near the tent of appointment, to bear sin and to die. read more. And it is the Levite serving the service of the tent of appointment, and they shall bear their iniquity a law forever to your generations, and in the midst of the sons of Israel they shall not inherit an inheritance. For the tenth of the sons of Israel which they shall lift up to Jehovah, an offering I gave to the Levites to inherit: for this I said to them, In the midst of the sons of Israel they shall not inherit an inheritance. And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, And to the Levites thou shalt speak and say to them, When ye shall take from the sons of Israel the truth which I gave to you from them for your inheritance, and ye lifted up an offering of Jehovah, a tenth from the tenth. And your offerings were reckoned to you as the grain of the threshing-floor, and as the filling up from the winepress. So shall ye also lift up an offering of Jehovah from all your tenths, which ye shall take from the sons of Israel; and ye gave from it the offering of Jehovah to. Aaron the priest From all your gifts ye shall lift up all the offerings of Jehovah, from all its fat consecrated from it And say to them, In your offering its fat from it, and it was reckoned to the Levites as the produce of the threshing-floor, and as the produce of the wine-press. And ye ate it in every place, ye and your house; for it is the reward to you for your service in the tent of appointment And ye shall not bear sin for it in your lifting up its fat from it: and the holy things of the sons of Israel ye shall not defile, and ye shall not die.
And the Horims dwelt in Seir before them, and the sons of Esau will inherit them, and they will destroy them from before them, and they will dwell instead of them; as Israel did to the land of his possession which Jehovah gave to them.)
Pass thou over this day Ar, the boundary of Moab: And thou camest near over against the sons of Ammon, thou shalt not press them, and thou shalt not contend with them: for I will not give from the land of the sons of Ammon to thee a possession; for to the sons of Lot I gave it a possession.
But before Jehovah thy God thou shalt eat it, in the place which Jehovah thy God shall choose in it, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy servant, and thy maid, and the Levite which is in thy gates: and rejoice thou before Jehovah thy God in all the stretching forth of thy hand. Watch to thyself lest thou, shalt forsake the Levite all thy days upon the earth.
And when the Levite shall come from one of thy gates from all Israel where he sojourned there, and he came with all the desire of his soul to the place which Jehovah shall choose: And serving in the name of Jehovah his God as all his brethren the Levites standing there before Jehovah. read more. Portion according to portion shall they eat, besides his sellings according to the fathers.
And they will command the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests the Levites lifting it up, and ye shall remove from your place and go after it.
These the sons of Levi for the house of their fathers: the heads of the fathers for their reviewing by the number of names to their craniums doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from the son of twenty years and above. For David said, Jehovah God of Israel caused rest to his people, and they will dwell in Jerusalem forever; read more. And also to the Levites: not to lift up the dwelling and all its vessels for its service. For by the last words of David these the number of the sons of Levi from the son of twenty years and above.
And in every city and city, shields and spears, and he will strengthen them very greatly, and there will be to him Judah and Benjamin. And the priests and the Levites which were in all Israel stood forth to him from all their bound. read more. For the Levites forsook their areas and their possession, and they will come to Judah and to Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons rejected them from being priest to Jehovah:
Did ye not thrust out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron and the Levites? and ye will make to you priests according to the peoples of the lands, every one coming to fill his hand with a bullock, son of the cow, and seven rams; and he was priest to no God. And we, Jehovah is our God, and we forsook him not; and the priests serving to Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in the work: read more. And burning to Jehovah the burnt-offering in the morning, in the morning, and in the evening, in the evening, and incense of spices, and the arrangement of bread upon the pure table; and the chandelier of gold and its lamps to burn in the evening, in the evening: for we watch the watches of Jehovah our God; and ye forsook him.
And they will teach in Judah, and with them the book of the law of Jehovah, and they will turn about in all the cities of Judah, and they will teach among the people.
And also in Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat set up from the Levites and the priests, and from the heads to the fathers to Israel, for the judgment of Jehovah and for contention; and they will turn back to Jerusalem. And he will command upon them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of Jehovah, with faithfulness and with the whole heart. read more. And every contention which shall come upon you from your brethren dwelling in their cities, between blood to blood, between law to command, to precepts and to judgments, and warn ye them and they shall not trespass against Jehovah, and wrath being upon you and upon your brethren: thus shall ye do and not trespass. And behold, Amariah the head priest over you for every word of Jehovah; and Zebadiah son of Ishmael the leader to the house of Judah, for every word of the king: and the scribes, the Levites, before you. Be strong and do, and Jehovah will be with the good.
This the word which ye shall do; the third of you coming in the Sabbath to the priests and to the Levites, to the gates of the thresholds;
And the Levites and all Judah will do according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they will take each his men coming in on the Sabbath, with those coming out on the Sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the divisions.
And they will stand upon their standing according to their judgment, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkling the bloods from the hand of the Levites. For many in the convocation which consecrated not themselves: and the Levites for slaughtering the passover to all not being cleansed to consecrate to Jehovah.
And Hezekiah will speak to the heart of all the Levites considering the good knowledge to Jehovah: and they will eat at the appointment seven days, sacrificing sacrifices of peace, and confessing to Jehovah the God of their fathers.
And the enrolling of the priests for the house of their fathers, and the Levites from the son of twenty years and above, in their watches, by their divisions:
And Josiah will do in Jerusalem the passover to Jehovah: and they will slaughter the passover in the fourteenth day to the first month.
And in the second year to their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Joshua son of Josedek, and the remainder of their brethren the priests, and the Levites, and all those coming from the captivity to Jerusalem; and they will cause the Levites to stand up, from the son of twenty years and above, to superintend over the works of the house of Jehovah. And Joshua will stand, his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, as one, to superintend over the doing of the work in the house of God: the sons of Henadad their sons, and their brethren the Levites. read more. And those building will lay the foundation of the temple of Jehovah, and they will cause the priests to stand, being clothed, with trumpets, and the Levites sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise Jehovah according to the hands of David king of Israel. And they will answer in praising and in confessing to Jehovah, for he is good, for his mercy forever upon Israel. And all the people shouted a great shout in praising to Jehovah, for the foundation of the house of Jehovah. And many of the priests and the Levites and heads of the fathers, old men, who saw the first house in this house being founded before their eyes, weeping with a great voice; and many with a shout in gladness to the lifting up the voice.
And Joshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, causing the people to understand to the law: and the people upon their standing.
And from the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hashub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni And Sabbethai and Jozabad over the exterior work to the house of God, from the heads of the Levites. read more. And Mattaniah son of Micha, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, head of the beginning of Judah for prayer: and Bakbukiah the second from his brethren, and Abda, son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthan. All the Levites in the holy city, two hundred eighty and four. And the gate-keepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren watching in the gates, a hundred seventy and two.
And the heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Joshua son of Kadmiel, and their brethren over against them, to praise, to confess in the command of David the man of God watching over against watching. Mattaniah and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, watching the gates the watch of the stores of the gates. read more. These were in the days of Joiakim son of Joshua, son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the prefect, and, of Ezra the priest, the scribe. And in the consecration of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to do the consecration and gladness, and with praises and with song of cymbals, lyres, and with harps. And the sons of those singing will gather together, and from the circuit round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi; And from the house of Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for those singing built for themselves villages round about Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites will be purified, and they will purify the people and the gates and the wall And I shall bring up the chiefs of Judah from above the wall, and I shall cause to stand two great choirs, and to go about to the right hand above to the wall to the gate of the dung-hill:
And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah from the Levites: and upon their hand Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah: for they were reckoned faithful: and upon them to divide out to their brethren.
And saying to the Levites that they shall be purifying, and coming, watching the gates to consecrate the day of the Sabbath. Also this remember for me, O my God, and spare upon me according to the multitude of thy mercy.
And likewise also a Levite, having been in the place, having come and seen him, went on the opposite side.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem that they might ask him, Who art thou?
And Joses, surnamed Barnabas by the sent, (which is interpreted, Son of consolation,) a Levite, a Cyprian by birth,
Fausets
The men of Levi, the sacerdotal tribe, all ministers, out of whom the priests were taken, namely, Aaron's family. Levi's wild zeal against the defiler of Dinah was the forerunner of the Levites' zeal against impure idolaters. The antiquity and genuineness of Genesis are marked by the absence of all notice of Levi's subsequent greatness as the priest tribe. The genealogy (Ge 46:11) goes no further down than Levi's three sons; these too are named in their order of birth, not giving Kohath the prominence which his family had subsequently, He has four clans in Ex 6:16-25, Gershon and Merari but two each. Amram, Aaron, and Moses belonged to his stock (Ex 4:14). The firstborn "young men" of Israel were the priests to offer sacrifices (Ex 24:5) before the law, representing the priestly nation (Ex 19:6,22,24). (See LEVI on the Levites' promotion to be the priestly tribe for their zeal in the Lord's cause.)
Levi became "an Israel within an Israel," the witness and guard of the truth. Substituted for the firstborn males of all Israel whom Jehovah claimed as His when He saved Israel from the stroke on Egypt's firstborn; the Levites, 22,000; the firstborn males, 22,273; the odd 273 above were to be redeemed at five shekels each (Nu 3:45-51), the fixed price for redeeming a victim vowed in sacrifice (Nu 18:16; Le 27:6). The Levites' cattle were taken for the firstlings of Israel's cattle (compare Ex 13:12-13). The Levites marching from Sinai round the tabernacle were the heavenly King's royal guard; none else was to approach it on pain of death (Nu 1:51; 18:22; 4:3-30).
The priests occupied the eastern side of the tabernacle, inside Judah the leading camp; the Kohathites the southern side, inside Reuben; the Gershonites the western side, inside Ephraim; the Merarites the northern, inside Daniel The aggregate of Gershonites (Nu 3:22), Kohathites (Nu 3:28), and Merarites (Nu 3:34), is 22,300; but in the redemption 300 are deducted (probably the firstborn in Levi within the year that had elapsed since the command was issued, Nu 3:40-43), and 22,000 taken as substituted for Israel's male firstborn. Levi in this census was the fewest tribe in numbers, but in the other tribes servants not pure Israelites were enumerated, whereas in Levi only pure Israelites. The number of Israel's firstborn males (22,273) compared with the male adults (603,550) is disproportionately small, the proportion being usually one in four.
