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 the son of Aaron took for himself [one] from the daughters of Putiel as a wife, and she bore for him Phinehas. These [are] the heads of the {families} of the Levites according to their clans.
"And bring near to you Aaron, your brother, and his sons with him from the midst of the {Israelites} to serve as priests for me--Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron.
And Moses stood at the entrance of the camp, and he said, "Whoever [is] for Yahweh, to me." And all the sons of Levi were gathered to him.
" 'As for the cities of the Levites, [that is], the houses in their property's cities, it shall be {a lasting redemption} for the Levites.
And when the tabernacle is set out, the Levites will {take it down}, and when encamping the tabernacle the Levites will set it up; the stranger that approaches [it] will be put to death.
The Levites were not counted in the midst of the {Israelites}, just as Yahweh commanded Moses.
Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, "I [myself] receive the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} in the place of all [the] firstborn of [the] offspring of the womb from the {Israelites}. The Levites will be mine read more. because all [the] firstborn [are] mine; on the day of my killing all [the] firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for myself all [the] firstborn in Israel, {both humankind and animal}; they will be mine. I am Yahweh."
The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south.
[The] leader of {the family} according to the clans of Merari [is] Zuriel son of Abihail; they will encamp of the side of the tabernacle to the north.
Those encamped before the tabernacle to the east--before the tent of assembly to the east--[were] Moses and Aaron and his sons; they will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary {for the Israelites}; and the stranger who approaches will be put to death.
from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly.
from {those twenty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to help to do the work of the tent of assembly.
from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to do the work of the tent of assembly.
from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to work in the tent of assembly;
from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to work in the tent of assembly,
from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do [the] work of the service carrying in the tent of assembly,
And I have given the Levites; they are given to Aaron and his sons from the midst of the {Israelites} to do the work of the {Israelites} in the tent of the assembly and to make atonement for the {Israelites}, so a plague will not be among the {Israelites} when the {Israelites} come near the sanctuary."
Moreover, bring your brothers with you, the tribe of Levi the tribe of your father, that they may be joined to you and minister [to] you, you and your sons with you before the tent of testimony. They will keep your responsibility and the responsibility of all the tent, only they may not come near the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, so both you and they will not die. read more. They will be joined to you, and they will keep the responsibility of the tent of assembly for the entire service of the tent; a stranger may not come near you. You will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary and the responsibility of the altar, and there will no longer be wrath on the {Israelites}. Look, I myself have chosen your brothers the Levites from the midst of the children. They are a gift to you given from Yahweh to perform the work of the tent of assembly.
Then Yahweh said to Aaron, "You will not receive an inheritance in their land, and there will not be a plot of ground for you in the midst of the {Israelites}.
The {Israelites} will not come near again to the tent of assembly, or {they will bear sin} and die. The Levites will perform the service of the tent of assembly, and they will bear their guilt, an eternal decree for all your generations. But they will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites} read more. because the tithes of the {Israelites} that are {offered} to Yahweh as a contribution, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I said to them, 'They will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites}.'"
The ones counted were twenty-three thousand, every male from {a month old} and above, because they were not counted in the midst of the {Israelites} since no inheritance was given to them in the midst of the {Israelites}.
The ones counted were twenty-three thousand, every male from {a month old} and above, because they were not counted in the midst of the {Israelites} since no inheritance was given to them in the midst of the {Israelites}.
"Command the {Israelites} that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their property cities to live in; and you will give to the Levites pastureland all around the cities.
"Command the {Israelites} that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their property cities to live in; and you will give to the Levites pastureland all around the cities. The cities will be theirs to live in, and their pasturelands will be for their domestic animals, for their possessions, and their animals. read more. "The pasturelands of the cities that you will give to the Levites [will extend] from the wall of the city to [a distance of] a thousand cubits all around. You will measure outside the city the eastern edge two thousand cubits, for the southern edge two thousand cubits, for the western edge two thousand cubits, and for the northern edge two thousand cubits, with the city in the middle; this will be for them the pasturelands of the cities.
Therefore {there was not} for Levi an allotment or an inheritance [along] with his brothers; [rather] Yahweh [is] his inheritance [just] as Yahweh your God {promised} to him.
"And there shall not be for the Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, a plot of ground and an inheritance with Israel, [rather] they may eat an offering made by fire [as] their inheritance, for Yahweh. And there shall not be for them an inheritance [of land] in the midst of his brothers; [rather] Yahweh is his inheritance, [just] as he {promised} to them.
So, {by command of Yahweh}, the {Israelites} gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands from their inheritance.
All the cities of the Levites among the property of the {Israelites} [were] forty-eight cities and their pasturelands.
So they brought up the ark of Yahweh and the tent of assembly and all of the holy vessels that [were] in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up.