Reference: Merari, Merarites
Hastings
1. The third son of Levi, to whom a division of the Levites traced their descent (Ge 46:11; Ex 6:16; Nu 3:17; 1Ch 6:1,16; 23:6. The title 'Merarites' is found only in Nu 26:57; elsewhere they are called 'sons of Merari' (Ex 6:19; Nu 3:20; 4:29,33,42,46; 7:8; 10:17; Jos 21:7,34,39; 1Ch 6:19,29,44,63,77; 9:14; 15:6,17; 23:21; 24:27; 26:19; 2Ch 29:12; Ezr 8:19). They were subdivided into two groups, the Mahlites and the Mushites (Nu 3:33; 26:58), each being traced to a 'son' of Merari (Ex 6:19; Nu 3:20; 1Ch 6:19,29,17; 23:21). From these families fragments of genealogies remain, some branches being traced through the daughters of Mahli (see 1Ch 23:2).
Very little is related of the Merarites after the Exile. Certain Merarites are mentioned in 1Ch 9:14,16-18 = Ne 11:15,17-19 as dwelling in Jerusalem immediately after the Return, and certain others as accompanying Ezra to the city in 454 b.c. (Ezr 8:18 f.). But Priestly Narrative and the Chronicler introduce the family into the earlier history. (1) During the desert wanderings the Merarites were on the north side of the Tent (Nu 3:35); their duty was to carry the less sacred parts of it, the 'boards' (or rather frames), pegs, cords, etc. (Nu 3:38 f., Nu 4:31 f., Nu 10:17), for which they were given four waggons and eight oxen (Nu 7:8); and they were superintended by Ithamar, the youngest son of Aaron (Nu 4:33). (2) After the settlement in Palestine, twelve cities were assigned to them (Jos 21:7,34-40 = 1Ch 6:63,77-81). (3) In David's reign the Chronicler relates that the Temple music was superintended partly by Ethan, or Jeduthun, a Merarite, and his family (1Ch 6:44-47; 16:41 f., 1Ch 25:1,3,6,11,16,18,21 f.; and see 1Ch 15:6,17-19). David divided the Levites into courses 'according to the sons of Levi' (1Ch 23:8; Merarites, 1Ch 23:21-24,26-30), and particular offices of certain Merarites are detailed in 1Ch 26:10-13,16-18. (4) They took part in the cleansing of the Temple under Hezekiah (2Ch 29:12,14). Cf. also art. Kohath.
2. The father of Judith (Jdt 8:1; Jdt 16:7).
A. H. M'Neile.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, these, are the names of the sons of Levi by their generations, Gershon, and Kohath and Merari, And, the years of the life of Levi, were a hundred and thirty-seven years.
And the sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi. These, are the families of the Levites by their generations.
And the sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi. These, are the families of the Levites by their generations.
And the sons of Merari by their families, Mahli and Mushi. These, are they - the families of the Levites by their ancestral houses.
And the sons of Merari by their families, Mahli and Mushi. These, are they - the families of the Levites by their ancestral houses.
To Merari, belonged the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites, - these, are they - the families of Merari.
And the prince of the ancestral house of the families of Merari, was Zuriel son of Abihail, - on the side of the habitation, were they to encamp northward.
But, they who were to encamp before the habitation eastwards before the tent of meeting, towards sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons. to keep the charge of the sanctuary, as the charge of the sons of Israel and, the stranger that came near, was to be put to death.
As for the sons of Merari, - by their families by their ancestral house, shall ye number them;
And, this, shall be their charge of the burdens, to the extent of all their labour in the ten of meeting, the boards of the habitation, and the bars thereof and he pillars thereof and the sockets thereof:
This, shall be the labour of the families of the sons of Merari, to the extent of all their labour in the tent of meeting, - in the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron, the priest.
This, shall be the labour of the families of the sons of Merari, to the extent of all their labour in the tent of meeting, - in the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron, the priest.