But the law of Ex 13:1-2, dedicated those alone who should be firstborn thenceforward (compare Exodus 2; Exodus 11-12; Nu 3:13; 8:17), for the duties of the firstborn referred to a ritual yet to be revealed, and the firstborn of cattle must mean those thereafter firstborn. Thus the proportion of firstborn sons in one year born of 2,000,000 of men is so large as can be explained only by the divine blessing, and the sudden development which the Exodus gave to the nation. The Levites stood midway between the people and the priesthood, which culminated in the high priest. They could not sacrifice, burn incense, or see the "holy things" until covered (Nu 4:15). Yet they came nearer than the people, and they alone struck the tent in marching, carried its parts, and pitched it again. Their work needed matured strength; so their service began not until 30 years old (with a previous probationary period of five years: Nu 8:24), whereas military service began at 20. At 50 their service ceased (Nu 8:25-26).
So, of 8,600 Kohathites, 2,750 were on duty, of 7,500 Gershonites 2,630, of 6,200 Merarites 3,200 (Numbers 4). The Kohathites held the highest office and bore the ark (except on solemn occasions when the priests bore it: Jos 3:3,15) and vessels, after the priest had covered them (Nu 4:15). The Gershonites bore the tent hangings and curtains; the Merarites the tabernacle boards, bars, and pillars; the Kohathites under Eleazar bore the vessels on their shoulders (Nu 7:9); the Gershonites and Merarites under Ithamar (Nu 4:28,33), because of their weighty charge, were allowed oxen and wagons. The Levites were Jehovah's and Israel's 1Ch 9:2; the Levites' subordinates) and "joined" (as Levi means) to the priests (Nu 3:9; 8:19; 18:2,4,6).
The Levites were purified for service with bathing, shaving, washing clothes, imposition of Israel' s hands, waving them as a wave offering to Jehovah (compare our gospel "living sacrifice," Ro 12:1) toward the four points of the compass, in token of entire consecration of all their powers; the Levite then laid hands on one bullock offered for a sin offering and another for a burnt offering. Korah's rebellion through seeking the priesthood was followed by a fresh defining of the Levites' office (Numbers 16; Nu 18:1-7). The Levites received a tithe or tenth of all produce, animal and vegetable, of which they had to pay the priests a tithe (Nu 18:20-32). A second tithe the Israelites used for the tabernacle feasts and free will offerings, and of this second tithe the Levites should receive a share (De 14:23,27), especially when ministering (De 18:7-8).
Forty-eight cities were appointed them (four on the average from each tribe), including the six cities of refuge and (of suburbs, meadow for their cattle) 1,000 cubits out from the city walls, each of the four sides being 2,000 cubits long. (See GEZER.) The phrase "the Levite that is within thy gates" is appropriate (De 14:27), for the Levites' cities did not cease to belong to the tribes within which they lay. Thus Levites are occasionally spoken of as belonging to other tribes, namely, those within whose territory they resided (1 De 8:6; Jg 17:7; 1Sa 1:1). Elkanah a Levite is called an "Ephrathite," "Heman the Ezrahite," i.e. from Zerah of Judah (title Psalm 88; Psalm 89). "The priests the Levites" on the peculiar use of Levites without distinction from the priests) were to determine controversies and to preserve the law in the side of the ark, and in the seventh year at the feast of tabernacles read it before Israel, and pronounce the curses from Ebal (De 17:9-12; 31:9-13,26; 27:14). (See DEUTERONOMY.)
The Hivite Gibeonites (Jos 9:27) and the Nethinim relieved the Levites of their more burdensome duties subsequently. (See NETHINIM.) Micah's consecration of the homeless Levite as his household priest implies a relapse in dark times to the original household priesthood. It was a Korahlike usurpation on the part of the Levite (Judges 17). Samuel the Levite, adopted into the priesthood, revived the divine order. The Levites were among his schools of the prophets, whose training consisted in praise, prayer, and study of the law. Hence enlarged views of acceptable worship appear in the Levite Asaph's Psalm 50. The ark after its restoration from the Philistines was in charge of Abinadab in the hill, or Gibeah, or Kirjath Jearim (1Sa 7:1; 2Sa 6:3), probably an old Canaanite highplace sanctuary. David's words (1Ch 15:2) imply that heretofore Levites had not been in charge of the ark, therefore that Abinadab was not a Levite possibly (?). "None ought. to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them hath Jehovah chosen."
Saul's assumption of sacrificing, his slaughter of the priests at Nob and of the serving Gibeonites, imply his self-willed impatience of the prominence of the priest tribe. Accordingly, at Hebron, 4,600 Levites joined David, besides 3,700 priests (1Ch 12:26-27). He honoured them at his succession, and once even wore their robe (2Sa 6:14). The duties of the Levites are defined by him (1Ch 23:24-32), "to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah," etc., "and to stand every morning to thank and praise Jehovah, and likewise at even, and to offer (i.e. assist the priests in offering) all burnt sacrifices," etc.
The Levites supplied "officers and judges" (1Ch 26:30), "in all the business of the Lord and the service of the king." Korah's sons of the Levites, headed by Heman, played upon psalteries and harps (1Ch 9:19,32); the Kohathites prepared the shewbread every sabbath; the Gershonites were headed by Asaph's son in the temple choir (1Ch 6:39,44; 15:17), the Merarites by Ethan or Jeduthun. The heavier work being no longer needed of transporting the tabernacle, and psa
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Jehovah will be angry with anger against Moses, and he will say, Is not Aaron thy brother, the Levite? I know that speaking, he will speak. And also behold him coming forth to thy meeting: and seeing thee and rejoicing in his heart
And these the names of the sons of Levi, according to their generation; Gershon, and Kohath and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi, seven and thirty and a hundred years. And the sons of Gershon, Libni and Shimi, according to their tribes. read more. And the sons of Kohath; Amram and Izhar and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath, three and thirty and a hundred years. And the sons of Merari: Mahali and Mushi: these the tribes of Levi according to their generations. And Amram will take Jochebed his father's sister, to him for a wife; and she will bare to him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram, seven and thirty and a hundred years And the sons of Izhar; Korah and Nepheg and Zithri. And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael and Elzaphan, Zithri. And Aaron will take Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to him for a wife; and she will bare to him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. And the sons of Korah; Asir and Elkanah and Abiasaph; these the tribes of Korhites. And Eleazar the son of Aaron, took to him from the daughters of Putiel, for a wife; and she will bare to him Phinehas: these the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their tribes.
And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, Consecrate to me every first-born bursting open every womb among the sons of Israel, of man and of cattle: it is to me.
And thou madest pass over all bursting open the womb, to Jehovah; and every one bursting forth young of the quadruped which shall be to thee; the males are to Jehovah. And every first-born of the ass, thou shalt redeem with a sheep; and if thou shalt not redeem, thou shalt break his neck: and every first-born of man among thy sons thou shalt redeem.
And ye shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These the words which thou shalt speak to the sons of Israel.
And also the priests drawing near to Jehovah, shall be consecrated, lest Jehovah shall break forth upon them.
And Jehovah will say to him, Go; come down, and come up, thou and Aaron with thee: and the priests and the people shall not break in to come up to Jehovah lest he shall break forth upon them.
And he will send forth young men sons of Israel, and they will bring up burnt-offerings, and they will sacrifice sacrifices of peace to Jehovah of bullocks.
And if from the son of a month, and even to the son of five years, and thy estimation was, the male, five shekels of silver, and for the female, thy estimation, three shekels of silver.
And in the removing of the dwelling the Levites shall take it down, and in pitching the dwelling, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger coming near shall die.
And give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; being given they were given to him from the sons of Israel.
For to me all the first-born: in the day I struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to me every first-born in Israel, from man to cattle: to me they shall be: I am Jehovah.
They being reviewed according to the number of every male, from the son of a month and above, they being reviewed, seven thousand and five hundred.
According to the number of every male, from the son of a month and above, eight thousand six hundred, watching the watches of the holy place.
And they being reviewed according to the number of every male, from the son of a month and above, six thousand and two hundred,
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Review every first-born male to the sons of Israel, from the son of a month and above, and take up the number of names. And take the Levites for me (I Jehovah) instead of all the first-born of the sons of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the first-born among the cattle of the sons of Israel. read more. And Moses reviewed as Jehovah commanded him, all the first-born of the sons of Israel. And every first-born male shall be according to the number of names, from the son of a month and above, for those being reviewed, two and twenty thousand three and seventy and two hundred.
