Reference: Levites
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All the descendants of Levi may be comprised under this name, Ex 6:16,25; Jos 3:3, (see LEVI;) but chiefly those who were employed in the lower services in the temple, by which they were distinguished from the priests, who were of the race of Levi by Aaron, and were employed in higher offices, Nu 3:6-10; 18:2-7. God chose the Levites for the service of his tabernacle and temple, instead of the firstborn of all Israel, to whom such duties naturally belonged, and who were already sacred to God in memory of the great deliverance in Egypt. Ex 13; Nu 3:12-13,39-51. In the wilderness, the Levites took charge of the tabernacle and its contents; and conveyed it from place to place, each of the three families having a separate portion, Nu 1:51; 4; 1Ch 15:2,27. After the building of the temple they took charge of the gates, of the sacred vessels, of the preparation of the showbread and other offerings, and of the singing and instrumental music, 1Ch 9; 23; 2Ch 29. They brought wood, water, etc., for the priests; aided them in preparing the sacrifices, and in collecting and disbursing the contributions of the people, 2Ch 30:16-17; 35:1. They were also the temple guards, Ne 13:13,22; and the salutation and response in Ps 134 are thought by Bishop Lowth to have been their song in the night. But besides their services in the temple, they performed a very important part in teaching the people, 2Ch 30:22; Ne 8:7, among whom they were scattered, binding the tribes together, and promoting virtue and piety. They studied the law, and were the ordinary judges of the country, but subordinate to the priests, 2Ch 17:9; 19:8-11. God provided for the subsistence of the Levites, by giving to them the tithe of corn, fruit, and cattle; but they paid to the priests the tenth of their tithes; and as the Levites possessed no estates in land, the tithes which the priests received from them were considered as the first fruits which they were to offer to the Lord, Nu 18:21-32. The payment of tithes to the Levites appears not to have been enforced, but depended on the goodwill of the people; hence the special charges laid on their brethren, not to forget them, De 2:12,18-19.
God assigned for the habitation of the Levites forty-eight cities, with fields, pastures, and gardens, Nu 35. Of these, thirteen were given to the priests, all in the tribes near Jerusalem. Six of the Levitical cities were appointed as cities of refuge, Jos 20-21. While the Levites were actually employed in the temple, they were supported out of the provisions kept in store there, and out of the daily offerings. The same privilege was granted to volunteers, drawn to Jerusalem by the fervor of their love to God's service, De 12:18-19; 18:6-8. The consecration of Levites was without much ceremony. See Nu 8:5-22; 2Ch 29:34.
The Levites wore no peculiar dress to distinguish them from other Israelites, till the time of Agrippa. His innovation in this matter is mentioned by Josephus, who remarked that the ancient customs of the country were never forsaken with impunity.
The Levites were divided into different classes: the Gershomites, Kohathites, and Merarites, Nu 3:17-20. They were still further divided into courses, like the priests, 1Ch 23-26. At first, they entered in full on their public duties at thirty years of age, Nu 4:3; 8:25; but David fixed the age for commencing at twenty years; and at fifty they were exempt, 1Ch 23:24-27. The different courses of porters, singers, guards, etc., were on duty in succession, one week at a time, 1Ch 23-26; 2Ch 23:4,8; 31:17; Ezr 3:8-12. After the revolt of the ten tribes, a large portion of the Levites abandoned their cities in Israel, and dwelt in Judah, 2Ch 11:12-14; 13:9-11. After the captivity, numbers of them returned from beyond the Euphrates to Judea, Ne 11:15-19; 12:24-31. In the New Testament they are not often mentioned, Lu 10:32; Joh 1:19; Ac 4:36. The "scribes" and "doctors," however, are supposed to have belonged chiefly to this class.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, these, are the names of the sons of Levi by their generations, Gershon, and Kohath and Merari, And, the years of the life of Levi, were a hundred and thirty-seven years.
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.
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.
Bring near the tribe of Levi, and thou shalt cause it to stand before Aaron the priest, - so shall they wait upon him; so shall they keep his charge, and the charge of all the assembly, before the tent of meeting, - to do the laborious work of the habitation; read more. so shall they have charge of all the furniture of the tent of meeting, even the charge of the sons of Israel, - to do the laborious work of the habitation. Thus shalt thou give the Levites unto Aaron and unto his sons, - given, given, they are unto him, from among the sons of Israel; but unto Aaron, and unto his sons, shalt thou give oversight, so shall they keep charge of their priesthood, - and, the stranger who cometh near, shall be put to death.
