Reference: Levite
Easton
a descendant of the tribe of Levi (Ex 6:25; Le 25:32; Nu 35:2; Jos 21:3,41). This name is, however, generally used as the title of that portion of the tribe which was set apart for the subordinate offices of the sanctuary service (1Ki 8:4; Ezr 2:70), as assistants to the priests.
When the Israelites left Egypt, the ancient manner of worship was still observed by them, the eldest son of each house inheriting the priest's office. At Sinai the first change in this ancient practice was made. A hereditary priesthood in the family of Aaron was then instituted (Ex 28:1). But it was not till that terrible scene in connection with the sin of the golden calf that the tribe of Levi stood apart and began to occupy a distinct position (Ex 32). The religious primogeniture was then conferred on this tribe, which henceforth was devoted to the service of the sanctuary (Nu 3:11-13). They were selected for this purpose because of their zeal for the glory of God (Ex 32:26), and because, as the tribe to which Moses and Aaron belonged, they would naturally stand by the lawgiver in his work.
The Levitical order consisted of all the descendants of Levi's three sons, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; whilst Aaron, Amram's son (Amram, son of Kohat), and his issue constituted the priestly order.
The age and qualification for Levitical service are specified in Nu 4:3,23,30,39,43,47.
They were not included among the armies of Israel (Nu 1:47; 2:33; 26:62), but were reckoned by themselves. They were the special guardians of the tabernacle (Nu 1:51; 18:22-24). The Gershonites pitched their tents on the west of the tabernacle (Nu 3:23), the Kohathites on the south (Nu 3:29), the Merarites on the north (Nu 3:35), and the priests on the east (Nu 3:38). It was their duty to move the tent and carry the parts of the sacred structure from place to place. They were given to Aaron and his sons the priests to wait upon them and do work for them at the sanctuary services (Nu 8:19; 18:2-6).
As being wholly consecrated to the service of the Lord, they had no territorial possessions. Jehovah was their inheritance (Nu 18:20; 26:62; De 10:9; 18:1-2), and for their support it was ordained that they should receive from the other tribes the tithes of the produce of the land. Forty-eight cities also were assigned to them, thirteen of which were for the priests "to dwell in", i.e., along with their other inhabitants. Along with their dwellings they had "suburbs", i.e., "commons", for their herds and flocks, and also fields and vineyards (Nu 35:2-5). Nine of these cities were in Judah, three in Naphtali, and four in each of the other tribes (Jos 21). Six of the Levitical cities were set apart as "cities of refuge" (q.v.). Thus the Levites were scattered among the tribes to keep alive among them the knowledge and service of God. (See Priest.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Eleazar, son of Aaron took to himself one of the daughters of Putiel, to himself to wife, and she bare to him Phinehas. These, are the heads of the fathers of the Levites by their families.
Thou thyself, therefore bring near unto thee - Aaron thy brother and his sons with him out of the midst of the sons of Israel, that they may minister as priests unto me, - Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar sons of Aaron.
So Moses took his stand in the gate of the camp, and said - Who is for Yahweh? -- To me! Then gathered unto him all the sons of Levi,
And as for the cities of the Levites, the houses of the cities of their possession, an age-abiding right of redemption, shall pertain unto the Levites.
But the Levites by the tribe of their fathers were not numbered in their midst.
And, when the habitation is to set forward, the Levites shall take it down, and when the habitation is to be pitched, the Levites, shall set it up, but the stranger that draweth near, shall be put to death.
But the Levites, were not numbered in the midst of the sons of Israel, - As Yahweh commanded Moses.
I, therefore, lo! I have taken the Levites out of the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of every firstborn that a mother beareth, from among the sons of Israel, - so shall the Levites be mine; for, mine, is every firstborn, in the day when I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, hallowed unto myself every firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast, - mine, did they become, and belong unto me, Yahweh.
the families of the Gershonites, to the rear of the habitation, were to encamp, westward.
The, families of the sons of Kohath, were to encamp, - on the side of the habitation, south-ward.