Take the Levites instead of all the first-born of the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be to me: I Jehovah. And the price of redemption of the three and seventy and two hundred, of those remaining over the Levites, from the first-born of the sons of Israel: read more. And thou shalt take five shekels by the heads, according to the holy shekel thou shalt take: twenty gerahs the shekel. And give the silver to Aaron and to his sons, the price of redemption of those remaining over among them. And Moses will take the silver of the price of their redemption, from those remaining over them redeemed of the Levites. From the first-born of the sons of Israel he took the silver; five and sixty and three hundred and a thousand, according to the holy shekel. And Moses will give the silver of those being redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons, at the mouth of Jehovah, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
From the son of thirty years and above, and to the son of fifty years, all coming in to war to do the works of the tent of appointment These the works of the sons of Kohath in the tent of appointment, the holy of holies. read more. And Aaron came, and his sons, in the removing of the camp, and they took down the vail of the covering, and they covered with it the ark of the testimony. And they gave upon it a covering of tahash skins, and they spread over a garment wholly cerulean purple from above, and they put up its bars. And upon the table of the face they shall spread a garment cerulean purple, and they gave upon it the dishes, and the censers, and the bowls and the cups pouring out: and the continual bread shall be upon it. And they spread upon them a garment of double scarlet, and they covered it with a cover of tahash skins, and they put up the bars. And they took a garment cerulean purple, and covered the chandelier of the light, and its lamps and its,tongs and its fire pans, and all the vessels of its oil, which they shall serve to it with them: And they gave it and all its vessels into a covering of tahash skins, and they gave upon the bar. And upon the altar of gold they will spread a garment cerulean purple, and they covered it with a tahash skin covering, and they set up its bars. And they shall take all the vessels of the service which they shall serve in them in the holy place, and they gave to the garment of cerulean purple, and they covered them in a tahash skin covering, and they gave upon the bar. And they shall anoint the altar, and spread upon it a purple garment: And they shall give upon it all its vessels which they shall serve upon it with them, the fire pans, and the flesh hooks, and the shovels and the vases, and all the vessels of the altar; and they covered over it a tahash skin covering, and they set up its bars. And Aaron and his sons finished to cover the holy place, and all the vessels of the holy place, in removing the camp; and after this the sons of Kohath shall come forth to lift up: and they shall not touch the holy place, and die. These the lifting up of the sons of Kohath in the tent of appointment
And Aaron and his sons finished to cover the holy place, and all the vessels of the holy place, in removing the camp; and after this the sons of Kohath shall come forth to lift up: and they shall not touch the holy place, and die. These the lifting up of the sons of Kohath in the tent of appointment
And Aaron and his sons finished to cover the holy place, and all the vessels of the holy place, in removing the camp; and after this the sons of Kohath shall come forth to lift up: and they shall not touch the holy place, and die. These the lifting up of the sons of Kohath in the tent of appointment And the care of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, the oil of the light, and the incense of aromatics, and the continual gift, and the oil of anointing, and the care of all the dwelling and all which in it, in the holy place, and in its vessels. read more. And Jehovah will speak to Moses and to Aaron, saying, Ye shall not cut off the tribe from the families of the Kohathites from the midst of the Levites. And this do ye to them, and they lived, and they shall not die, in their coming near the holy of holies: Aaron and his sons shall come in and set them a man, a man upon his works, and to his lifting up. And they shall not go in to see for a moment's time the holy place, and die. And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, Take the head of the sons of Gershon, them also according to the house of their fathers, according to their families; From the son of thirty years and above, even to the son of fifty years, thou shalt review them; all going, to war the warfare, to serve the service in the tent of appointment This the service from the families of the Gershonites, for service, and for lifting up: And they lifted up the curtains of the dwelling and the tent of appointment, its covering, and the covering of tahash which is upon it from above, and the covering of the door of the tent of appointment And the curtains of the enclosure, and the covering of the door of the gate of the enclosure which is by the dwelling and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the vessels of their service, and all which shall be made for them: and they shall serve. At the mouth of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites for all their lilting up and for all their service: and ye shall appoint upon them in their watches all their lifting up. This the service from the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of appointment: and their watches in the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest
This the service from the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of appointment: and their watches in the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest The sons of Merari according to their families, according to the house of their fathers, thou shalt review them; read more. From the son of thirty years and above, and even to the son of fifty years, thou shalt review them all going forth to war, to serve the service of the tent of appointment
This the service from the families of the sons of Merari, for all their service in the tent of appointment, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.
And to the sons of Kohath, he gave not, for the service of the holy place upon them, they shall lift up upon the shoulder.
For to me all the first-born among the sons of Israel among man and among cattle: in the day I struck every first-born in the land of Egypt I consecrated them to me.
And I will give the Levites, being given to Aaron and to his sons, from the midst of the sons of Israel, to work the works of the sons of Israel in the tent of appointment, and to expiate for the sons of Israel: and there shall not be a blow among the sons of Israel, in the sons of Israel coming to the holy place.
This is that to the Levites: from the son of five and twenty years and above, and he came in to war the warfare in serving the tent of appointment And from the son of fifty years, he shall turn back from the warfare of the service, and shall serve no more. read more. And he served with his brethren in the tent of appointment, to watch the watches, and he shall work no work. Thus shalt thou do to the Levites in their watches.
And Jehovah will say to Aaron, Thou, and thy sons, and thy father's house with thee, shall bear the iniquity of the holy place: and thou and thy sons with thee, shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. And also thy brethren, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou near with thee, and they shall be joined to thee, and they shall serve thee: and thou and thy sons with thee, before the tent of testimony.
And also thy brethren, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou near with thee, and they shall be joined to thee, and they shall serve thee: and thou and thy sons with thee, before the tent of testimony. And they watched thy watches, and the watches of all the tent: but to the vessels of the holy place, and to the altar they shall not come near, and they shall not die, also they, also ye. read more. And they were joined to thee, and they watched the watches of the tent of appointment for all the service of the tent: and the stranger shall not come near to you
And they were joined to thee, and they watched the watches of the tent of appointment for all the service of the tent: and the stranger shall not come near to you And ye watched the watches of the holy place, and the watches of the altar; and anger shall no more be upon the sons of Israel. read more. And I, behold, I took your brethren the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel: to you being given a gift to Jehovah to serve the services of the tent of appointment
And I, behold, I took your brethren the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel: to you being given a gift to Jehovah to serve the services of the tent of appointment And thou and thy sons with thee shall watch your priesthood for all the word of the altar, and to within the vail; and ye served: the services a gift I will give your priesthood; and the stranger coming near shall die.
And those being redeemed from the son of a month, shalt thou redeem according to thy estimation, the silver of five shekels according to the holy shekel, it is twenty gerahs.
And Jehovah will say to Aaron, In their land thou shalt not inherit, and a portion shall not be to thee in the midst of them. I am thy portion and thine inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel. And to the sons of Levi, behold, I gave all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for their services which they served, the service of the tent of appointment read more. And the sons of Israel shall no more come near the tent of appointment, to bear sin and to die.
And the sons of Israel shall no more come near the tent of appointment, to bear sin and to die. And it is the Levite serving the service of the tent of appointment, and they shall bear their iniquity a law forever to your generations, and in the midst of the sons of Israel they shall not inherit an inheritance. read more. For the tenth of the sons of Israel which they shall lift up to Jehovah, an offering I gave to the Levites to inherit: for this I said to them, In the midst of the sons of Israel they shall not inherit an inheritance. And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, And to the Levites thou shalt speak and say to them, When ye shall take from the sons of Israel the truth which I gave to you from them for your inheritance, and ye lifted up an offering of Jehovah, a tenth from the tenth. And your offerings were reckoned to you as the grain of the threshing-floor, and as the filling up from the winepress. So shall ye also lift up an offering of Jehovah from all your tenths, which ye shall take from the sons of Israel; and ye gave from it the offering of Jehovah to. Aaron the priest From all your gifts ye shall lift up all the offerings of Jehovah, from all its fat consecrated from it And say to them, In your offering its fat from it, and it was reckoned to the Levites as the produce of the threshing-floor, and as the produce of the wine-press. And ye ate it in every place, ye and your house; for it is the reward to you for your service in the tent of appointment And ye shall not bear sin for it in your lifting up its fat from it: and the holy things of the sons of Israel ye shall not defile, and ye shall not die.
And watch thou the commands of Jehovah thy God, to go in his ways and to fear him.
And eat before Jehovah thy God in the place which he shall choose to cause his name to dwell there, the tenth of thy grain, thy new wine, and thy new oil, and first-born of thy cattle and thy sheep, so that thou shalt learn to fear Jehovah thy God all the days.
And the Levite that is in thy gates thou shalt not forsake him; for to him no portion and inheritance with thee.
And the Levite that is in thy gates thou shalt not forsake him; for to him no portion and inheritance with thee.
And thou didst go to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge which shall be in those days, and seek out; and they shall announce to thee the word of judgment And thou shalt do according to the mouth of the word which they shall announce to thee from that place which Jehovah shall choose; and thou shalt watch to do according to all which they shall shew thee: read more. According to the mouth of the precept which they shall shew thee, and according to the judgment which they shall say to thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not turn aside from the word which they shall announce to thee, to the right, and to the left And the man which shall do in pride not to hear to the priest, he standing to serve there Jehovah thy God, or to the judge, and that man shall die: and put thou away evil from Israel
And serving in the name of Jehovah his God as all his brethren the Levites standing there before Jehovah. Portion according to portion shall they eat, besides his sellings according to the fathers.
And Moses will write this law and will give it to the priests, the sons of Levi, lifting up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and to all the old men of Israel.
And Moses will write this law and will give it to the priests, the sons of Levi, lifting up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and to all the old men of Israel. And Moses commanded them, saying, From the end of seven years, in the appointment of the year of remission in the festival of tents,
And Moses commanded them, saying, From the end of seven years, in the appointment of the year of remission in the festival of tents, In the coming of all Israel to see the face of Jehovah thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their ears
In the coming of all Israel to see the face of Jehovah thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their ears Gather the people, the men and the women and the little ones and thy stranger which is in thy gates, so that they shall hear, and so that they shall learn and fear Jehovah your God, and watch to do all the words of this law:
Gather the people, the men and the women and the little ones and thy stranger which is in thy gates, so that they shall hear, and so that they shall learn and fear Jehovah your God, and watch to do all the words of this law: And their sons which knew not shall hear and shall learn to fear Jehovah your God all the days which they lived upon the land which ye pass over Jordan there to possess it.
And their sons which knew not shall hear and shall learn to fear Jehovah your God all the days which they lived upon the land which ye pass over Jordan there to possess it.
Take the book of this law and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and it was there for a witness against thee.
And they will command the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests the Levites lifting it up, and ye shall remove from your place and go after it.
And as they lifting up the ark come to Jordan, and the feet of the priests lifting up the ark were dipped in the extremity of the waters (and Jordan was filled up to all its banks all the days of harvest,)
And Joshua will give them in that day hewing wood and drawing water for the assembly and for the altar of Jehovah till this day, to the place which he shall choose.
And there will be a youth from the House of Bread, of Judah, from the families of Judah, and he a Levite, and he sojourned there.
And the men of the City of Forests will come up and will bring up the ark of Jehovah, and they will bring it to the house of Abinadab in the hill, and Eleazar his son he consecrated to Watch the ark of Jehovah.
And David leaping with all strength before Jehovah: and David was girded with a linen ephod.
