Reference: Kohath, Kohathites
Hastings
Although the origin of the name Levi is doubtful, and scholars are still uncertain whether or not it was the name of a tribe before 'Levite' was a descriptive term denoting one who was trained in priestly duties, there is no doubt that the term 'Levite' had this meaning as early as the period of the Judges (see Jg 17:7-8,13). And in process of time every member of the Levitical or priestly 'caste' traced his descent through one line or another to Levi. These genealogies must have been in the making before the Exile, but were afterwards stereotyped and reduced to system by the priestly school. The name Kohath is found nowhere except in Priestly Narrative and Chronicles. The three main divisions of Levites bore the names of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, and these are accordingly given as the names of the 'sons' of Levi (Ge 46:11; Ex 6:16; Nu 3:17; 1Ch 6:1,16; 23:6). The second division is described either as 'the Kohathites' (Nu 3:27,30; 4:18,34,37; 10:21; 26:57; Jos 21:4,11; 1Ch 6:33,54; 9:32; 2Ch 20:18; 29:12) or 'the sons of Kohath' (Ex 6:18; Nu 3:19,29; 4/2/type/leb'>4:2,4,15; 7:9; Jos 21:5,20,26; 1Ch 6:2,18,22,61,66,70; 15:5; 23:12). These were subdivided into four groups, the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites (Nu 3:27), each being traced to a son of Kohath (Ex 6:18; Nu 3:19; 1Ch 6:2,18; 23:12). From these families fragments of genealogies remain. Amram is of peculiar importance, because his children were Aaron and Moses (Ex 6:20; 1Ch 23:13-17); and Korah, a son of Izhar, was notorious in priestly tradition (Nu 16). See Korah, Dathan, Abiram.
The importance of these families after the Exile was small, with the exception of the priests who traced their descent from Aaron. Some Kohathites are named as appointed to humble offices (1Ch 9:10,8 f., Ezr 2:42; Ne 12:25). But the tendency of the period to idealize ancient history led the Prlestly writers, including the Chronicler, to construct narratives in which the eponymous ancestors of the Levitical families played a prominent part; see 1Ch 9:19. (1) During the desert wanderings the Kohathites were on the south side of the Tent (Nu 3:30), and they carried the screen of the sanctuary and its furniture, after it had been prepared for travel by the greatest of all the descendants of Kohath
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And these [are] the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogies: Gershon and Kohath and Merari, and the years of the life of Levi [were] {one hundred and thirty-seven years}.
And the sons of Kohath [are] Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel, and the years of the life of Kohath [were] {one hundred and thirty-three years}.
And the sons of Kohath [are] Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel, and the years of the life of Kohath [were] {one hundred and thirty-three years}.
And Amram took Jochebed his aunt for himself as a wife, and she bore for him Aaron and Moses, and the years of the life of Amram [were] {one hundred and thirty-seven years}.
{To Kohath belonged} the clan of Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan [of] the Uzzielites; these [were] the clans of the Kohathites.
{To Kohath belonged} the clan of Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan [of] the Uzzielites; these [were] the clans of the Kohathites.
The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. The leader of {his family} according to the clans of the Kohathites [is] Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
The leader of {his family} according to the clans of the Kohathites [is] Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. Their responsibility [was] the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use.
"{Take a census} of the descendants of Kohath from the midst of the descendants of Levi, according to their clans and {their families},
This [is] the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly, concerning the holiness of the sanctuary:
This [is] the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly, concerning the holiness of the sanctuary: When setting out the camp, Aaron and his sons will go and lower the curtain of the covering and cover with it the ark of the testimony. read more. They will put on it a covering of {fine leather}, and they will spread a cloth of perfect blue over it, and they will place its poles. And over the table of the presence they will spread [out] a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes, and libation bowls, and the pitchers of the libation; and the bread of continuity will be on it. They will spread over it a scarlet cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of {fine leather}, and they will place its poles. They will take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light source, its lamps, a pair of its tongs, its small pans, and all the vessels of its oil with which they attend to it. They will put it and all its vessels inside a covering of {fine leather} and put it on the carrying frame. Over the altar of gold they will spread a blue cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of {fine leather} and place its poles. They will take all the vessels of the cultic service with which they serve in the sanctuary and put [them] on a blue cloth, and they will cover them with a covering of {fine leather}; and they will put [them] on the carrying frame. They will remove the fat-soaked ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it; they will put on it all the vessels with which they serve, the fire pans, forks, shovels, and bowls--all the vessels of the altar. They will spread on it a covering of {fine leather}; and they will place its poles. And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come after to carry [these], but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These [are] the load of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly.
