Reference: Levi
American
1. The third son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia; and father of three sons, and of Jochebed the mother of Moses, Ge 29:34; Ex 6:16-20. For his share in the treacherous massacre of the Shechemites, Ge 34, his father at death foreboded evil to his posterity, Ge 49:5-7; but as they afterwards stood forth on the Lord's side, Moses was charged to bless them, Ex 32:26-29; De 33:8-11. The tribe of Levi was, according to Jacob's prediction, scattered over all Israel, having no share in the cities in the portions of other tribes. All the tithes, first fruits, and offerings, presented at the temple, as well as several parts of all the victims that were offered belonged to the tribe of Levi. See LEVITES.
2. The apostle Matthew was also called Levi. See MATTHEW.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.
Simeon and Levi are brothers; their knives are vicious weapons. May I never enter their council; may I never join their assembly. For in their anger they kill men, and on a whim they hamstring oxen. read more. Their anger is cursed, for it is strong, and their fury, for it is cruel! I will disperse them throughout Jacob and scatter them throughout Israel.
These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogy: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years. The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their clans. read more. The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years. The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their genealogy. Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
And Moses stood at the camp's entrance and said, "Whoever is for the Lord, [come] to me." And all the Levites gathered around him. He told them, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, 'Every man fasten his sword to his side; go back and forth through the camp from entrance to entrance, and each of you kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.' " read more. The Levites did as Moses commanded, and about 3,000 men fell dead that day among the people. Afterwards Moses said, "Today you have been dedicated to the Lord, since each man went against his son and his brother. Therefore you have brought a blessing on yourselves today."
He said about Levi: Your Thummim and Urim belong to Your faithful one; You tested him at Massah and contended with him at the waters of Meribah. He said about his father and mother, "I do not regard them." He disregarded his brothers and didn't acknowledge his sons, for they kept Your word and maintained Your covenant. read more. They will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your instruction to Israel; they will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar. Lord, bless his possessions, and accept the work of his hands. Smash the loins of his adversaries and enemies, so that they cannot rise again.
Easton
adhesion. (1.) The third son of Jacob by Leah. The origin of the name is found in Leah's words (Ge 29:34), "This time will my husband be joined [Heb yillaveh] unto me." He is mentioned as taking a prominent part in avenging his sister Dinah (Ge 34:25-31). He and his three sons went down with Jacob (Ge 46:11) into Egypt, where he died at the age of one hundred and thirty-seven years (Ex 6:16).
(2.) The father of Matthat, and son of Simeon, of the ancestors of Christ (Lu 3:29).
(3.) Lu 3:24.
(4.) One of the apostles, the son of Alphaeus (Mr 2:14; Lu 5:27,29), called also Matthew (Mt 9:9).
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She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.
On the third day, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and killed every male. They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went away. read more. Jacob's [other] sons came to the slaughter and plundered the city because their sister had been defiled. They took their sheep, cattle, donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. They captured all their possessions, children, and wives, and plundered everything in the houses. Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me, making me odious to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed." But they answered, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?"
These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogy: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.
As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" So he got up and followed Him.
Then, moving on, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" So he got up and followed Him.
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!"
Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them.
Fausets
1. Jacob's third son by Leah, ("joined"), expressing her trust; "now will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons" (Ge 29:34). Levi joined Simeon in avenging their own full sister Dinah's wrong by treacherously slaying the Shechemites, and so incurred Jacob's curse. They made circumcision, which God gave as a pledge of His holy covenant, the instrument of hypocrisy and bloody revenge. Jacob's moral weakness, in reproaching his sons not with the treacherous murder but with exposing him to danger ("ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land"), is faithfully delineated (Genesis 34). On his death bed he took a less selfish and juster view of their deed (Ge 49:5-7): "Simeon and Levi are brethren" in character as in birth, "instruments of wickedness are their swords (Hebrew). O my soul, come not thou into their secret" (deliberative council), renounce all fellowship with their act; "mine honour" (glory, my spirit, which is man's glory, the center of his personality framed in God's image);" for in their anger they slew a man and in their wantonness (Hebrew) houghed an ox."