And his brother Asaph standing at his right hand, Asaph the son of Berachiah the son of Shimea,
And the sons of Merari their brethren at the left: Ethan son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch,
And the first inhabitants which were in their possession in their cities, Israel the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinims.
And Shallum son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, and his brethren to the house of his father, the Korahites over the work of the service watching the thresholds to the tent: and their fathers over the camp of Jehovah watching the entrance.
And from the sons of the Kohathites, from their brethren over the bread of arrangement to prepare the Sabbath, Sabbath.
From the sons of Levi four thousand and six hundred. And Jehoida the leader to Aaron and with him three thousand seven hundred.
Then David said, None to lift up the ark of God but the Levites: for in them God chose to lift up the ark of God, and to serve him even to forever.
And the Levites wilt set up He-man son of Joel; and from his brethren, Asaph son of Berechiah; and from the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan son of Kushaiah;
And the Levites will be numbered from the son of thirty years and above: and their number, for their craniums, for the men, thirty and eight thousand.
These the sons of Levi for the house of their fathers: the heads of the fathers for their reviewing by the number of names to their craniums doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from the son of twenty years and above.
These the sons of Levi for the house of their fathers: the heads of the fathers for their reviewing by the number of names to their craniums doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from the son of twenty years and above. For David said, Jehovah God of Israel caused rest to his people, and they will dwell in Jerusalem forever;
For David said, Jehovah God of Israel caused rest to his people, and they will dwell in Jerusalem forever; And also to the Levites: not to lift up the dwelling and all its vessels for its service.
And also to the Levites: not to lift up the dwelling and all its vessels for its service. For by the last words of David these the number of the sons of Levi from the son of twenty years and above.
For by the last words of David these the number of the sons of Levi from the son of twenty years and above. For from their station at the hand of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah, upon the enclosures and upon the cells and for the cleansing to all the holy place and the works of the service of the house of God. read more. And for the bread of the arrangement, and for the fine flour for the gift, and for the thin cakes unleavened, and for the pan, and for the mingling, and for all measure and extension. And to stand in the morning by morning to confess and to praise to Jehovah, and so at evening. And to bring up for all burnt-offerings to Jehovah for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, and for the appointments by number, according to the judgment upon them, always before Jehovah And they watched the watches of the tent of appointment, and the watches of the holy place, and the watches of the sons of Aaron, their brethren for the service of the house of Jehovah.
And David will separate, and the chiefs of the army, for service to the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, prophesying with harps, with lyres and with cymbals: and there will be their number of men of work for their service. To the sons of Asaph: Zaccur and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph upon the hand of Asaph prophesying upon the hands of the king. read more. To Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, upon the hands of their father Jeduthun, with the harp prophesying for confessing and praising to Jehovah. To Heman: the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. All these the sons to Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn. And God will give to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these upon the hands of their father in the song of the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the service of the house of God, upon the hands of the king, Asaph and Jeduthun and Heman. And their number will be with their brethren teaching the song to Jehovah, all having understanding, two hundred eighty and eight And they will cast lots from the watches near, as the small so the great, he understanding with him taught
To the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, sons of strength, a thousand and seven hundred over the charge of Israel from beyond to Jordan from the west for all the work of Jehovah, and for the service of the king.
And the priests and the Levites which were in all Israel stood forth to him from all their bound. For the Levites forsook their areas and their possession, and they will come to Judah and to Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons rejected them from being priest to Jehovah:
And we, Jehovah is our God, and we forsook him not; and the priests serving to Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in the work: And burning to Jehovah the burnt-offering in the morning, in the morning, and in the evening, in the evening, and incense of spices, and the arrangement of bread upon the pure table; and the chandelier of gold and its lamps to burn in the evening, in the evening: for we watch the watches of Jehovah our God; and ye forsook him. read more. And behold, with us God for head, and his priests and trumpets of loud noise to cry against you. O ye sons of Israel, ye shall not wage war with Jehovah God of your fathers, for ye shall not prosper.
And also in Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat set up from the Levites and the priests, and from the heads to the fathers to Israel, for the judgment of Jehovah and for contention; and they will turn back to Jerusalem. And he will command upon them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of Jehovah, with faithfulness and with the whole heart. read more. And every contention which shall come upon you from your brethren dwelling in their cities, between blood to blood, between law to command, to precepts and to judgments, and warn ye them and they shall not trespass against Jehovah, and wrath being upon you and upon your brethren: thus shall ye do and not trespass. And behold, Amariah the head priest over you for every word of Jehovah; and Zebadiah son of Ishmael the leader to the house of Judah, for every word of the king: and the scribes, the Levites, before you. Be strong and do, and Jehovah will be with the good.
And the Levites from the sons of the Kohathites, and from the sons of the Korhites, will rise up to praise to Jehovah the God of Israel with a great voice to above And they will rise early in the morning and go forth to the desert of Tekoa: and in their going forth Jehoshaphat stood, and he will say, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabiting Jerusalem; Believe in Jehovah your God and ye shall be firm; believe in his prophets and prosper. read more. And he will counsel to the people, and he will set up those singing to Jehovah, and those praising to the ornaments of holiness, in their going out before the strong, and saying, Confess ye to Jehovah; his mercy is forever. And in the time they began in rejoicing and praising, Jehovah gave ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, coming against Judah; and they will be smitten.
And he will say to them, Hear me, ye Levites: now consecrate yourselves and consecrate the house of Jehovah the God of your fathers, and bring forth the uncleanness from the holy place. For our fathers trespassed and did evil in the eyes of Jehovah our God, and they will forsake and turn away their faces from the dwelling of Jehovah, and they will give the neck. read more. Also they shut up the doors of the porch, and they will put out the lights, and they burnt not incense, and they brought not up the burnt-offering in the holy place to the God of Israel. And the wrath of Jehovah will be upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he will give them to disquiet, to astonishment, and to hissing, according to what ye see with your eyes. And behold, our fathers fell by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives in captivity for this. Now with my heart to cut out a covenant to Jehovah the God of Israel, and he will turn back from us the burning of his anger. My sons, now ye shall not go astray: for in you Jehovah chose to stand before him, to serve him, to be serving to him, and burning incense. And the Levites will rise up, Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, from the sons of the Kohathites: and from the sons of the Merarites: Kish, son of Abdi, and Azariah, son of Jehalelel: and from the Gershonites: Joah, son of Zimmah, and Eden, son of Joah: And from the sons of Elizaphan: Shimri and Jeiel: and from the sons of Asaph: Zechariah and Mattaniah: And from the sons of Heman: Jehiel and Shimei: and from the sons of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel. And they will gather their brethren, and they will consecrate themselves, and they will come according to the command of the king in the words of Jehovah, to cleanse the house of Jehovah. And the priests will come to within the house of Jehovah to cleanse, and they will bring forth all the uncleanness which they found in the temple of Jehovah to the enclosure of the house of Jehovah. And the Levites will take to bring forth to the torrent Kidron without And they will begin in one to the first month to consecrate, and in the eighth day to the month they came to the porch of Jehovah: and they will consecrate the house of Jehovah for eight days; and in the sixteenth day to the first month they finished. And they will come within to Hezekiah the king, and say, We cleansed all the house of Jehovah, and the altar of burnt-offering, and all its vessels, and the table of the arrangement and all its vessels. And all the vessels which king Ahaz cast away in his kingdom, in his transgression, we prepared and consecrated, and behold them before the altar of Jehovah. And Hezekiah the king will rise early and gather the chiefs of the city, and he will go up to the house of Jehovah. And they will bring seven bullocks and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats of the goats for sin, for the kingdom, and for the holy place, and for Judah. And he will say to the sons of Aaron the priests to bring up upon the altar of Jehovah. And they will slaughter the oxen, and the priests will take the blood and sprinkle the altar: and they will slaughter the rams, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar: and they will slaughter the lambs and sprinkle the blood upon the altar. And they will bring near the he goats of the sin before the king and the convocation; and they will lay their hands upon them. And the priest will slaughter them, and expiate the altar with their blood, to expiate for all Israel: for to all Israel the king said to bring up the sin. And he will set up the Levites in the house of Jehovah with cymbals, with lyres and with harps by the command of David, and Gad, the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for by the hand of Jehovah the command by the hand of his prophets. And the Levites will stand with all the instruments of David, and the priests with trumpets. And Hezekiah will say to bring up the burnt-offering to the altar. And in the time of beginning to bring up, the song of Jehovah began, and the trumpets, and upon the hands of the instruments of David king of Israel. And all the convocation worshiping, and the song singing, and the trumpets trumpeting: the whole even to finishing the burnt-offering. And as they finished to bring up, the king and all being found with him, bowed and worshiped. And Hezekiah the king, and the chiefs, will say, to the Levites to praise to Jehovah in the words of David, and Asaph the seer. And they will praise even to gladness, and they will bow down and worship. And Hezekiah will answer and say, Now ye filled your hand to Jehovah, draw near and bring sacrifices and praises to the house of Jehovah. And the convocation will bring sacrifices and praises; and all of a willing heart, burnt-offerings. And the number of the burnt-offerings which the convocation brought, will be seventy oxen, a hundred rams, two hundred lambs: all these for a bunt-offering to Jehovah. And the consecrated things, six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep. Only the priests were for fewness and they could not slaughter all the burnt-offerings: and their brethren the Levites will strengthen them till the finishing of the work, and till the priests shall consecrate themselves: for the Levites being upright of heart to consecrate themselves more than the priests.
They will slaughter the passover in the fourteenth to the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and they will consecrate themselves and bring burnt-offerings to the house of Jehovah. And they will stand upon their standing according to their judgment, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkling the bloods from the hand of the Levites. read more. For many in the convocation which consecrated not themselves: and the Levites for slaughtering the passover to all not being cleansed to consecrate to Jehovah. For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulon, were not cleansed, for they ate the Passover not as written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, Jehovah the good will expiate in behalf Of every one preparing his heart to seek God, Jehovah the God of his fathers, and not according to the purification of the holy place. And Jehovah will hear to Hezekiah and he will heal the people. And the sons of Israel, those found in Jerusalem, will do the festival of the unleavened seven days, in great gladness: and the priests and the Levites praising to Jehovah day by day with instruments of strength to Jehovah. And Hezekiah will speak to the heart of all the Levites considering the good knowledge to Jehovah: and they will eat at the appointment seven days, sacrificing sacrifices of peace, and confessing to Jehovah the God of their fathers.