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.
And these were the sons of Levi, by their names, - Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. And these, the names of the sons of Gershon by their families, - Libni and Shimei. read more. And, the sons of Kohath, by their families Amram, and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. And the sons of Merari by their families, Mahli and Mushi. These, are they - the families of the Levites by their ancestral houses.
All they who were numbered of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the bidding of Yahweh by their families, - every male, from one month old and upwards, were two-and-twenty thousand. And Yahweh said unto Moses: Number thou every firstborn male belonging to the sons of Israel, from one month old and upwards, - and reckon up the number of their names; read more. then shalt thou take the Levites for me, me Yahweh, instead of every firstborn among the sons of Ishmael, - also the cattle of the Levites, instead of every firstling among the cattle of the sons of Israel. So then Moses numbered, as Yahweh commanded him, - every firstborn among the sons of Israel. And it was so - that all the firstborn of the males in the counting of names from one month old and upwards of such as were numbered of them, - were two-and-twenty thousand, two hundred and seventy-three. Then spake Yahweh unto Moses, saying: - Take the Levites, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites, instead of their cattle, - so shall the Levites belong unto me, me Yahweh; and as the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three, - who are mere than the Levites, of the firstborn of the sons of Israel, thou shalt take five shekels apiece by the poll, - by the shekel of the sanctuary, shalt thou take it, twenty gerahs to the shekel; and shalt give the silver to Aaron and to his sons, - as the ransom of them that are in excess over them. So Moses took the redemption silver from them who were in excess over them who were redeemed by the Levites: from the firstborn of the sons of Israel, took he the silver, - a thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, And Moses gave the redemption silver to Aaron and to his sons at the bidding of Yahweh, - As Yahweh commanded Moses.
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.
Take the Levites, out of the midst of the sons of Israel, - and thou shalt purify them. And, thus, shalt thou do unto them, to purify them, sprinkle upon them sin-cleansing water, - then shall they, cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and shall wash their clothes and so make themselves pure. read more. Then shall they take a choice young bullock, with the meal-offering thereof even fine meal overflowed with oil, - and a second choice young bullock, shalt thou take. as a sin-bearer. Then shalt thou bring the Levites near, before the tent of meeting, - and shalt call together all the assembly of the sons of Israel; and shalt bring the Levites near before Yahweh, - and the sons of Israel shall lean their hands upon the Levites; and Aaron shall offer the Levites as a wave-offering before Yahweh, from among the sons of Israel, - so shall they be for performing the laborious work of Yahweh. And, the Levites, shall lean their hands upon the head of the bullocks; then make thou of the one a sin-bearer and of the other an ascending-sacrifice unto Yahweh, to put a propitiatory-covering over the Levites. Thus shalt thou cause the Levites to stand before Aaron and before his sons, - thus shalt thou offer them as a wave-offering unto Yahweh; thus shalt thou separate the Levites out of the midst of the sons of Israel, - thus shall the Levites become mine. And after that, shall the Levites enter to do the labour of the tent of meeting, - so shalt thou purify them, and offer them as a wave-offering, For, given, given, they are unto me, out of the midst of the sons of Israel, - instead of every firstborn that a mother beareth from among the sons of Israel, have I taken them unto me. For mine, is every firstborn among the sons of Israel, among men and among beasts, - on the day when I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, did I hallow them unto me. Therefore have I taken the Levites, - instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel; 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. And Moses and Aaron and all the assembly of the sons of Israel did thus unto the Levites, - according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses as touching the Levites, so, did the sons of Israel unto them. And the Levites accepted the cleansing from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron offered them as a wave-offering before Yahweh, - and Aaron put a propitiatory-covering over them to make them pure. And after that, went the Levites in to do their laborious work in the tent of meeting, before Aaron and before his sons, - as Yahweh commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so, did they unto them.
but from the age of fifty years, shall they retire from taking rank in the labour, and shall do laborious work no more;
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. But thou and thy sons with thee, shall keep the charge of your priesthood, as to every matter of the altar and as to the interior of the veil, and shall do the laborious work, as a laborious service of gifts, do I give your priesthood, and, the stranger who cometh near shall be put to death.