And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come after to carry [these], but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These [are] the load of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly. "Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is to supervise the oil of the light source, the incense, {the regular grain offering}, the oil of anointment, the supervision of all the tabernacle and all that [is] in it, in the sanctuary and in its vessels."
"Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is to supervise the oil of the light source, the incense, {the regular grain offering}, the oil of anointment, the supervision of all the tabernacle and all that [is] in it, in the sanctuary and in its vessels." Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, read more. "You must not cut off the tribe of the clan of the Kohathites from the midst of the Levites.
"You must not cut off the tribe of the clan of the Kohathites from the midst of the Levites.
And Moses and Aaron mustered the leaders of the community according to the house of {their families},
These [were] those counted of the clans of the Kohathites, everyone who served in the tent of assembly whom Moses and Aaron mustered according to {the command} of Yahweh by the hand of Moses.
But to the descendants of Kohath he did not give [anything] because the work of the sanctuary they carried upon them on their shoulders.
But to the descendants of Kohath he did not give [anything] because the work of the sanctuary they carried upon them on their shoulders.
The Kohathites, the bearers of the sanctuary, set out, and they set up the tabernacle before they arrived.
The Kohathites, the bearers of the sanctuary, set out, and they set up the tabernacle before they arrived.
These [are] the ones counted of the Levites according to their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites.
The allotment {fell} for the families of the Kohathites. The descendants of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, {received} by lot thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.
The allotment {fell} for the families of the Kohathites. The descendants of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, {received} by lot thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. The remaining descendants of Kohath [received] by lot ten cities from the families of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
And they gave to them Kiriath Arba, [Arba being] the father of Anak (that [is], Hebron), in the hill country of Judah and the pasturelands surrounding it.
Anathoth and its pasturelands, Almon and its pasturelands; four cities. All the cities of the descendants of Aaron the priests, thirteen cities and their pasturelands. read more. For the families of the descendants of Kohath, the remaining Levites of the descendants of Kohath, they [received] the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim.
For the families of the descendants of Kohath, the remaining Levites of the descendants of Kohath, they [received] the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim. They gave them Shechem, the city of refuge [for] the killer, and its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer and its pasturelands, read more. Kibzaim and its pasturelands, and Beth-horon and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and its pasturelands, Gibbethon and its pasturelands, Aijalon and its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon and its pasturelands; four cities. From the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and its pasturelands and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands; two cities. All the cities and their pasturelands for the remaining families of the descendants of Kohath [were] ten.
All the cities and their pasturelands for the remaining families of the descendants of Kohath [were] ten.
There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, from the clan of Judah; he [was] a Levite and [was] dwelling as a foreigner there. And the man went from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to live as a foreigner wherever he could find [a place]. And he came [to] the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, to continue his journey.
And Micah said, "Now I know Yahweh will make me prosperous, because the Levite has become my priest."
Now these [are the men] whom David appointed for {control of singing} in the house of Yahweh where the ark rested. They were ministering with song before the tabernacle of the tent of assembly until Solomon built the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem. And they stood according to their order with respect to their duty. read more. Now these [are] those who served and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, son of Samuel, son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toah, son of Zuph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, son of Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel;
To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah with its pasturelands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasturelands, Hilen with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands, read more. Ashan with its pasturelands, and Beth-Shemesh with its pasturelands. And from the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its pasturelands, Alemeth with its pasturelands, and Anathoth with its pasturelands. All their cities [were] thirteen cities throughout their clans. To the Kohathites who remained from the family of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, [were given] by lot ten cities.
And they gave them the cities of refuge: Shechem with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands, Jokmeam with its pasturelands, Beth-Horon with its pasturelands, read more. Aijalon with its pasturelands, and Gath-Rimmon with its pasturelands. And out of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Aner with its pasturelands, and Bileam with its pasturelands for the remaining the clans of the Kohathites.
Ibneah the son of Jeroham; Elah the son of Uzzi, son of Michri; Meshullam the son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah;
And Shallum the son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, and his kinsmen of the house of his fathers, the Korahites, [were] over the work of the service, the guardians of the entrances to the tent, and their fathers [were] over the camp of Yahweh, guardians of the entrance.