And the priests the Levites will rise up and bless the people: and he will hear to their voice, and their prayer will come to the dwelling of his holy place to the heavens.
And he will say to the Levites causing to all Israel to understand, being consecrated to Jehovah, Ye shall give the holy ark into the house which Solomon son of David, king of Israel built: not to you a lifting up upon the shoulder: now serve ye Jehovah your God and his people Israel. And prepare yourselves to the house of your fathers in your divisions, in the writing of David king of Israel, and in the writing of Solomon his son: read more. And stand ye in the holy place for the divisions of the house of the fathers to your brethren the sons of the people, and the division of the father's house to the Levites. And slaughter ye the passover and consecrate yourselves, and prepare for your brethren to do according to the word of Jehovah by the hand of Moses. And Josiah will lift up to the sons of the people, sheep, lambs and sons of the goats, the whole for the paschal lambs for all being found to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand oxen: these from the king's substance. And his chiefs for willingness to the people, to the priests and to the Levites, lifted up: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, leaders of the house of God, gave to the priests for paschal lambs, two thousand and six hundred, and three hundred oxen. And Cononiah and Shemaiah, and Nathaniel his brethren, and Hashabiah, and Jeiel, and Jozabad, chiefs of the Levites, lifted up to the Levites for paschal lambs, five thousand, and five hundred oxen. And the service will be prepared, and the priests will stand upon their standing, and the Levites upon their divisions according to the command of the king. And they will slaughter the passover, and the priests will sprinkle from their hand, and the Levites flaying. And they will remove the burnt-offering to give them to the divisions for the house of the fathers to the sons of the people, to bring near to Jehovah according to the writing in the book of Moses. And thus to the oxen. And they will roast the passover in fire according to judgment: and the holy things they cooked in pots and in boilers, and in dishes, and they will cause to run to all the sons of the people. And afterward they prepared for themselves and for the priests: for the priests the sons of Aaron in bringing up the burnt-offering and the fat, even till night; and the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests the sons of Aaron. And those singing, sons of Asaph, upon their station according to the command of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the kings seer; and the porters at gate and gate; not for them to depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them.
The priests: the sons of Jedaiah to the house of Joshua, nine hundred seventy and three. The sons of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. read more. The sons of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven. The sons of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. The Levites: the sons of Joshua and Kadmiel, to the sons of Hodaviah, seventy and four. Those singing: the sons of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight The sons of the gates: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatite, the sons of Shobi, all, a hundred thirty and nine.
And those building will lay the foundation of the temple of Jehovah, and they will cause the priests to stand, being clothed, with trumpets, and the Levites sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise Jehovah according to the hands of David king of Israel. And they will answer in praising and in confessing to Jehovah, for he is good, for his mercy forever upon Israel. And all the people shouted a great shout in praising to Jehovah, for the foundation of the house of Jehovah.
And they set up the priests in their division, and the Levites in their classes, for the work of God which is in Jerusalem; according to the writing of the book of Moses.
And I shall gather them together to the river going to Ahava, and there we shall encamp three days: and I shall look upon the people and upon the priests, and from the sons of Levi I found not these.
And they will bring to us according to the good hand of our God upon us a man of understanding from the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel; and Sherebiah, and his sons and his brethren, eighteen. And Hashabiab, and with him Jeshaiah, from the sons of Merari, brethren and their sons, twenty read more. And from the Nethinims David gave, and the chiefs, for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were specified by names.
And Joshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, causing the people to understand to the law: and the people upon their standing. And they will read in the book in the law of God accurately, and he set up the understanding, and they will cause to understand the reading.
And the first-fruits of our groats and our oblations, and the fruits of every tree, new wine and new oil we shall bring to the priests to the cells of the house of our God; and the tenth of our lands to the Levites, and these Levites giving tenths in all the cities of our work. And the priest the son of Aaron being with the Levites in the tenth of the Levites: and the Levites shall bring up the tenth of the tenth to the house of our God to the cells to the house of the treasure. read more. For to the cells shall the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi bring the oblations of the grain, of the new wine and the new oil, and there the vessels of the holy place, and the priests serving, and the gate-keepers and those singing: and we will not forsake the house of our God.
The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, being written heads of the fathers: and the priests for the kingdom of Darius the Persian.
And in the consecration of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to do the consecration and gladness, and with praises and with song of cymbals, lyres, and with harps. And the sons of those singing will gather together, and from the circuit round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Netophathi; read more. And from the house of Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for those singing built for themselves villages round about Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites will be purified, and they will purify the people and the gates and the wall
But the Levites who went far off from me, in the going astray of Israel who went astray from me after the blocks; and they bare their iniquity. And they were serving in my holy place, reviewing at the gates of the house, and serving the house: they shall slaughter the burnt-offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to serve them. read more. Because they will serve them before their blocks, and they were to the house of Israel for a stumbling block of iniquity; for this I lifted up my hand against them, says the Lord Jehovah, and they bare their iniquity. And they shall not come near to me to be priest to me, to come near all my holy things, to the holies of holies: and they bare their shame, and their abominations which they did??14 And I gave them watchers of the watches of the house for all its service, and for all which shall be done in it
To the priests being consecrated: of the sons of Zadok, who watched my watches, who went not astray in the going astray of the sons of Israel, as the Levites went astray.
My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I will give them to him fearing, and he shall fear me, and from the face of my name he was terrified. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: in truth and in uprightness he went with me, and he turned back many from iniquity.
And he sat melting and cleansing silver: and he cleansed the sons of Levi, and he purified them as gold and as silver, and they were to Jehovah bringing near the sacrifice in justice.
And likewise also a Levite, having been in the place, having come and seen him, went on the opposite side.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem that they might ask him, Who art thou?
And Joses, surnamed Barnabas by the sent, (which is interpreted, Son of consolation,) a Levite, a Cyprian by birth,
I Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the compassions of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, your reasonable service.
Hastings
Morish
Le'vites
The tribe that descended from Levi, son of Jacob. When Moses came down from the mount and saw the golden calf which the people had made, he asked, "Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him." He bade them gird on their swords and slay every man his brother, his companion, and his neighbour. And there fell of the people that day about three thousand. Moses spoke of it as consecrating themselves to the Lord, every man upon his son, and upon his brother, that God might bestow a blessing upon them. Ex 32:26-29.
The Levites were chosen by God as a redemption for all the firstborn of Israel, which God claimed for Himself. They thus became wholly His, and they were given to Aaron to minister in all that pertained to the service of the tabernacle, except the priesthood, which was restricted to Aaron and his descendants. Nu 3:5-51.
Of the Levites there were three main branches: the GERSHONITES, the KOHATHITES, and the MERARITES. Moses and Aaron were descendants of Kohath. When the camp of Israel rested, this tribe surrounded the tabernacle. When it moved they had to carry its various parts and the sacred things belonging thereto. According to Nu 4:3, etc., the Levites appear to have commenced their tabernacle service at the age of thirty; but in Nu 8:24-26 the age is given as twenty-five. It may be that they spent the first five years on probation, learning their duties. When Israel had settled in Canaan and the labour of carrying the tabernacle was over, they commenced their service at the age of twenty. They laboured till they were fifty years of age. 1Ch 23:24-27.
Before the Levites entered upon any service they were thoroughly cleansed and consecrated. The children of Israel put their hands upon them, and Aaron offered them "before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel" that they might execute the service of the Lord. An atonement was made for them. Nu 8:5-26.
The Levites had no inheritance in the land, and in order that they might be free to serve the Lord, tithes were given them. Nu 18. Forty-eight cities were given to them as places to dwell in, and the suburbs thereof for their cattle. Six of these cities were to be CITIES OF REFUGE. Nu 35:1-8. The names of the cities are given in Jos 20:7-9; 21:1-42.
In the time of David the Levites were set over 'the service of song;' others were door-keepers: some were singers and others played on various instruments. 1Ch 6:31; 15:16,26. In the days of Hezekiah after the temple had been cleansed, the Levites apparently helped to flay the sacrifices, being found "more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests." 2Ch 29:34. At the Passover that followed, the Levites had the charge of killing the passover lambs for the people who were unclean. 2Ch 30:17. On the return from exile the Levites helped to explain the law to the people. Ne 8:7-8. In the N.T. the Levites are mentioned only in Lu 10:32; Joh 1:19; Ac 4:36.
The Levites are typical of Christians, who are redeemed, cleansed, and consecrated to the service of the Lord, and have no inheritance on earth.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Moses will stand in the gate of the camp, and will say, Who for Jehovah? to me. And all the sons of Levi will assemble together to him. And he will say to them, Thus said Jehovah the God of Israel, Put ye each his sword upon his thigh, and pass ye through and turn ye back from gate to gate in the camp, and slay ye each his brother, and each his friend, and each his near one. read more. And the sons of Levi will do according to the word of Moses: and there will fall from the people in that day about three thousand men. And Moses will say, Fill your hand this day to Jehovah, for each upon his son and upon his brother, to give to you a blessing this day.