And unto the sons of Levi, lo! I have given all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, - the allotted portion for their laborious work which, they are performing, the laborious work of the tent of meeting: that the sons of Israel come near no more, unto the tent of meeting, - to bear sin, to die. read more. 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. 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.
Unto the Levites, therefore shalt thou speak and shalt say unto them, When ye shall take of the sons of Israel the tenth which I have given unto you from them as your inheritance, then shall ye offer up therefrom the heave-offering of Yahweh, a tenth of the tenth. shall your heave-offering be reckoned your own, - as corn out of the threshing-floor, and as the abundance out of the wine-press. read more. Thus, shall ye also, offer up the heave-offering of Yahweh, out of all your tenths which ye shall take from the sons of Israel, - and give therefrom the heave-offering of Yahweh, unto Aaron the priest. Out of all your gifts, shall ye offer up every b heave-offering of Yahweh, - out of all the best thereof, the hallowed pert thereof out of it. And thou shalt say unto them, - When ye offer the best thereof out of it, then shall it be reckoned to belong unto the Levites, as the increase of the threshing-floor and as the increase of the wine-press, And ye shall eat it in any place, ye, and your household, - for a reward, it is unto you, the allotted portion for your laborious work in the tent of meeting. And ye shall not by reason of it bear sin, when ye offer up the best thereof, out of it; and the hallowed things of the sons of Israel, shall ye not profane neither shall ye die.
And in Seir, dwelt the Horim aforetime, but, the sons of Esau, dispossessed them, and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead, - as did Israel unto the land of his own possession, which Yahweh had given unto them.
Thou, art passing, to-day, the boundary of Moab even Ar; so wilt thou draw near over against the sons of Ammon, do not thou besiege them neither engage in strife with them, - for I will not give of the land of the sons of Ammon unto thee as a possession, for unto the sons of Lot, have I given it as a possession.
but before Yahweh thy God, shalt thou eat it in the place which Yahweh thy God shall choose, thou and thy son and thy daughter, and thy servant and thy handmaid, and the Levite who is within thy gates, - so shalt thou rejoice before Yahweh thy God, in all whereunto thou puttest thy hand. Take heed to thyself, lest thou forsake the Levite, - all thy days upon thy soil.
And when the Levite shall come in out of any of thy gates out of any part of Israel, where he is sojourning, - yea shall come in with all the desire of his soul, into the place which Yahweh shall choose, then may he minister in the name of Yahweh his God, - like any of his brethren the Levites who are standing there before Yahweh. read more. Portion for portion, shall they eat, - apart from his possessions upon his patrimony.
and commanded the people saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and, the priests the Levites, bearing it, ye also, shall break up out of your place, and come after it.
These, were the sons of Levi by their ancestral house, the ancestral chiefs of them who were counted in the number of their names, by their polls, doing the work, for the service of the house of Yahweh, - from twenty years old, and upwards. For, said David, Yahweh the God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, - and hath taken up his habitation in Jerusalem, unto times age-abiding; read more. moreover also, as for the Levites, they have no need to bear the habitation, nor any of its vessels in the laborious work thereof. For, by the last words of David, the same, were the number of the sons of Levi, - from twenty years old, and upwards.
and, in every several city, shields and spears, and made them exceedingly strong, - thus Judah and Benjamin remained his. And, the priests and Levites that were in all Israel, took their stand with him, out of all their boundaries. read more. For the Levites left their pasture lands, and their possessions, and came to Judah, and to Jerusalem, - for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, from ministering as priests unto Yahweh;
Have ye not driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, - and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of the countries? Whosoever cometh to install himself with a young bullock, and seven rams, then becometh he a priest unto the, no-gods. But, as for us, Yahweh, is our God, and we have not forsaken him, - and, the priests who are waiting upon Yahweh, are sons of Aaron, with Levites in the work; read more. and they are making a perfume unto Yahweh, with ascending-sacrifices morning by morning, and evening by evening and an incense of sweet spices, and are putting in order bread upon the pure table, and the lampstand of gold with the lamps thereof, for lighting up evening by evening, for, observant, are we of the charge of Yahweh our God, - whereas, ye, have forsaken him.
