Levi in the Bible

he gave this charge to the descendants of Levi who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD:

And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;

“O Lord, bless Levi’s substance (ability),
And accept and take pleasure in the work of his hands;
Crush and shatter the loins of those who rise up against him,
And of those who hate him, so that they do not rise again.”

Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.

But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.

since Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe across the Jordan River. However, he did not give an inheritance to the descendants of Levi who lived among them,

since the descendants of Joseph constituted two tribes Manasseh and Ephraim. They did not allot a portion to the descendants of Levi in the land, since they were given cities to live in, along with pastures for their livestock and property.

The descendants of Levi have no allotment among you, since the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh received their inheritance to the east, beyond the Jordan River given to them by Moses the servant of the LORD."

Then the family leaders of the descendants of Levi approached Eleazar the priest and Nun's son Joshua, along with the family leaders of the people of Israel.

So, just as the Lord had said, the Israelis set aside cities for the descendants of Levi from a portion of their own inheritances, along with their grazing lands.

The lottery went to the families of the descendants of Kohath. So the descendants of Aaron the priest, who were descendants of Levi, received thirteen cities by random lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

The Israelis apportioned these cities, along with their pasture lands, to the descendants of Levi by random lot, just as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot.

Cities from the tribe of Ephraim were also allotted to the families of the descendants of Kohath, that is, to the rest of the descendants of Kohath, who were descendants of Levi.

From the tribe of Zebulun were allocated to the descendants of Merari (that is, the rest of the descendants of Levi) Jokneam with its pasture lands, Kartah with its pasture lands,

So the entire allocation to the descendants of Merari (that is, the rest of the families of the descendants of Levi) according to their families totaled twelve cities.

All of the cities of the descendants of Levi that had been set apart among the territorial possession of the Israelis totaled 48, along with their pasture lands.

A young male descendant of Levi happened to be visiting there from Bethlehem in the territory of Judah.

Micah asked him, "Where did you come from?" He replied, "I'm a descendant of Levi from Bethlehem in Judah, and I'm going to stay temporarily wherever I can find a place."

So Micah replied, "Come live with me! You can be a spiritual father to me, as well as a priest. I'll pay you ten silver coins a year, plus a priestly uniform and an income." So the descendant of Levi moved in.

The descendant of Levi agreed to live with the man, and the young man became like one of the family.

Micah set up the descendant of Levi in ministry, and the young man became his priest while he lived in Micah's house.

As for Micah, he kept saying, "Now I know the LORD will make me rich, because I have a descendant of Levi for a priest!"

As they approached Micah's home, they recognized the voice of the young male descendant of Levi. They turned aside from there and spoke to him, asking him, "Who brought you here? What work are you doing here? And what's your business here?"

Now it happened in those days, before there was a king in Israel, that a certain male descendant of Levi, who lived in a remote part of the mountainous region of Ephraim, took a mistress for himself from Bethlehem in the territory of Judah.

On the fourth day, they got up early that morning, and the descendant of Levi got ready to leave. Then the young woman's father-in-law told him, "Fortify yourself by eating some food before you go."

But the men were unwilling to listen to him. So the descendant of Levi grabbed his mistress, took her out to them, and they raped and tortured her all night until morning. Then they released her as the first daylight was beginning to appear.

So the descendant of Levi, the husband of the murdered woman, spoke up and replied, "I came to spend the night at Gibeah, which is part of Benjamin, along with my mistress.

The descendants of Levi took down the Ark of the LORD, along with the box that was with it, containing the objects of gold, and they put them on the large stone. The men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and made sacrifices to the LORD that day.

Meanwhile, Zadok showed up also, along with all of the descendants of Levi with him, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God and Abiathar approached while all the people finished abandoning the city.

and brought it, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy implements that were in the tent. The priests and descendants of Levi carried them up to Jerusalem.

He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

These [are] the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,

The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. And these are the families of Levi according to their fathers.