And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, Bring near the tribe of Levi, and make it stand before Aaron the priest; and they served him. read more. And they watched his watches, and the watches of all the assembly before the tent of appointment to do the work of the dwelling. And they shall watch all the vessels of the tent of appointment, and the watches of the sons of Israel, to do the work of the dwelling. And give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons; being given they were given to him from the sons of Israel. And Aaron and his sons thou shalt set up, and they shall watch their priesthood; and the stranger coming near shall die. And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, And I, behold, I took the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of all the first-born cleaving the womb from the sons of Israel: and the Levites were to me. For to me all the first-born: in the day I struck all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to me every first-born in Israel, from man to cattle: to me they shall be: I am Jehovah. And Jehovah will speak to Moses in the desert of Sinai, saying, Review the sons of Levi according to the house of their fathers, according to their families: every male from the son of a month and above shalt thou review them. And Moses will review them according to the mouth of Jehovah, as he commanded. And these shall be the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. And these the names of the sons of Gershon according to their families: Libni and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath, according to their families: Amram, and Izebar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the sons of Merari according to their families: Mahli, and Mushi; these they of the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers. To Gershon the families of the Libnites, and the families of the Shimites: these they of the families of the Gershonites. They being reviewed according to the number of every male, from the son of a month and above, they being reviewed, seven thousand and five hundred. The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tent to the sea. And the chief of the house of the father to the Gershonites, Eliasaph, the son of Lael. And the watches of the sons of Gershon in the tent of appointment, the dwelling, and the tent, its covering, and the vail of the door of the tent of appointment, And the curtains of the enclosure, and the covering of the door of the enclosure, which is by the dwelling, and upon the altar round about, and its cords, and all its works. And for Kohath the families of the Amramites, and the families of the Izeharites, and the families of the Hebronites, and the families of the Uzzielites these they of the families of the Kohathites According to the number of every male, from the son of a month and above, eight thousand six hundred, watching the watches of the holy place. The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp by the thigh of the tent to the south. And the chief of the house of the father to the families of the Kohathites, Elizaphan, son of Uzziel. And their watches, the ark, and the table, and the chandelier, and the altar, and the vessels of the holy place which they shall serve in them, and the covering and all its works. And the chief of the chiefs of the Levites, Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, set over those watching the watches of the holy place. To Merari the families of the Mahlites, and the families of the Mushites: these they of the families of the Merari. And they being reviewed according to the number of every male, from the son of a month and above, six thousand and two hundred, And the chief of the house of the father to the families of Merari, Zuriel, son of Abihail: by the thigh of the dwelling shall they encamp to the north. And the review of the watches of the sons of Merari, the boards of the dwelling, and its bars, and its pillars, and its bases, and all its vessels, and all its works, And the pillars of the enclosure round about, and their bases, and their pegs, and their cords. And they encamping before the dwelling eastward before the tent of appointment, from the sunrising, Moses and Aaron and his sons, watching the watches of the holy place, for the watches of the sons of Israel; and the stranger coming near shall die. All they being reviewed of the Levites, which Moses reviewed and Aaron, at the mouth of Jehovah, according to their families, every male from the son of a month and above, two and twenty thousand. And Jehovah will say to Moses, Review every first-born male to the sons of Israel, from the son of a month and above, and take up the number of names. And take the Levites for me (I Jehovah) instead of all the first-born of the sons of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the first-born among the cattle of the sons of Israel. And Moses reviewed as Jehovah commanded him, all the first-born of the sons of Israel. And every first-born male shall be according to the number of names, from the son of a month and above, for those being reviewed, two and twenty thousand three and seventy and two hundred. And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, Take the Levites instead of all the first-born of the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be to me: I Jehovah. And the price of redemption of the three and seventy and two hundred, of those remaining over the Levites, from the first-born of the sons of Israel: And thou shalt take five shekels by the heads, according to the holy shekel thou shalt take: twenty gerahs the shekel. And give the silver to Aaron and to his sons, the price of redemption of those remaining over among them. And Moses will take the silver of the price of their redemption, from those remaining over them redeemed of the Levites. From the first-born of the sons of Israel he took the silver; five and sixty and three hundred and a thousand, according to the holy shekel. And Moses will give the silver of those being redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons, at the mouth of Jehovah, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
From the son of thirty years and above, and to the son of fifty years, all coming in to war to do the works of the tent of appointment
And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, Take the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and cleanse them. read more. And thus thou shalt do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle upon them the water of sin, and they caused a razor to pass over upon all their flesh, and they washed their garments, and they were cleansed. And they took a bullock, son of a cow, and his gift fine flour mixed with oil, and a second bullock, son of a cow, thou shalt take for sin. And bring near the Levites before the tent of appointment: and gather all the assembly of the sons of Israel. And bring near the Levites before Jehovah: and the sons of Israel placed their hands upon the Levites. And Aaron lifted up the Levites, a lifting up before Jehovah, from the sons of Israel; and they were to serve the service of Jehovah. And the Levites shall place their hands upon the head of the bullocks: and they did the one a sin, and the one a burnt-offering to Jehovah, to expiate for the Levites. And cause the Levites to stand before Aaron and before his sons, and lift them up a lifting up to Jehovah. And separate the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel and the Levites were to me. And after this the Levites shall go in to serve the tent of appointment: and cleanse them, and lift them up a lifting up. For being given, they were given to me from the midst of the sons of Israel; instead of the first-born cleaving every womb, every one from the sons of Israel, have I taken them to me. For to me all the first-born among the sons of Israel among man and among cattle: in the day I struck every first-born in the land of Egypt I consecrated them to me. And I will take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel. And I will give the Levites, being given to Aaron and to his sons, from the midst of the sons of Israel, to work the works of the sons of Israel in the tent of appointment, and to expiate for the sons of Israel: and there shall not be a blow among the sons of Israel, in the sons of Israel coming to the holy place. And Moses will do, and Aaron, and all the assembly of the sons of Israel, to the Levites according to all which Jehovah commanded Moses for the Levites; so to them did the sons of Israel. And the Levites will be purified, and will wash their garments; and Aaron will lift them up, a lifting up before Jehovah; and Aaron will expiate for them to cleanse them. And after this the Levites went to serve their service in the tent of appointment, before Aaron and before his sons: as Jehovah commanded Moses for the Levites, so to them did they. And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, This is that to the Levites: from the son of five and twenty years and above, and he came in to war the warfare in serving the tent of appointment
This is that to the Levites: from the son of five and twenty years and above, and he came in to war the warfare in serving the tent of appointment And from the son of fifty years, he shall turn back from the warfare of the service, and shall serve no more.
And from the son of fifty years, he shall turn back from the warfare of the service, and shall serve no more. And he served with his brethren in the tent of appointment, to watch the watches, and he shall work no work. Thus shalt thou do to the Levites in their watches.
And he served with his brethren in the tent of appointment, to watch the watches, and he shall work no work. Thus shalt thou do to the Levites in their watches.
And Jehovah will speak to Moses in the desert of Moab by Jordan of Jericho, saying, Command the sons of Israel, and they gave to the Levites from the inhentance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and areas to the cities round about them shall ye give to the Levites read more. And the cities were to them to dwell in; and their areas shall be for their cattle, and for their horses, and for all their beasts. And the areas of the cities which ye shall give to the Levites from the wall of the city and without, a thousand cubits round about And ye measured from without the city the east side two thousand cubits, and the south side two thousand by the cubit, and the side of the sea two thousand by the cubit, and the north side two thousand by the cubit; and the city in the midst: this shall be to them the areas of the cities. And the cities which ye shall give to the Levites, six cities of refuge, which ye shall give to flee there to the slayer: and upon them ye shall give forty and two All the cities which ye shall give to the Levites, forty and eight cities: them and their areas. And the cities which ye shall give from the possession of the sons of Israel: from the many ye shall multiply; and from the few ye shall diminish: each according to his inheritance which they shall inherit, he shall give from his cities to the Levites.
And they will consecrate Kadesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and the city of Arba (this in Hebron) in mount Judah. And from beyond Jordan of Jericho from the sunrising, they gave Bezer in the desert in the plain from the tribe of Reuben and Ramoth, in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh. read more. These were cities of appointment for all the sons of Israel, and for the stranger sojourning in the midst of them, to flee there, every one smiting a soul in mistake: and he shall not die by the hand of the nearest relation of blood till his standing before the assembly.
And the heads of the fathers of the Levites will come near to the Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the fathers of the tribes to the sons of Israel: And they will speak to them in Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, Jehovah commanded by the hand of Moses to give to us cities to dwell in, and their pastures for our cattle. read more. And the sons of Israel will give to the Levites out of their inheritance at the mouth of Jehovah these cities and their areas. And the lot came forth to the families of the Kohathites: and it will be to the sons of Aaron the priest from the Levites out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and from the tribe of Benjamin, by lot, thirteen cities. And to the sons of Kohath, those remaining from the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and from the tribe of Gad, and from half the tribe of Manasseh, by lot, ten cities. And to the sons of Gershon from the families of the tribe of Issachar, and from the tribe of Asher, and from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot, thirteen cities. To the sons of Merari according to their families, from the tribe of Reuben, and from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulon, twelve cities. And the sons of Israel will give to the Levites these cities and their areas, as Jehovah commanded by the hand of Moses, by lot And they will give from the tribe of the sons of Judah and from the tribe of the sons of Simeon, these cities which he will call them by name, And it will be to the sons of Aaron from the families of the Kohathites, from the sons of Levi: for to them was the first lot. And they will give to them the fourth city, the father of Anak (it is Hebron) in mount Judah, and the area round about it And the field of the city and its enclosure they gave to Caleb, son of Jephunneh, for his possession. And to the sons of Aaron the priest they gave the city of refuge of the slayer, Hebron and its areas, and Libnah and her areas, And Jattir and her area, and Eshtemoa and her area, And Holon and her area, and Debir and her area, And Ain and her area, and Juttah and her area, and the House of the Sun and her area: nine cities from these two tribes. And from the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and her area, and Geba and her area, Anathoth and her area, and Almon and her area: four cities. All the cities of the sons of Aaron the priests, thirteen cities and their areas. And to the families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites remaining from the sons of Kohath, and there will be the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim. And they will give to them the city of refuge of the slayer, Shechem and her area in mount Ephraim, and Gezer and her area, And Kibzaim and her area, and the House of the Hollow and her area: four cities. And from the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and her area, and Gibbethon and her area, Ailon and her area, and the Press of the Pomegranate and her area: four cities. And from half the tribe of Manasseh, Tanach and her area, and the Press of the Pomegranate and her area: two cities. All the cities, ten, and their areas, to the families of the sons of Kohath, those remaining. And to the sons of Gershon from the families of the Levites, from half the tribe of Manasseh, the city of refuge of the slayer, Golan in Bashan and her area, and Beeshterah and her area: two cities. And from the tribe of Issachar, Kishon and her area, Daberah and her area, And Jarmuth and her area, and the Fountain of Gardens and her area: four cities. And from the tribe of Asher, Mishal and her area, and Abdon and her area, Helkath and her area, and Rehob and her area: four cities. And from the tribe of Naphtali, the city of refuge of the slayer, Kadesh in Galilee and her area; Hamath-Dor and her area, and Kartan and her area: three cities. All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families, thirteen cities and their areas. And to the families of the sons of Merari, the Levites remaining, from the tribe of Zebulon, Jokneam and her area, and Kartah and her area, Dimnah and her area, Nahalal and her area: four cities. Omitted Omitted And from the tribe of Gad, the city of refuge of the slayer, Ramath in Gilead and her area; and Mahanaim and her area, And Heshbon and her area, and Jazer and her area: all, four cities. All the cities to the sons of Merari according to their families, those remaining from the families of the Levites, it shall be their lot twelve cities. All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel, forty and eight cities and their areas These cities will be city, city, and her areas round about it. Thus to all these cities.