In Ge 34:28 it is merely said "they took their oxen." Genesis 49 brings out the additional fact that in cruel revenge they wantonly severed the hind foot tendons of the Shechemites' oxen. Simeon, as the one detained in Egypt, by Joseph, was probably the foremost of Levi's sons in the cruel attack on Rachel's son, and Levi probably joined him, though the spite began with the base born sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. The discipline made the sons, once so unfeeling towards Joseph, to become self sacrificing for Benjamin. As the two joined in crime, retributively they should be "divided and scattered" in Israel. Levi received no land inheritance but cities scattered through Israel (Jos 21:1-40), and depended on tithes paid by the other tribes. The curse became subsequently a blessing to the nation by Levi's separation to divine service. But Jacob does not intimate this, a proof of the genuineness of his blessing as recorded in Genesis.
Moses subsequently speaks in very different language of Levi (De 33:8 ff), as was appropriate after Levi's accession to the priestly honour: "let Thy Right (thummim) and Thy Light (urim) be with Thy holy one (Levi, representing the whole tribe. The Urim and Thummim worn on the high priest's breast-plate were the pledge that Jehovah would always give His people 'light' to defend His 'right'; they should be given to Levi because he had defended Jehovah's right), whom Thou didst prove at Massah (Ex 17:1-7, by the people's murmuring against Moses, Levi's representative, for water at the outset of the 40 years' wanderings) and with whom Thou didst strive at ... Meribah" (Nu 20:1-13, at Kadesh, at the close of 40 years, the two comprehending the whole intermediate period). Jehovah "proved" Levi, and by the people's strivings "strove with" Levi (represented by Moses and Aaron.) Levi proved himself in the main (for Moses' failure, Numbers 20, and the Levite Korah's rebellion, Numbers 16, are graciously ignored) to be Jehovah's holy one.
Moses and Aaron's faithfulness, the Levites' drawing their swords against their Israelite brethren as God's avengers of the idolatry of the golden calf (Ex 32:26-29), "slaying every man his brother ... companion ... neighbour ... son," where God's honour was at stake (Mt 10:37; 19:29; Lu 14:26), and Phinehas' zeal against the idolaters and fornicators with the Moabite women (Nu 25:11), gained God's approval and the choice of Levi as the priestly tribe (De 33:9-11). "Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him, neither did he acknowledge his brethren ... They shall teach Jacob Thy judgments and Israel Thy law (Le 10:11), they shall present incense before Thee (in the holy place) and whole burnt offering upon Thine altar (in the court). Bless, Lord, his substance (rather his power) and accept the work of his hands. Smite through the lions (Ps 69:23, the strength) of them that rise against Him," etc.; i.e., give him power for discharging duty, accept his service, and make his adversaries powerless. Levi died at the age of 137 (Ex 6:16). (See LEVITES.)
2. Ancestors of Christ (Lu 3:24,29).
3. Son of Alphaeus; the original name of Matthew the publican and afterward the apostle (Mr 2:14; Lu 5:27,29; Mt 9:9).
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She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.
They took their sheep, cattle, donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field.
Simeon and Levi are brothers; their knives are vicious weapons. May I never enter their council; may I never join their assembly. For in their anger they kill men, and on a whim they hamstring oxen. read more. Their anger is cursed, for it is strong, and their fury, for it is cruel! I will disperse them throughout Jacob and scatter them throughout Israel.
These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogy: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.
The entire Israelite community left the Wilderness of Sin, moving from one place to the next according to the Lord's command. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So the people complained to Moses: "Give us water to drink." "Why are you complaining to me?" Moses replied to them. "Why are you testing the Lord?" read more. But the people thirsted there for water, and grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you ever bring us out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" Then Moses cried out to the Lord, "What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!" The Lord answered Moses, "Go on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take the rod you struck the Nile with in your hand and go. I am going to stand there in front of you on the rock at Horeb; when you hit the rock, water will come out of it and the people will drink." Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites complained, and because they tested the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"
And Moses stood at the camp's entrance and said, "Whoever is for the Lord, [come] to me." And all the Levites gathered around him. He told them, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, 'Every man fasten his sword to his side; go back and forth through the camp from entrance to entrance, and each of you kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.' " read more. The Levites did as Moses commanded, and about 3,000 men fell dead that day among the people. Afterwards Moses said, "Today you have been dedicated to the Lord, since each man went against his son and his brother. Therefore you have brought a blessing on yourselves today."
and teach the Israelites all the statutes that the Lord has given to them through Moses."