These are the clans of the descendants of Levi according to their ancestry: Gershom's clan included his son Libni, his son Jahath, his son Zimmah,

son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel;

son of Jahath, son of Gershom, son of Levi.

son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi.

along with their relatives, descendants of Levi who had been appointed for all the service of the tent of the Temple of God.

So the people of Israel gave the descendants of Levi the towns with their surrounding suburbs,

The first to settle on their own property in their own towns of Israel were priests, descendants of Levi, and the Temple Servants.

From the descendants of Levi there was Hasshub's son Shemaiah, who was the grandson of Azrikam, who was fathered by Hashabiah, from the descendants of Merari;

And they have been hitherto in the king's gate eastward: they were the doorkeepers in the camps of the children of Levi.

because the four senior gatekeepers (who were descendants of Levi) had been placed in charge of the chambers and the treasury of the Temple of God.

Mattithiah, a descendant of Levi and firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was in charge of making the offering cakes.

These singers, leaders of ancestral households of the descendants of Levi, were living in the chambers of the Temple. Freed from other service responsibilities, they were on duty day and night.

These leaders of the descendants of Levi, enrolled according to their genealogies, lived in Jerusalem.

Of the children of Levi four thousand six hundred.

Then he addressed the entire community of Israel, "If it seems good to you and something from the Lord our God, let's spread word to all of our relatives who remain throughout the entire land of Israel, including the priests and descendants of Levi in the cities and pasture lands, so they can gather together with us.

Then David ordered that the Ark of God was to be carried by no one except the descendants of Levi, because the LORD had chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to serve him forever.

David also assembled the descendants of Aaron, who were descendants of Levi,

Then David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, along with the descendants of Levi Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab

So the priests and descendants of Levi set themselves apart to carry the ark of the LORD God of Israel.

The descendants of Levi carried the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, just as Moses had ordered according to the divine command.

David also told the leaders of the descendants of Levi to appoint their relatives as singers, to play musical instruments such as harps, lyres, and cymbals, and to keep sounding aloud with joyful voices.

So the descendants of Levi appointed Joel's son Heman, his relative Berechiah's son Asaph, as well as certain relatives of Merari's sons, including Kushaiah's son Ethan,

Chenaniah, music leader for the descendants of Levi, served as music director, because he was expert at it.

As God helped the descendants of Levi who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.

David wore a robe made from fine linen, as did all of the descendants of Levi who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music and choir director. David also wore a linen ephod.

In the presence of the ark of the LORD, he appointed some of the descendants of Levi to minister continually by remembering, giving thanks, and praising the LORD God of Israel.

Later David left the presence of the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD so Asaph and his fellow descendants of Levi could serve the ark there continually each day, doing whatever was required.

But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the count because the king’s command was detestable to him.

David then gathered together all of the leaders of Israel, including the priests and descendants of Levi.

descendants of Levi 30 years old and above were counted for a total of 38,000.

Then David divided them into divisions according to Levi’s sons: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.

These were the sons of Levi by their ancestral houses—the heads of families, according to their registration by name in the headcount—20 years old or more, who worked in the service of the Lord’s temple.

Therefore the descendants of Levi are no longer to carry the Tent or its service implements."

For by the last words of David, they [are] the number of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and above.

Nethanel's son Shemaiah, a Levitical scribe, made an official record of them for the king, the officers, Zadok the priest, Abiathar's son Ahimelech, and the heads of ancestral households of both the priests and the descendants of Levi. One ancestral house was chosen for Eleazar and one for Ithamar.

As for the rest of Levi’s sons:
from Amram’s sons: Shubael;
from Shubael’s sons: Jehdeiah.

The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder and Jerimoth. These are of the children of Levi in the households of their fathers.

These individuals also cast lots corresponding to their relatives, Aaron's descendants, in the presence of King David, Zadok, and Ahimelech, and in the presence of the heads of the ancestral households of the priests and of the descendants of Levi, and the eldest was treated as impartially as was the younger brother.