And they who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families by their ancestral house;
All they who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel did number, even the Levites, by their families and by their ancestral house;
and four of the waggons, and eight of the oxen, gave he unto the sons of Merari, - according to the need of their laborious work, in the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest;
and four of the waggons, and eight of the oxen, gave he unto the sons of Merari, - according to the need of their laborious work, in the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest;
Then was taken down the habitation, - and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward bearing the habitation.
Then was taken down the habitation, - and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward bearing the habitation.
And these, are they who were numbered of the Levites by their families, To Gershon, pertained the family of the Gershonites, To Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; To Merari, the family of the Merarites. These, are the families of Levi - The family of the Libnites, The family of the Hebronites, The family of the Mahlites, The family of the Mushites, The family of the Korahites, - And, Kohath, begat Amram;
The sons of Merari, by their families, had - out of the tribe of Reuben and out of the tribe of Gad and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
The sons of Merari, by their families, had - out of the tribe of Reuben and out of the tribe of Gad and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
And, unto the families of the sons of Merari, the Levites that remained, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam, with her pasture land, - Kartah, with her pasture land;
And, unto the families of the sons of Merari, the Levites that remained, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam, with her pasture land, - Kartah, with her pasture land; Dimnah, with her pasture land, Nahalal, with her pasture land, - four cities. read more. And, out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, with her pasture land, - and Jahaz, with her pasture land; Kedemoth, with her pasture land and Mephaath, with her pasture land, - four cities. And, out of the tribe of Gad, a city of refuge for the manslayer - even Ramoth in Gilead, with her pasture land, - and Mahanaim, with her pasture land; Heshbon, with her pasture land, Jazer, with her pasture land, - in all, four cities.
Heshbon, with her pasture land, Jazer, with her pasture land, - in all, four cities. All the cities for the sons of Merari, by their families, who remained of the families of the Levites, yea their lot was, twelve, cities.
And, the sons of Merari, their brethren, on the left hand, Ethan son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch; - son of Hashabiah, son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah, - read more. son of Amzi, son of Bani, son o Shemer; - son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi.
And, unto seas of Merari, by their families - out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, by lot twelve cities.
Unto the rest of the sons of Merari - out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmono, with her pasture lands, - Tabor, with her pasture lands. And, beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east of the Jordan - out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness, with her pasture lands, - and Jahzah, with her pasture lands; read more. and Kedemoth, with her pasture lands, and Mephaath, with her pasture lands. And, out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead, with her pasture lands, - and Mahanaim, with her pasture lands; and Heshbon, with her pasture lands, and Jazer, with her pasture lands.
And, of the Levites, Shemaiah, son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari;
and Obadiah, son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun, - and Berechiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites. And, the keepers of the gates, were Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, - and their brethren - Shallum the chief; read more. and, hitherto, they were in the gate of the king, eastward, - the same, were the keepers of the gate, for the camps of the sons of Levi.
So the Levites caused to stand, Heman son of Joel, and, of his brethren, Asaph, son of Berechiah, - and, of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan, son of Kushaiah; and, with them, their brethren of the second degree, - Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu, and Mickneiah, and Obed-edom and Jeiel, the door-keepers. read more. And, the singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan, with cymbals of bronze, were to sound aloud;
and, with them, Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest of the chosen ones, who were distinguished by name, - to give thanks unto Yahweh, For, age-abiding, is his lovingkindness!