The entire Israelite community entered the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and they settled in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there. There was no water for the community, so they assembled against Moses and Aaron. read more. The people quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord. Why have you brought the Lord's assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? Why have you led us up from Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It's not a place of grain, figs, vines, and pomegranates, and there is no water to drink!" Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the doorway of the tent of meeting. They fell down with their faces [to the ground], and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. The Lord spoke to Moses, "Take the staff and assemble the community. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will yield its water. You will bring out water for them from the rock and provide drink for the community and their livestock." So Moses took the staff from the Lord's presence just as He had commanded him. Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you?" Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land I have given them." These are the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord, and He showed His holiness to them.
"Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the Israelites because he was zealous among them with My zeal, so that I did not destroy the Israelites in My zeal.
He said about Levi: Your Thummim and Urim belong to Your faithful one; You tested him at Massah and contended with him at the waters of Meribah. He said about his father and mother, "I do not regard them." He disregarded his brothers and didn't acknowledge his sons, for they kept Your word and maintained Your covenant. read more. They will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your instruction to Israel; they will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar. Lord, bless his possessions, and accept the work of his hands. Smash the loins of his adversaries and enemies, so that they cannot rise again.
The heads of the Levite families approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes. They told them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan: "The Lord commanded through Moses that we be given cities to live in, with their pasturelands for our livestock." read more. So the Israelites, by the Lord's command, gave the Levites these cities with their pasturelands from their inheritance. The lot came out for the Kohathite clans: The Levites who were the descendants of Aaron the priest received 13 cities by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. The remaining descendants of Kohath received 10 cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and half the tribe of Manasseh. Gershon's descendants received 13 cities by lot from the clans of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and half the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. Merari's descendants received 12 cities for their clans from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. The Israelites gave these cities with their pasturelands around them to the Levites by lot, as the Lord had commanded through Moses. The Israelites gave these cities by name from the tribes of the descendants of Judah and Simeon to the descendants of Aaron from the Kohathite clans of the Levites, because they received the first lot. They gave them Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) with its surrounding pasturelands in the hill country of Judah. Arba was the father of Anak. But they gave the fields and villages of the city to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession. They gave to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Hebron, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands, Libnah with its pasturelands, Jattir with its pasturelands, Eshtemoa with its pasturelands, Holon with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands, Ain with its pasturelands, Juttah with its pasturelands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasturelands-nine cities from these two tribes. From the tribe of Benjamin [they gave]: Gibeon with its pasturelands, Geba with its pasturelands, Anathoth with its pasturelands, and Almon with its pasturelands-four cities. All 13 cities with their pasturelands were for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. The allotted cities to the remaining clans of Kohath's descendants, who were Levites, came from the tribe of Ephraim. The Israelites gave them: Shechem, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands, Kibzaim with its pasturelands, and Beth-horon with its pasturelands-four cities. From the tribe of Dan [they gave]: Elteke with its pasturelands, Gibbethon with its pasturelands, Aijalon with its pasturelands, and Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands-four cities. From half the tribe of Manasseh [they gave]: Taanach with its pasturelands and Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands-two cities. All 10 cities with their pasturelands were for the clans of Kohath's other descendants. From half the tribe of Manasseh, [they gave] to the descendants of Gershon, who were one of the Levite clans: Golan, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands in Bashan, and Beeshterah with its pasturelands-two cities. From the tribe of Issachar [they gave]: Kishion with its pasturelands, Daberath with its pasturelands, Jarmuth with its pasturelands, and En-gannim with its pasturelands-four cities. From the tribe of Asher [they gave]: Mishal with its pasturelands, Abdon with its pasturelands, Helkath with its pasturelands, and Rehob with its pasturelands-four cities. From the tribe of Naphtali [they gave]: Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands, Hammoth-dor with its pasturelands, and Kartan with its pasturelands-three cities. All 13 cities with their pasturelands were for the Gershonites by their clans. From the tribe of Zebulun, [they gave] to the clans of the descendants of Merari, who were the remaining Levites: Jokneam with its pasturelands, Kartah with its pasturelands, Dimnah with its pasturelands, and Nahalal with its pasturelands-four cities. From the tribe of Reuben, [they gave]: Bezer with its pasturelands, Jahzah with its pasturelands, Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands-four cities. From the tribe of Gad, [they gave]: Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the one who commits manslaughter, with its pasturelands, Mahanaim with its pasturelands, Heshbon with its pasturelands, and Jazer with its pasturelands-four cities in all. All 12 cities were allotted to the clans of Merari's descendants, the remaining Levite clans.
Let their eyes grow too dim to see, and let their loins continually shake.
As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" So he got up and followed Him.