Of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief and two hundred of his brothers.
Of the sons of Elizaphan: Shemaiah the chief and two hundred of his brothers. Of the sons of Hebron: Eliel the chief and eighty of his brothers. read more. Of the sons of Uzziel: Amminadab the chief and one hundred and twelve of his brothers.
So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, and from his brothers, Asaph the son of Berekiah, and from the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
Now the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, [were] to sound bronze cymbals;
And it happened [that] David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the house of Obed-Edom with joy. And it happened [that] when God helped the Levites carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. read more. Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen; so also all the Levites who were carrying the ark, the singers, and Kenaniah the chief of the singing. And David wore a linen ephod. And all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with shouting, with the sound of a shofar, and with trumpets and cymbals, making loud music with musical instruments and stringed instruments. And when the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the city of David, then Michal the daughter of Saul looked down from the window and saw the king, David, leaping and dancing. And she despised him in her heart.
And with them [were] Heman and Jeduthun and the remainder of those chosen, who were designated by name to give thanks to Yahweh, for his loyal love [is] everlasting.
And David organized them [in] divisions according to the sons of Levi: to Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was set apart to consecrate the most holy things. He and his sons [were] to burn offerings forever before Yahweh to serve him and to bless in his name forever. read more. But Moses the man of God [and] his sons were reckoned among the tribe of Levi The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief. And the sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah, the head. And Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief. The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief and Isshiah the second.
And as for the remainder of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief. read more. Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons Shelomoth, Jahath. Of the sons of Jeriah, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. The sons of Uzziel, Micah; the sons of Micah, Shamur. The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.
And David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, [of] Heman, and [of] Jeduthun, who prophesied with stringed instruments, with harps, and with cymbals. And their inventory of the men of the work [and] for their duty was:
Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. All these [were] sons to Heman, the seer of the king, according to the words of God to raise a horn. And God had given to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.
As for the working groups of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, from the sons of Asaph. And Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, read more. Elam the fifth, Jehohana the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. And Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him. And to Shemaiah his son were sons born who [were] rulers in the house of their father, for they [were] mighty warriors of ability. The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers [were] sons of ability, Elihu and Semakiah. All these from the sons of Obed-Edom, they and their sons, and their brothers [were] men of ability with strength for service; sixty-two of Obed-Edom. And Meshelemiah had sons and brothers, sons of ability, eighteen.
These working groups of gatekeepers, corresponding to the chief men, had responsibilities like their brothers to serve in the house of Yahweh. And they cast lots, small and great alike, by their fathers' houses, {for their gates}. read more. And the lot fell to the east to Shelemiah. As for Zechariah his son, {a wise counselor}, they cast lots. And his lot came out for the north. To Obed-Edom [went out] the south, and to his sons, the storehouses.
To the east, six Levites; to the north, four daily; to the south, four daily; and at the storerooms, two [by] two. For the court to the west, four at the road, two at the court. read more. These [were] the working groups of the gatekeepers among the sons of the Korahites and among the sons of Merari.
Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, [and] the Ozzielites: Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, [was] commander over the treasuries. read more. And his brothers: from Eliezer [were] Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zikri his son, and Shelomoth his son. That Shelomoth and his brothers [were] over all the treasuries of the sanctified objects that King David and the heads of the {families} to the commanders of thousands and hundreds and the commanders of the army had dedicated. From the battles and from the spoil they had dedicated [these things] to strengthen the house of Yahweh. And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated--all the dedicated gifts [were] under the hand of Shelomith and his brothers. For the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons [were appointed] to the duties outside of Israel as officials and as judges. For the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his brothers, one thousand seven hundred men of ability, [were] over the administration of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the work of Yahweh and for the service of the king. For the Hebronites: Jeriah the chief of the Hebronites for the genealogy for the {families}. (In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were examined, and there was found among them mighty warriors of strength at Jazer in Gilead.)
Then the Levites, from the {Kohathites} and from the {Korahites} stood up to praise Yahweh the God of Israel with an exceedingly loud voice.
Then the Levites arose--Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the Kohathites; and Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel from the Merarites; and Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah, from the Gershonites.
and from the descendants of Heman: Jeiel and Shimei; and from the descendants of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel--
The descendants of the gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai; in total one hundred and thirty-nine.
Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storerooms of the gates.