And these whom David set up over the hands of song of the house of Jehovah from the resting of the ark
And David will say to the chiefs of the Levites to cause their brethren to stand singing with every instrument of song, lyres and harps, and cymbals, causing to hear to lift up with the voice for joy.
And it will be in God's helping the Levites lifting up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and they will sacrifice seven bullocks and seven rams.
These the sons of Levi for the house of their fathers: the heads of the fathers for their reviewing by the number of names to their craniums doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from the son of twenty years and above. For David said, Jehovah God of Israel caused rest to his people, and they will dwell in Jerusalem forever; read more. And also to the Levites: not to lift up the dwelling and all its vessels for its service. For by the last words of David these the number of the sons of Levi from the son of twenty years and above.
Only the priests were for fewness and they could not slaughter all the burnt-offerings: and their brethren the Levites will strengthen them till the finishing of the work, and till the priests shall consecrate themselves: for the Levites being upright of heart to consecrate themselves more than the priests.
For many in the convocation which consecrated not themselves: and the Levites for slaughtering the passover to all not being cleansed to consecrate to Jehovah.
And Joshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, causing the people to understand to the law: and the people upon their standing. And they will read in the book in the law of God accurately, and he set up the understanding, and they will cause to understand the reading.
And likewise also a Levite, having been in the place, having come and seen him, went on the opposite side.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem that they might ask him, Who art thou?
And Joses, surnamed Barnabas by the sent, (which is interpreted, Son of consolation,) a Levite, a Cyprian by birth,
Smith
Le'vites
(descendants of Levi). Sometimes the name extends to the whole tribe, the priests included,
Ex 6:25; Le 25:32; Nu 35:2; Jos 21:3,41
etc; sometimes only to those members of the tribe who were not priests, and as distinguished from them. Sometimes again it is added as an epithet of the smaller portion of the tribe, and we read of "the priests the Levites."
The history of the tribe and of the functions attached to its several orders is essential to any right apprehension of the history of Israel as a people. It will fall naturally into four great periods:-- I. The time of the exodus. --There is no trace of the consecrated character of the Levites till the institution of a hereditary priesthood in the family of Aaron, during the first withdrawal of Moses to the solitude of Sinai.
The next extension of the idea of the priesthood grew out of the terrible crisis of Exod 32. The tribe stood forth separate and apart, recognizing even in this stern work the spiritual as higher than the natural. From this time they occupied a distinct position. The tribe of Levi was to take the place of that earlier priesthood of the first-born as representatives of the holiness of the people. At the time of their first consecration there were 22,000 of them, almost exactly the number of the first-born males in the whole nation. As the tabernacle was the sign of the presence among the people of their unseen King, so the Levites were, among the other tribes of Israel, as the royal guard that waited exclusively on him. It was obviously essential for their work as the bearers and guardians of the sacred tent that there should be a fixed assignment of duties; and now accordingly we meet with the first outlines of the organization which afterward became permanent. The division of the tribe into the three sections that traced their descent from the sons of Levi formed the groundwork of it. The work which they all had to do required a man's full strength, and therefore, though twenty was the starting-point for military service, Numb 1, they were not to enter on their active service till they were thirty.
At fifty they were to be free from all duties but those of superintendence.
(1) The Kohathites, as nearest of kin to the priests, held from the first the highest offices. They were to bear all the vessels of the sanctuary, the ark itself included.
(2) the Gershonites had to carry the tent-hangings and curtains.
(3) The heavier burden of the boards, bars and pillars of the tabernacle fell on the sons of Merari. The Levites were to have no territorial possessions. In place of them they were to receive from the others the tithes of the produce of the land, from which they, in their turn, offered a tithe to the priests, as a recognition of their higher consecration.
Distinctness and diffusion were both to be secured by the assignment to the whole tribe of forty-eight cities, with an outlying "suburb,"
of meadowland for the pasturage of their flocks and herds. The reverence of the people for them was to be heightened by the selection of six of these as cities of refuge. Through the whole land the Levites were to take the place of the old household priests, sharing in all festivals and rejoicings.
De 12:19; 14:26-27; 26:11
Every third year they were to have an additional share in the produce of the land.
De 14:28; 26:12
To "the priests the Levites" was to belong the office of preserving, transcribing and interpreting the law.
De 17:9-12; 31:26
II. The period of the judges. --The successor of Moses, though belonging to another tribe, did all that could be done to make the duty above named a reality. The submission of the Gibeonites enabled him to relieve the tribe-divisions of Gershon and Merari of the most burdensome of their duties. The conquered Hivites became "hewers of wood and drawers of water" for the house of Jehovah and for the congregation.
As soon as the conquerors had advanced far enough to proceed to a partition of the country, the forty-eight cities were assigned to them. III. The monarchy. --When David's kingdom was established, there came a fuller organization of the whole tribe. Their position in relation to the priesthood was once again definitely recognized. In the worship of the tabernacle under David, as afterward in that of the temple, the Levites were the gatekeepers, vergers, sacristans, choristers, of the central sanctuary of the nation. They were, in the language of
to which we may refer as almost the locus classicus on this subject, "to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah, in the courts, and the chambers, and the purifying of all holy things." They were, besides this, "to stand every morning to thank and praise Jehovah, and likewise at even." They were, lastly, "to offer" --i.e. to assist the priest in offering-- "all burnt sacrifices to Jehovah in the sabbaths and on the set feasts." They lived for the greater part of the year in their own cities, and came up at fixed periods to take their turn of work.
1-Chronicles/25/1/type/juliasmith'>1Ch 25:1,1; 26:1
... The educational work which the Levites received for their peculiar duties, no less than their connection, more or less intimate, with the schools of the prophets, would tend to make them the teachers of the others, the transcribers and interpreters of the law, the chroniclers of the times in which they lived. (Thus they became to the Israelites what ministers and teachers are to the people now, and this teaching and training the people in morality and religion was no doubt one of the chief reasons why they were set apart by God from the people, and yet among the people. --ED.) The revolt of the ten tribes, and the policy pursued by Jeroboam, who wished to make the priests the creatures and instruments of the king, and to establish a provincial and divided worship, caused them to leave the cities assigned to them in the territory of Israel, and gather round the metropolis of Judah.
In the kingdom of Judah they were, from this time forward, a powerful body, politically as well as ecclesiastically. IV. After the captivity. --During the period that followed the captivity of the Levites contributed to the formation of the so-called Great Synagogue. They, with the priests, formed the majority of the permanent Sanhedrin, and as such had a large share in the administration of justice even in capital cases. They appear but seldom in the history of the New Testament.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Eleazar the son of Aaron, took to him from the daughters of Putiel, for a wife; and she will bare to him Phinehas: these the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their tribes.
And he said to Moses, Come up to Jehovah, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy from the old men of Israel; and worship from far off.
And the cities of the Levites, the houses of the cities of their possession, redemption shall be always to the Levites.
And their watches, the ark, and the table, and the chandelier, and the altar, and the vessels of the holy place which they shall serve in them, and the covering and all its works.
And Aaron and his sons finished to cover the holy place, and all the vessels of the holy place, in removing the camp; and after this the sons of Kohath shall come forth to lift up: and they shall not touch the holy place, and die. These the lifting up of the sons of Kohath in the tent of appointment
Take the head of the sons of Gershon, them also according to the house of their fathers, according to their families; From the son of thirty years and above, even to the son of fifty years, thou shalt review them; all going, to war the warfare, to serve the service in the tent of appointment
From the son of thirty years and above, even to the son of fifty years, thou shalt review them; all going, to war the warfare, to serve the service in the tent of appointment This the service from the families of the Gershonites, for service, and for lifting up: read more. And they lifted up the curtains of the dwelling and the tent of appointment, its covering, and the covering of tahash which is upon it from above, and the covering of the door of the tent of appointment And the curtains of the enclosure, and the covering of the door of the gate of the enclosure which is by the dwelling and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the vessels of their service, and all which shall be made for them: and they shall serve.
From the son of thirty years and above, and even to the son of fifty years, thou shalt review them all going forth to war, to serve the service of the tent of appointment
From the son of thirty years and above, even to the son of fifty years, all going forth to war, to the service in the tent of appointment
And from the son of fifty years, he shall turn back from the warfare of the service, and shall serve no more. And he served with his brethren in the tent of appointment, to watch the watches, and he shall work no work. Thus shalt thou do to the Levites in their watches.
And to the sons of Levi, behold, I gave all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for their services which they served, the service of the tent of appointment
For the tenth of the sons of Israel which they shall lift up to Jehovah, an offering I gave to the Levites to inherit: for this I said to them, In the midst of the sons of Israel they shall not inherit an inheritance.
And to the Levites thou shalt speak and say to them, When ye shall take from the sons of Israel the truth which I gave to you from them for your inheritance, and ye lifted up an offering of Jehovah, a tenth from the tenth.
Command the sons of Israel, and they gave to the Levites from the inhentance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and areas to the cities round about them shall ye give to the Levites
Command the sons of Israel, and they gave to the Levites from the inhentance of their possession, cities to dwell in; and areas to the cities round about them shall ye give to the Levites
Watch to thyself lest thou, shalt forsake the Levite all thy days upon the earth.