and they taught throughout Judah, and, with them, was the book of the law of Yahweh, - so they went round throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
And, even in Jerusalem, did Jehoshaphat station some of the Levites and the priests, and of the ancestral chiefs of Israel, to pronounce the just sentence of Yahweh, and to settle disputes, - when they returned to Jerusalem. And he laid charge upon them, saying, - Thus, shall ye act, in the fear of Yahweh, faithfully and with an undivided heart. read more. Any dispute that shall come in unto you from among your brethren who are dwelling in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment and statutes and regulations, then shall ye warn them, that they may not become guilty against Yahweh, and so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren, - Thus, shall ye act, and not incur guilt. And lo! Amariah the chief priest, is over you as to every matter of Yahweh, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael the chief ruler for the house of Judah, as to every matter of the king, and, as officers, the Levites are before you, - Be strong and act, and Yahweh be with the good!
This, is the thing that ye shall do, - A third of you entering on the sabbath, both of the priests and of the Levites, as doorkeepers of the porch;
So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they took every man his men, who were coming in on the sabbath, with them who were going out on the sabbath, - for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.
And they stood in their place, according to their regulation, according to the law of Moses the man of God, - the priests, dashing the blood, which they received at the hand of the Levites. For there were many in the convocation, who had not hallowed themselves, - but, the Levites, were over the slaughtering of the passover-lambs, for every one who was, not pure, to hallow him unto Yahweh.
And Hezekiah spake unto the heart of all the Levites who were giving good instruction respecting Yahweh, - and they did eat the appointed feast seven days, sacrificing the peace-offerings, and offering praise unto Yahweh, God of their fathers.
both the registering of the priests, by their ancestral houses, and the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, - in their watches, in their courses;
And Josiah kept, in Jerusalem, a passover unto Yahweh, - and they slaughtered the passover, on the fourteenth of the first month.
Now, in the second year of their coming in unto the house of God, to Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak and the rest of their brethren - the priests and the Levites, and all that were come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, and stationed the Levites, of twenty years old and upwards, to preside over the work of the house of Yahweh. So they took their station - even Jeshua, his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, sons of Judah, as one man to preside over the doer of the work in the house of God, the sons of Henadad, their sons and their brethren, the Levites. read more. And, when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, then the priests, enrobed, took their stand with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to offer praise unto Yahweh, after the instructions of David king of Israel. And, when they made responses in offering praise and in giving thanks unto Yahweh - For he is good, for, age-abiding, is his lovingkindness, upon Israel, then, all the people, shouted with a great shout, in offering praise unto Yahweh, over the laying of the foundation of the house of Yahweh. But, many of the priests and the Levites and the ancestral chiefs, who were old men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, were weeping with a loud voice, - many, however, shouting and rejoicing, with voice raised on high;
And, Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, did cause the people to understand the law, the people, remaining in their places.
And, of the Levites, Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; and Shabbethai and Jozabad, over the outside business of the house of God, of the chiefs of the Levites; read more. and Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, leader of the praise who giveth thanks, in prayer, and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, - and Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. All the Levites in the holy city, were two hundred and eighty-four. And, the door-keepers - Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren who were keeping watch in the gates, were a hundred and seventy-two.
And, the chiefs of the Levites, Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise - to give thanks, by the commandment of David the man of God, - ward joined to ward. Mattaniah and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were watchers, doorkeepers of the ward, in the storehouses of the gates. read more. These, were in the days of Joiakim, son of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, - and in the days of Nehemiah the pasha, and Ezra the priest the scribe. And, at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought the Levites, out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, - to keep the dedication and the rejoicing, both with thanksgiving and with music, cymbals, harps, and with lyres. So the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, - both out of the circuit round about Jerusalem, and out of the villages of the Netophathites; also out of Beth-gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba, and Azmaveth, - for, villages, had the singers builded for themselves, round about Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, - and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall. Then brought I up the rulers of Judah upon the wall, - and I appointed two large choirs, even to go in procession to the right, upon the wall, towards the dung-gate;
and I made treasurers over the treasuries - Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah from among the Levites, and, next unto them, Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, - for faithful were they accounted, and it was laid upon them to distribute unto their brethren.
And I gave word to the Levites, that they should be purifying themselves and coming in, as keepers of the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. This also, remember to me, O my God, and have pity upon me, according to the abundance of thy lovingkindness.
And, in like manner, a Levite also, coming down to the place, and seeing him, passed by, on the opposite side.
And, this, is the witness of John, when the Jews sent forth unto him, out of Jerusalem, priests and Levites, - that they might question him - Who art, thou?