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.
from thirty years old, and upwards, even unto fifty years, - every one that can enter into the host, to do service in the tent of meeting.
from thirty years old and upwards even to fifty years, shalt thou number them, - All that may enter to take rank in the host, to do laborious work in the tent of meeting.
from thirty years old and upwards even to fifty years, shall ye number them, - all that enter into the host, to do laborious work in the tent of meeting,
from thirty years old and upwards, even to fifty years old, all that might enter the host, to labour in the tent of meeting,:
from thirty years old and upwards, even unto fifty years old, - all that might enter the host to labour in the tent of meeting;
from thirty years old and upwards, even unto fifty years old, all that might enter, to toil in the work of labouring and in the work of bearing burdens, in the tent of meeting,
therefore have I given the Levites as a gift unto Aaron and unto his sons, out of the midst of the sons of Israel, to do the laborious work of the sons of Israel in the tent of meeting, and to put a propitiatory-covering over the sons of Israel, - so shall there be among the sons of Israel, no plague, by the coming nigh of the sons of Israel unto the sanctuary.
Therefore also thy brethren of the tribe of Levi the stem of thy father, bring thou near with thee, and let them be joined unto thee, and let them wait upon thee, - both on thee and on thy sons with thee, before the tent of the testimony. So shall they keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tent, - only, unto the vessels of the sanctuary, and unto the altar, shall they not come near, lest they die - both they, and ye. read more. So shall they be joined unto thee, and shall keep the charge of the tent of meeting, as to all the laborious work of the tent, - but a stranger, shall not come near unto you. So shall ye keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar, - that there no more be wrath against the sons of Israel. I, therefore, lo! I have taken your brethren the Levites, out of the midst of the sons of Israel, - unto you, as a gift are they given, unto Yahweh, to do the laborious work of the tent of meeting.
Then said Yahweh unto Aaron: In their land, thou shalt have no inheritance, and no allotted portion, shalt thou have in their midst, - I, am thine allotted portion and thine inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel.
that the sons of Israel come near no more, unto the tent of meeting, - to bear sin, to die. So shall the Levites themselves perform the laborious work of the tent of meeting, and, they, shall bear their iniquity, a statute age-abiding, unto your generations, and in the midst of the sons of Israel, shall they take no inheritance. read more. Because the tenth of the sons of Israel which they shall offer up unto Yahweh as a heave-offering, have I given unto the Levites as an inheritance, - for this cause, said I regarding them, In the midst of the sons of Israel, shall they take no inheritance.
And they who were numbered of them were found to be - twenty-three thousand, all the males from one month old and upwards - for they had not numbered themselves in the midst of the sons of Israel, because there was given unto them no inheritance, in the midst of the sons of Israel.
And they who were numbered of them were found to be - twenty-three thousand, all the males from one month old and upwards - for they had not numbered themselves in the midst of the sons of Israel, because there was given unto them no inheritance, in the midst of the sons of Israel.
Command the sons of Israel, that they give unto the Levites - out of the inheritance which they possess - cities to dwell in, - pasture land also unto the cities, round about them, shall ye give unto the Levites.
Command the sons of Israel, that they give unto the Levites - out of the inheritance which they possess - cities to dwell in, - pasture land also unto the cities, round about them, shall ye give unto the Levites. So shall the cities be theirs, to dwell in, - and their pasture lands, shall, ye for their cattle and for their goods and for all their beasts. read more. And, the pasture lands of the cities which ye shall give unto the Levite, shall be, - from the wail of the city, and outwards, a thousand cubits round about So ye shall measure - on the outside of the city - the eastward quarter two thousand by the cubit, and the south quarter two thousand by the cubit, and the west quarter two thousand by the cubit and the north quarter two thousand by the cubit, with, the city, in the midst. This, shall be unto them the pasture lands of the cities,
For this cause, hath Levi neither portion nor inheritance with his brethren, - Yahweh, is his inheritance, as Yahweh thy God spake unto him.
Neither the priests the Levites nor any of the tribe of Levi, shall have either portion or inheritance with Israel, - the altar-flames of Yahweh and his inheritance, shall they eat. But inheritance, shall he not have, in the midst of his brethren, - Yahweh, is his inheritance, as he spake unto him.
So the sons of Israel gave unto the Levites, out of their own inheritance, at the bidding of Yahweh, - these cities, with their pasture-lands.
All the cities of the Levites, in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel, were forty-eight cities, with their pasture lands:
and they brought up the ark of Yahweh, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the hallowed vessels that were in the tent, - yea, the priests and the Levites, did bring them up.
So the priests and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers and the doorkeepers and the Nethinim, took up their abode, in their cities, - and, all Israel, in their cities.