And give the silver for all which thy soul shall desire, in cattle and in sheep, and in wine, and in strong drink, and in all thy soul shall ask thee: and eat there before Jehovah thy God, and rejoice, thou, and thine house. And the Levite that is in thy gates thou shalt not forsake him; for to him no portion and inheritance with thee. read more. From the end of three years thou shalt bring all the tenth of thy produce in that year, and place thou it in thy gates:
And thou didst go to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge which shall be in those days, and seek out; and they shall announce to thee the word of judgment And thou shalt do according to the mouth of the word which they shall announce to thee from that place which Jehovah shall choose; and thou shalt watch to do according to all which they shall shew thee: read more. According to the mouth of the precept which they shall shew thee, and according to the judgment which they shall say to thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not turn aside from the word which they shall announce to thee, to the right, and to the left And the man which shall do in pride not to hear to the priest, he standing to serve there Jehovah thy God, or to the judge, and that man shall die: and put thou away evil from Israel
And rejoice in all the good that Jehovah thy God gave to thee and to thy house, thou and the Levite and the stranger which is in the midst of them. When thou shalt finish to tithe all the tenth part of thy produce, in the third year the year of the tenth part, and thou gavest it to the Levite and to the stranger and to the orphan and to the widow, and they ate in thy gates and were satisfied.
Take the book of this law and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and it was there for a witness against thee.
And Moses will speak in the ears of all the gathering of Israel the words of this song till he finished them.
And they will command the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests the Levites lifting it up, and ye shall remove from your place and go after it.
And Joshua will give them in that day hewing wood and drawing water for the assembly and for the altar of Jehovah till this day, to the place which he shall choose.
And the sons of Israel will give to the Levites out of their inheritance at the mouth of Jehovah these cities and their areas.
All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel, forty and eight cities and their areas
These the sons of Levi for the house of their fathers: the heads of the fathers for their reviewing by the number of names to their craniums doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from the son of twenty years and above. For David said, Jehovah God of Israel caused rest to his people, and they will dwell in Jerusalem forever; read more. And also to the Levites: not to lift up the dwelling and all its vessels for its service. For by the last words of David these the number of the sons of Levi from the son of twenty years and above. For from their station at the hand of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah, upon the enclosures and upon the cells and for the cleansing to all the holy place and the works of the service of the house of God. And for the bread of the arrangement, and for the fine flour for the gift, and for the thin cakes unleavened, and for the pan, and for the mingling, and for all measure and extension. And to stand in the morning by morning to confess and to praise to Jehovah, and so at evening. And to bring up for all burnt-offerings to Jehovah for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, and for the appointments by number, according to the judgment upon them, always before Jehovah And they watched the watches of the tent of appointment, and the watches of the holy place, and the watches of the sons of Aaron, their brethren for the service of the house of Jehovah.
And David will separate, and the chiefs of the army, for service to the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, prophesying with harps, with lyres and with cymbals: and there will be their number of men of work for their service.
And David will separate, and the chiefs of the army, for service to the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, prophesying with harps, with lyres and with cymbals: and there will be their number of men of work for their service.
For the divisions to the gates. To the Korahites, Meshelemiah, the son of Kora from the sons of Asaph.
And the priests and the Levites which were in all Israel stood forth to him from all their bound. For the Levites forsook their areas and their possession, and they will come to Judah and to Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons rejected them from being priest to Jehovah:
And the first-fruits of our groats and our oblations, and the fruits of every tree, new wine and new oil we shall bring to the priests to the cells of the house of our God; and the tenth of our lands to the Levites, and these Levites giving tenths in all the cities of our work.
And the priests the Levites, sons of Zadok, who watched the watches of my holy place in the going astray of the sons of Israel from me, they shall draw near to me to serve me, and they stood before me to bring near to me the fat and the blood, says the Lord Jehovah:
Watsons
LEVITES. Under this name may be comprised all the descendants of Levi; but it principally denotes those who were employed in the lowest ministries of the temple, by which they were distinguished from the priests, who, being descended from Aaron, were likewise of the race of Levi by Kohath, but were employed in higher offices. The Levites were descendants of Levi, by Gershom, Kohath, and Merari, excepting the family of Aaron; for the children of Moses had no part in the priesthood, and were only common Levites. God chose the Levites instead of the first-born of all Israel, for the service of his tabernacle and temple, Nu 3:6, &c. They obeyed the priests in the ministrations of the temple, and brought to them wood, water, and other things necessary for the sacrifices. They sung and played on instruments, in the temple, &c; they studied the law, and were the ordinary judges of the country, but subordinate to the priests. God provided for the subsistence of the Levites, by giving them the tithe of corn, fruit, and cattle; but they paid to the priests the tenth of their tithes; and as the Levites possessed no estates in the land, the tithes which the priests received from them were looked upon as the first-fruits which they were to offer to the Lord, Nu 18:21-24. God assigned them for their habitations forty-eight cities, with fields, pastures, and gardens, Numbers 35. Of these thirteen were given to the priests, six of which were cities of refuge, Jos 20:7; 21:19-20, &c. While the Levites were actually employed in the temple, they were subsisted out of the provisions in store there, and out of the daily offerings there made; and if any Levite quitted the place of his abode, to serve the temple, even out of the time of his half-yearly or weekly waiting, he was received there, kept and provided for, in like manner as his other brethren, who were regularly in waiting, De 18:6-8. The consecration of Levites was without much ceremony. They wore no particular habit to distinguish them from the other Israelites, and God ordained nothing particularly for their mourning, 2Ch 29:34. The manner of their consecration may be seen in Nu 8:5-7, &c.
Josephus says, that in the reign of Agrippa, king of the Jews, about A.D. 62, six years before the destruction of the temple by the Romans, the Levites desired permission from that prince to wear the linen tunic like the priests; and this was granted. This innovation was displeasing to the priests; and the Jewish historian remarks, that the ancient customs of the country were never forsaken with impunity. He adds, that Agrippa permitted likewise the families of the Levites, whose duty it was to guard the doors, and perform other troublesome offices, to learn to sing and play on instruments, that they might be qualified for the temple service as musicians. The Levites were divided into different classes: Gershonites, Kohathites, Merarites, and Aaronites or priests, Numbers 3, &c. The Gershonites, whose number was seven thousand five hundred, were employed in the marches through the wilderness in carrying the veils and curtains of the tabernacle; the Kohathites, whose number was eight thousand six hundred, in carrying the ark and sacred vessels of the tabernacle; the Merarites, whose number was six thousand two hundred, in carrying the several pieces of the tabernacle which could not be placed upon the chariots; and the Aaronites were the priests who served the sanctuary. When the Hebrews encamped in the wilderness, the Levites were placed around the tabernacle; Moses and Aaron at the east, Gershon at the west, Kohath at the south, and Merari at the north. Moses ordained that the Levites should not begin in the service of the tabernacle till they were five-and-twenty years of age, Nu 8:24-26; or, as he says elsewhere, from thirty to fifty years old, Nu 4:3. But David, finding that they were no longer employed in these grosser offices of transporting the vessels of the tabernacle, appointed them to enter on service at the temple at twenty years of age. The priests and Levites waited by turns, weekly, in the temple. They began their weeks on one Sabbath day, and on the Sabbath day in the following week went out of waiting, 1Ch 23:24; 2Ch 21:17; Ezr 3:8. When an Israelite made a religious entertainment in the temple, God required that the Levites should be invited to it, De 12:18-19.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Bring near the tribe of Levi, and make it stand before Aaron the priest; and they served him.
From the son of thirty years and above, and to the son of fifty years, all coming in to war to do the works of the tent of appointment
And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, Take the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and cleanse them. read more. And thus thou shalt do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle upon them the water of sin, and they caused a razor to pass over upon all their flesh, and they washed their garments, and they were cleansed.
This is that to the Levites: from the son of five and twenty years and above, and he came in to war the warfare in serving the tent of appointment And from the son of fifty years, he shall turn back from the warfare of the service, and shall serve no more. read more. And he served with his brethren in the tent of appointment, to watch the watches, and he shall work no work. Thus shalt thou do to the Levites in their watches.
And to the sons of Levi, behold, I gave all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance for their services which they served, the service of the tent of appointment And the sons of Israel shall no more come near the tent of appointment, to bear sin and to die. read more. And it is the Levite serving the service of the tent of appointment, and they shall bear their iniquity a law forever to your generations, and in the midst of the sons of Israel they shall not inherit an inheritance. For the tenth of the sons of Israel which they shall lift up to Jehovah, an offering I gave to the Levites to inherit: for this I said to them, In the midst of the sons of Israel they shall not inherit an inheritance.
But before Jehovah thy God thou shalt eat it, in the place which Jehovah thy God shall choose in it, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy servant, and thy maid, and the Levite which is in thy gates: and rejoice thou before Jehovah thy God in all the stretching forth of thy hand. Watch to thyself lest thou, shalt forsake the Levite all thy days upon the earth.
And when the Levite shall come from one of thy gates from all Israel where he sojourned there, and he came with all the desire of his soul to the place which Jehovah shall choose: And serving in the name of Jehovah his God as all his brethren the Levites standing there before Jehovah. read more. Portion according to portion shall they eat, besides his sellings according to the fathers.
And they will consecrate Kadesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and the city of Arba (this in Hebron) in mount Judah.
All the cities of the sons of Aaron the priests, thirteen cities and their areas. And to the families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites remaining from the sons of Kohath, and there will be the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim.
These the sons of Levi for the house of their fathers: the heads of the fathers for their reviewing by the number of names to their craniums doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from the son of twenty years and above.
Only the priests were for fewness and they could not slaughter all the burnt-offerings: and their brethren the Levites will strengthen them till the finishing of the work, and till the priests shall consecrate themselves: for the Levites being upright of heart to consecrate themselves more than the priests.
And in the second year to their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Joshua son of Josedek, and the remainder of their brethren the priests, and the Levites, and all those coming from the captivity to Jerusalem; and they will cause the Levites to stand up, from the son of twenty years and above, to superintend over the works of the house of Jehovah.