And, Joseph, who had been surnamed Barnabas by the Apostles, which is to be translated Son of Exhortation, - a Levite, a Cyprian by nation,
Fausets
The men of Levi, the sacerdotal tribe, all ministers, out of whom the priests were taken, namely, Aaron's family. Levi's wild zeal against the defiler of Dinah was the forerunner of the Levites' zeal against impure idolaters. The antiquity and genuineness of Genesis are marked by the absence of all notice of Levi's subsequent greatness as the priest tribe. The genealogy (Ge 46:11) goes no further down than Levi's three sons; these too are named in their order of birth, not giving Kohath the prominence which his family had subsequently, He has four clans in Ex 6:16-25, Gershon and Merari but two each. Amram, Aaron, and Moses belonged to his stock (Ex 4:14). The firstborn "young men" of Israel were the priests to offer sacrifices (Ex 24:5) before the law, representing the priestly nation (Ex 19:6,22,24). (See LEVI on the Levites' promotion to be the priestly tribe for their zeal in the Lord's cause.)
Levi became "an Israel within an Israel," the witness and guard of the truth. Substituted for the firstborn males of all Israel whom Jehovah claimed as His when He saved Israel from the stroke on Egypt's firstborn; the Levites, 22,000; the firstborn males, 22,273; the odd 273 above were to be redeemed at five shekels each (Nu 3:45-51), the fixed price for redeeming a victim vowed in sacrifice (Nu 18:16; Le 27:6). The Levites' cattle were taken for the firstlings of Israel's cattle (compare Ex 13:12-13). The Levites marching from Sinai round the tabernacle were the heavenly King's royal guard; none else was to approach it on pain of death (Nu 1:51; 18:22; 4:3-30).
The priests occupied the eastern side of the tabernacle, inside Judah the leading camp; the Kohathites the southern side, inside Reuben; the Gershonites the western side, inside Ephraim; the Merarites the northern, inside Daniel The aggregate of Gershonites (Nu 3:22), Kohathites (Nu 3:28), and Merarites (Nu 3:34), is 22,300; but in the redemption 300 are deducted (probably the firstborn in Levi within the year that had elapsed since the command was issued, Nu 3:40-43), and 22,000 taken as substituted for Israel's male firstborn. Levi in this census was the fewest tribe in numbers, but in the other tribes servants not pure Israelites were enumerated, whereas in Levi only pure Israelites. The number of Israel's firstborn males (22,273) compared with the male adults (603,550) is disproportionately small, the proportion being usually one in four.
But the law of Ex 13:1-2, dedicated those alone who should be firstborn thenceforward (compare Exodus 2; Exodus 11-12; Nu 3:13; 8:17), for the duties of the firstborn referred to a ritual yet to be revealed, and the firstborn of cattle must mean those thereafter firstborn. Thus the proportion of firstborn sons in one year born of 2,000,000 of men is so large as can be explained only by the divine blessing, and the sudden development which the Exodus gave to the nation. The Levites stood midway between the people and the priesthood, which culminated in the high priest. They could not sacrifice, burn incense, or see the "holy things" until covered (Nu 4:15). Yet they came nearer than the people, and they alone struck the tent in marching, carried its parts, and pitched it again. Their work needed matured strength; so their service began not until 30 years old (with a previous probationary period of five years: Nu 8:24), whereas military service began at 20. At 50 their service ceased (Nu 8:25-26).
So, of 8,600 Kohathites, 2,750 were on duty, of 7,500 Gershonites 2,630, of 6,200 Merarites 3,200 (Numbers 4). The Kohathites held the highest office and bore the ark (except on solemn occasions when the priests bore it: Jos 3:3,15) and vessels, after the priest had covered them (Nu 4:15). The Gershonites bore the tent hangings and curtains; the Merarites the tabernacle boards, bars, and pillars; the Kohathites under Eleazar bore the vessels on their shoulders (Nu 7:9); the Gershonites and Merarites under Ithamar (Nu 4:28,33), because of their weighty charge, were allowed oxen and wagons. The Levites were Jehovah's and Israel's 1Ch 9:2; the Levites' subordinates) and "joined" (as Levi means) to the priests (Nu 3:9; 8:19; 18:2,4,6).