The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
And everyone who has left houses, brothers or sisters, father or mother, children, or fields because of My name will receive 100 times more and will inherit eternal life.
Then, moving on, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" So he got up and followed Him.
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!"
Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them.
"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, and even his own life-he cannot be My disciple.
Hastings
1. The third son of Jacob by Leah (Ge 29:34 Jahwist). The genealogical story connects the name with the verb l
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She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.
Simeon and Levi are brothers; their knives are vicious weapons. May I never enter their council; may I never join their assembly. For in their anger they kill men, and on a whim they hamstring oxen. read more. Their anger is cursed, for it is strong, and their fury, for it is cruel! I will disperse them throughout Jacob and scatter them throughout Israel.
But also bring your brothers with you from the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, so they may join you and serve with you and your sons in front of the tent of the testimony.
They are to join you and guard the tent of meeting, doing all the work at the tent, but no unauthorized person may come near you.
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted.
Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in Micah's house.
John himself had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Morish
Le'vi
1. The third son of Jacob and Leah. Ge 29:34. Very little is recorded of Levi: he joined with Simeon in the treacherous and vindictive dealings with Shechem. Ge 34:25-31. When Jacob blessed his sons, a curse was pronounced on their cruelty, and it is added "I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel." The above illustrates the righteous government of God, which is in no way set aside by the reward of after faithful conduct, which caused this tribe to be chosen for the Levitical service and the priesthood: cf. Mal 2:4,6. It was sovereign grace. For the blessings on Levi's descendants by Moses, see De 33:8-11. His three sons, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari were heads of the three branches of the LEVITES, q.v.
2. Another name of MATTHEW the apostle. Mr 2:14; Lu 5:27,29.
3, 4. Son of Melchi, and son of Simeon, in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus. Lu 3:24,29-30.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.
On the third day, when they were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and killed every male. They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with their swords, took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went away. read more. Jacob's [other] sons came to the slaughter and plundered the city because their sister had been defiled. They took their sheep, cattle, donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. They captured all their possessions, children, and wives, and plundered everything in the houses. Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me, making me odious to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. We are few in number; if they unite against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed." But they answered, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?"
He said about Levi: Your Thummim and Urim belong to Your faithful one; You tested him at Massah and contended with him at the waters of Meribah. He said about his father and mother, "I do not regard them." He disregarded his brothers and didn't acknowledge his sons, for they kept Your word and maintained Your covenant. read more. They will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your instruction to Israel; they will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar. Lord, bless his possessions, and accept the work of his hands. Smash the loins of his adversaries and enemies, so that they cannot rise again.
Then you will know that I sent you this decree so My covenant with Levi may continue," says the Lord of Hosts.
True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing wrong was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and fairness and turned many from sin.
Then, moving on, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" So he got up and followed Him.
[son] of Joshua, [son] of Eliezer, [son] of Jorim, [son] of Matthat, [son] of Levi, [son] of Simeon, [son] of Judah, [son] of Joseph, [son] of Jonam, [son] of Eliakim,
When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch."
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!"
Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them.
Smith
Le'vi
(joined).
1. The name of the third son of Jacob by his wife Leah. (B.C. about 1753.) The name, derived from lavah, "to adhere," gave utterance to the hope of the mother that the affections of her husband, which had hitherto rested on the favored Rachel, would at last be drawn to her: "This time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons."
Levi, with his brother Simeon, avenged with a cruel slaughter the outrage of their sister Dinah. [DINAH] Levi, with his three sons, Gershon, Kohath and Merari, went down to Egypt with his father Jacob.
See Dinah
When Jacob's death draws near, and the sons are gathered round him, Levi and Simeon hear the old crime brought up again to receive its sentence. They no less than Reuben, the incestuous firstborn, had forfeited the privileges of their birthright.
[LEVITES]
See Levites
2. Two of the ancestors of Jesus.
Lu 3:24,29
3. Son of Alphaeus or Matthew; one of the apostles.
Mr 2:14; Lu 5:27,29
[See MATTHEW]
See Matthew
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She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.
Then Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
Simeon and Levi are brothers; their knives are vicious weapons. May I never enter their council; may I never join their assembly. For in their anger they kill men, and on a whim they hamstring oxen. read more. Their anger is cursed, for it is strong, and their fury, for it is cruel! I will disperse them throughout Jacob and scatter them throughout Israel.
Then, moving on, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!" So he got up and followed Him.
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, "Follow Me!"
Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them.