The sons of Merari, were Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli, were Eleazar and Kish. But Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters only, - and so the sons of Kish their brethren took them. read more. The sons of Mushi, were Mahli and Eder and Jeremoth, three. These, were the sons of Levi by their ancestral house, the ancestral chiefs of them who were counted in the number of their names, by their polls, doing the work, for the service of the house of Yahweh, - from twenty years old, and upwards.
moreover also, as for the Levites, they have no need to bear the habitation, nor any of its vessels in the laborious work thereof. For, by the last words of David, the same, were the number of the sons of Levi, - from twenty years old, and upwards. read more. For, their duty, was - to be in attendance upon the sons of Aaron, in the laborious work of the house of Yahweh, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the purifying of everything holy, - and doing the laborious work, of the house of God; and for the bread set in array, and for the fine meal for the meal-offering, and for the unleavened cakes, even for that which is baked in a pan, for the moistened food, - even of every measure, and size; and to stand, morning by morning, to give thanks and offer praise unto Yahweh, - and, likewise, at even;
And David and the captains of the host set apart for service, unto the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, such as should prophesy, with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals, - and, the number of the workers, for their service, was:
Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun, - Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah - six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, with the lyre, as he prophesied, in giving thanks and offering praise unto Yahweh.
All these, were under the direction of their father, in the singing of the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God, - Asaph and Jeduthun and Heman, under the direction of the king.
And, Hosah of the sons of Merari, had sons, - Shimri the chief, for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father, made him, chief. Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth, - all the sons and brethren of Hosah, were thirteen. read more. To these, belonged the courses of door-keepers, to the chiefs of the strong men, belonged charges, equally with their brethren, - to be in attendance in the house of Yahweh. Yea they east lots, as the small so the great, by their ancestral house, for every several gate.
To Shuppim and to Hosah, westward, near the refuse-gate, in the causeway that goeth up, - one ward as well as another. Eastward - daily, were six, - northward - daily, four, southward - daily, four, and, for the stores, two and two. read more. For the precinct - westward, four, at the causeway, two - by the precinct.
Then arose the Levites - Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites, and, of the sons of Merari, Kish son of Abdi, and Azariah son of Jehallelel, - and, of the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah, and Eden son of Joah;
and, of the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei, - and, of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah, and Uzziel;
So they brought unto us, according to the good hand of our God upon us, a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, - and Sherebiah, and his sons and his brethren, eighteen; and Hashabiah, and, with him, Jeshaiah, of the sons of Merari, - his brethren and their sons, twenty;
And, of the Levites, Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni;
and Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, leader of the praise who giveth thanks, in prayer, and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, - and Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. All the Levites in the holy city, were two hundred and eighty-four. read more. And, the door-keepers - Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren who were keeping watch in the gates, were a hundred and seventy-two.
Smith
Mer'ari, Mer'arites
(bitter, unhappy), third son of Levi and head of the third great division of the Levites, the Merarites.
At the time of the exodus and the numbering in the wilderness, the Merarites consisted of two families, the Mahlites and the Mushites, Mahli and Mushi being either the two sons of the son and grandson of Merari.
Their chief at that time was Zuriel. Their charge was the cords of the tabernacle and the court, and all the tools connected with setting them up. In the division of the land by Joshua, the merarites had twelve cities assigned to them, out of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.
Jos 21:7,34-40; 1Ch 6:63,77-81
In the days of Hezekiah the Merarites were still flourishing.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Now, these, are the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt - Jacob and his sons, - the firstborn of Jacob, Reuben:
The sons of Merari, by their families, had - out of the tribe of Reuben and out of the tribe of Gad and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
And, unto the families of the sons of Merari, the Levites that remained, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam, with her pasture land, - Kartah, with her pasture land; Dimnah, with her pasture land, Nahalal, with her pasture land, - four cities. read more. And, out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, with her pasture land, - and Jahaz, with her pasture land; Kedemoth, with her pasture land and Mephaath, with her pasture land, - four cities. And, out of the tribe of Gad, a city of refuge for the manslayer - even Ramoth in Gilead, with her pasture land, - and Mahanaim, with her pasture land; Heshbon, with her pasture land, Jazer, with her pasture land, - in all, four cities. All the cities for the sons of Merari, by their families, who remained of the families of the Levites, yea their lot was, twelve, cities.
The sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi. And, these, are the families of Levi by their fathers:
Then arose the Levites - Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites, and, of the sons of Merari, Kish son of Abdi, and Azariah son of Jehallelel, - and, of the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah, and Eden son of Joah;