The Levites were purified for service with bathing, shaving, washing clothes, imposition of Israel' s hands, waving them as a wave offering to Jehovah (compare our gospel "living sacrifice," Ro 12:1) toward the four points of the compass, in token of entire consecration of all their powers; the Levite then laid hands on one bullock offered for a sin offering and another for a burnt offering. Korah's rebellion through seeking the priesthood was followed by a fresh defining of the Levites' office (Numbers 16; Nu 18:1-7). The Levites received a tithe or tenth of all produce, animal and vegetable, of which they had to pay the priests a tithe (Nu 18:20-32). A second tithe the Israelites used for the tabernacle feasts and free will offerings, and of this second tithe the Levites should receive a share (De 14:23,27), especially when ministering (De 18:7-8).
Forty-eight cities were appointed them (four on the average from each tribe), including the six cities of refuge and (of suburbs, meadow for their cattle) 1,000 cubits out from the city walls, each of the four sides being 2,000 cubits long. (See GEZER.) The phrase "the Levite that is within thy gates" is appropriate (De 14:27), for the Levites' cities did not cease to belong to the tribes within which they lay. Thus Levites are occasionally spoken of as belonging to other tribes, namely, those within whose territory they resided (1 De 8:6; Jg 17:7; 1Sa 1:1). Elkanah a Levite is called an "Ephrathite," "Heman the Ezrahite," i.e. from Zerah of Judah (title Psalm 88; Psalm 89). "The priests the Levites" on the peculiar use of Levites without distinction from the priests) were to determine controversies and to preserve the law in the side of the ark, and in the seventh year at the feast of tabernacles read it before Israel, and pronounce the curses from Ebal (De 17:9-12; 31:9-13,26; 27:14). (See DEUTERONOMY.)
The Hivite Gibeonites (Jos 9:27) and the Nethinim relieved the Levites of their more burdensome duties subsequently. (See NETHINIM.) Micah's consecration of the homeless Levite as his household priest implies a relapse in dark times to the original household priesthood. It was a Korahlike usurpation on the part of the Levite (Judges 17). Samuel the Levite, adopted into the priesthood, revived the divine order. The Levites were among his schools of the prophets, whose training consisted in praise, prayer, and study of the law. Hence enlarged views of acceptable worship appear in the Levite Asaph's Psalm 50. The ark after its restoration from the Philistines was in charge of Abinadab in the hill, or Gibeah, or Kirjath Jearim (1Sa 7:1; 2Sa 6:3), probably an old Canaanite highplace sanctuary. David's words (1Ch 15:2) imply that heretofore Levites had not been in charge of the ark, therefore that Abinadab was not a Levite possibly (?). "None ought. to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them hath Jehovah chosen."
Saul's assumption of sacrificing, his slaughter of the priests at Nob and of the serving Gibeonites, imply his self-willed impatience of the prominence of the priest tribe. Accordingly, at Hebron, 4,600 Levites joined David, besides 3,700 priests (1Ch 12:26-27). He honoured them at his succession, and once even wore their robe (2Sa 6:14). The duties of the Levites are defined by him (1Ch 23:24-32), "to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah," etc., "and to stand every morning to thank and praise Jehovah, and likewise at even, and to offer (i.e. assist the priests in offering) all burnt sacrifices," etc.
The Levites supplied "officers and judges" (1Ch 26:30), "in all the business of the Lord and the service of the king." Korah's sons of the Levites, headed by Heman, played upon psalteries and harps (1Ch 9:19,32); the Kohathites prepared the shewbread every sabbath; the Gershonites were headed by Asaph's son in the temple choir (1Ch 6:39,44; 15:17), the Merarites by Ethan or Jeduthun. The heavier work being no longer needed of transporting the tabernacle, and psa
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Then was kindled the anger of Yahweh against Moses, and he said - Is there not Aaron, thy brother, the Levite? I know that he lean speak. Moreover also lo! he himself is coming forth to meet thee, as surely as he seeth thee, so surely will he rejoice in his heart.