Each guard corresponding to each guard, on the east six descendants of Levi were assigned for each day, on the north four for each day, on the south four for each day (as well as two pairs of guards assigned to the storehouse),

Now with respect to the descendants of Levi, Ahijah was responsible for the treasuries of the Temple of God, including the treasuries containing dedicated gifts.

For Levi: Hashabiah the son of Kemuel. For Aaron, Zadok.

for use by the ranks of priests and descendants of Levi, for all the work of service responsibilities in the Temple of the LORD, and for all of the utensils used in the work of the Temple of the LORD.

Now look! Here are the ranks of the priests and the descendants of Levi for the entire service of the Temple of God, and in all of the work there will be all types of volunteers who have skills for anything needed for the services. Furthermore, the officers and all of the people will be at your complete command."

As soon as all of Israel's elders had arrived, the descendants of Levi lifted the ark

All the musicians who were descendants of Levi, including Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and relatives wore linen and played cymbals and stringed instruments as they stood east of the altar. Accompanied by 120 priests who played trumpets,

The priests stood in waiting at their assigned places, along with the descendants of Levi who carried musical instruments used in service to the LORD that King David had made for giving thanks to the LORD because his gracious love is eternal whenever David, accompanied by priests sounding trumpets, offered praises while all of Israel stood in the assembly.

Following proscriptions laid down by his father David, Solomon appointed divisions of priests for their service as well as descendants of Levi for duties of praise and ministry before the priests consistent with the daily rules. Furthermore, because David, the man of God, had commanded it, Solomon also appointed gatekeepers to serve by divisions at every gate of the Temple.

They scrupulously adhered to the orders issued by the king to the priests and descendants of Levi in everything, including matters pertaining to operation of the treasuries.

The priests and descendants of Levi throughout Israel also supported him in their districts,

because the descendants of Levi left their pasture lands and their property to live in Judah and Jerusalem, since Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from participating in priestly services to the LORD.

As a result, anyone from all of the tribes of Israel who was determined to seek the LORD God of Israel followed the descendants of Levi to Jerusalem so they could sacrifice to the LORD God of their ancestors,

Haven't you already driven away the LORD's priests, the descendants of Aaron and the descendants of Levi? Haven't you established your own priests like the people of other lands?

"Now as far as we're concerned, the LORD is our God, and we haven't abandoned him. The descendants of Aaron are ministering to the LORD as priests, and the descendants of Levi continue their work.

They were accompanied by the descendants of Levi, including Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah. These descendants of Levi were accompanied by the priests Elishama and Jehoram.

In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat also appointed certain descendants of Levi, priests, and family leaders of Israel to render verdicts for the LORD and to decide difficult cases. Their offices were in Jerusalem.

Take notice, please, that Amariah the Chief Priest is presiding over all cases that pertain to the LORD, Ishmael's son Zebadiah is presiding as ruler of the household of Judah with respect to all cases that pertain to the national government, and the descendants of Levi will preside over your other civil cases. Serve courageously, and the LORD will be with the upright."

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Zechariah's son Jahaziel, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a descendant of Levi from the descendants of Asaph in the middle of the assembly, and he said:

Descendants of Levi from the descendants of Kohath and from the descendants of Korah stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel in a very loud voice that ascended to heaven.

They traveled throughout Judah and gathered together the descendants of Levi from all the cities of Judah, along with the Israeli family leaders.

"Look! The king's son is going to rule, just as the LORD promised David's descendants. So here's what you'll need to do: One third of you priests and descendants of Levi who are on duty during the Sabbath will serve as guards at the temple gates.

Another third of you priests and descendants of Levi will take your places in the royal palace, while another third of you priests and descendants of Levi will stand near the Foundation Gate. The rest of you will remain in the courtyard of the LORD's Temple.

Nobody is to enter the LORD's Temple except for the priests and descendants of Levi who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially holy, but all the rest of the people must observe the LORD's instructions.

The descendants of Levi will surround the king, brandishing weapons in their hands, and anybody who enters the Temple will be killed. Stay near the king wherever he enters and leaves."