And, these, are the names of the sons of Levi by their generations, Gershon, and Kohath and Merari, And, the years of the life of Levi, were a hundred and thirty-seven years. The sons of Gershon, Libni and Shimei by their families. read more. And the sons of Kohath, Amram and Izhar, and Hebron and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath, were a hundred and thirty-three years. And the sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi. These, are the families of the Levites by their generations. So then, Amram took Jochebed, his father's sister to himself to wife, and she bare to him - Aaron and Moses. And, the years of the life of Amram, were a hundred and thirty-seven. And the sons of Izhar, Korah and Nepheg, and Zichri. And the sons of Uzziel, Mishael and Elzaphan, and Sithri. And Aaron took Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Nahshon, to himself to wife, - and she bare to him - Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. And the sons of Korah, Assir and Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These are the families of the Korahites. 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.
And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying: Hallow to me every firstborn, that which any female first beareth among the sons of Israel, among men and among beasts, - mine! it is.
that thou shalt set apart whatsoever is born first, to Yahweh; and, of all firstlings of beasts which thou shalt have, the males, shall pertain to Yahweh. But every firstling of an ass, shalt thou redeem with a lamb or if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck, - but every firstborn of men among thy sons, shalt thou redeem.
But, ye, shall be mine, As a kingdom of priests, And a holy nation. These, are the words, which thou shalt speak unto the sons of Israel.
Yea, even the priests who do approach unto Yahweh, must hallow themselves, - lest Yahweh break in upon them.
And Yahweh said unto him - Away, down, then shalt thou come up, thou and Aaron with thee, - but as for the priests and the people, let it not be that they press through to come up unto Yahweh lest he break in upon them.
and he sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they caused to go up, ascending-sacrifices, - and slew peace-offerings to Yahweh, of oxen.
And, if it he from a month old even unto five years old, then shall thine estimate be - for the male, five shekels of silver, - and, for the female, thine estimate shall be three shekels of silver.
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.
Thus shalt thou give the Levites unto Aaron and unto his sons, - given, given, they are unto him, from among the sons of Israel;
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.
They who were numbered of them in the counting of every male, from one month old, and upwards, - they who were num-bered of them, were seven thousand and five hundred.
In, the counting of every male, from one month old and upwards, there were eight thousand and six hundred, to keep the charge of the sanctuary.
And they who were numbered of them in the counting of every male, from one month old and upwards, were six thousand, and two hundred.
And Yahweh said unto Moses: Number thou every firstborn male belonging to the sons of Israel, from one month old and upwards, - and reckon up the number of their names; then shalt thou take the Levites for me, me Yahweh, instead of every firstborn among the sons of Ishmael, - also the cattle of the Levites, instead of every firstling among the cattle of the sons of Israel. read more. So then Moses numbered, as Yahweh commanded him, - every firstborn among the sons of Israel. And it was so - that all the firstborn of the males in the counting of names from one month old and upwards of such as were numbered of them, - were two-and-twenty thousand, two hundred and seventy-three.
Take the Levites, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites, instead of their cattle, - so shall the Levites belong unto me, me Yahweh; and as the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three, - who are mere than the Levites, of the firstborn of the sons of Israel, read more. thou shalt take five shekels apiece by the poll, - by the shekel of the sanctuary, shalt thou take it, twenty gerahs to the shekel; and shalt give the silver to Aaron and to his sons, - as the ransom of them that are in excess over them. So Moses took the redemption silver from them who were in excess over them who were redeemed by the Levites: from the firstborn of the sons of Israel, took he the silver, - a thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, And Moses gave the redemption silver to Aaron and to his sons at the bidding of Yahweh, - As Yahweh commanded Moses.
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. This, shall be the labour of the sons of Kohath, in the tent of meeting, - the most holy things, read more. So then Aaron and his sons shall enter when the camp is to set forward, and take down the screening veil, - and enwrap therein the ark of the testimony; and put thereon a covering of badgers skin, and spread a complete wrapper of blue over above, - and put in the staves thereof. And over the Presence-table, shall they spread a wrapper of blue and put thereon the dishes and the pans and the bowls and the libation cups, the perpetual bread also, thereupon, shall remain; and they shall spread over them a wrapper of crimson, and cover the same with a covering of badgers skin, - and shall put in the staves thereof. Then shall they take a wrapper of blue, and cover the light-giving lampstand, and the lamps thereof, and the snuffers thereof and the snuff-trays thereof, - and all the oil-vessels, thereof, wherewith they minister thereunto; and shall put the same and all the vessels thereof, within a covering of, badger's skin, - and shall put it upon a frame. And upon the altar of gold, shall they spread a wrapper of blue, and shall cover the same in a covering of badgers skin, - and shall put in the staves thereof, And they shall take all the utensils of attendance wherewith they attend in the sanctuary, and put them within a wrapper of blue, and cover the same in a covering of badgers skin, - and put them on a frame. Then shall they remove the fat-ashes from the altar, - and spread over it a wrapper of purple; and put thereupon all the utensils thereof wherewith they minister thereupon - the fire-pans, the flesh-hooks - and the shovels and the tossing-bowls, all the utensils of the altar, - and shall spread over it covering of badgers skin and put in the staves thereof. So shall Aaron and his sons make an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the utensils of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set forward, then after that, shall the sons of Kohath enter to bear it, but they must not put forth a touch unto that which, is holy, else should they die, these, shall be the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
So shall Aaron and his sons make an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the utensils of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set forward, then after that, shall the sons of Kohath enter to bear it, but they must not put forth a touch unto that which, is holy, else should they die, these, shall be the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
So shall Aaron and his sons make an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the utensils of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set forward, then after that, shall the sons of Kohath enter to bear it, but they must not put forth a touch unto that which, is holy, else should they die, these, shall be the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting. But the care of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, shall be - the light-giving oil, and the fragrant incense, and the perpetual meal-offering, and the anointing oil, the care of all the habitation, and all that is therein, both as to the sanctuary, and as to the furniture thereof. read more. Then spake Yahweh unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying: Do not let the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be cut off out of the midst of the Levites. This, therefore, do ye for them, so shall they live and not die when they approach the most holy place, - Aaron and his sons shall enter and set them man by man over his labour, and unto his burden; but they shall not enter to see, for a moment, that which is holy, else should they die.
reckon up the sum of the sons of Gershon even of them also, - by their ancestral house by their families; 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. read more. This, shall be the labour of the families of the Gershonites, - in labouring and in bearing: they shall bear the curtains of the habitation and the tent of meeting, the covering thereof and the covering of badgers skin which is over above it, - and the screen, at the entrance of the tent of meeting; and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court which is near the habitation and near the altar round about, and their cords, and all their articles of service, and all that is to be done to them when they shall do their labour, At the bidding of Aaron and his sons, shall he all the labour of the sons of the Gershonites, to the extent of their every burden, and to the extent of all their labour, - so shall ye appoint unto them in charge their every burden. This, shall be the labour of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting, - and, the charge of them, shall be in the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.
This, shall be the labour of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting, - and, the charge of them, shall be in the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest. As for the sons of Merari, - by their families by their ancestral house, shall ye number them; read more. 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,
This, shall be the labour of the families of the sons of Merari, to the extent of all their labour in the tent of meeting, - in the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron, the priest.
but, unto the sons of Kohath, gave he none, - because as to the laborious work of the sanctuary which pertained unto them, upon their shoulders, were they to carry it.
For mine, is every firstborn among the sons of Israel, among men and among beasts, - on the day when I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, did I hallow them unto me.
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.
This is what concerneth the Levites, - from twenty-five years old and upwards, shall they enter to take rank in the host, for doing the laborious work of the tent of meeting; but from the age of fifty years, shall they retire from taking rank in the labour, and shall do laborious work no more; read more. yet shall they wait upon their brethren in the tent of meeting, by keeping charge, but laborious work, shall they not perform, - thus, shalt thou do unto the Levites, as touching their charges.
And Yahweh said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and the house of thy father with thee, shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary, - and, thou, and thy sons with thee, shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 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.
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 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. read more. 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.
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. But thou and thy sons with thee, shall keep the charge of your priesthood, as to every matter of the altar and as to the interior of the veil, and shall do the laborious work, as a laborious service of gifts, do I give your priesthood, and, the stranger who cometh near shall be put to death.
And, as to the redemption price thereof, from a month old, shalt thou redeem, by thine estimate five shekels of silver by the shekel of the sanctuary, - twenty gerahs, it is.
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. And unto the sons of Levi, lo! I have given all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, - the allotted portion for their laborious work which, they are performing, the laborious work of the tent of meeting: read more. that the sons of Israel come near no more, unto the tent of meeting, - to bear sin, to die.
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.
Unto the Levites, therefore shalt thou speak and shalt say unto them, When ye shall take of the sons of Israel the tenth which I have given unto you from them as your inheritance, then shall ye offer up therefrom the heave-offering of Yahweh, a tenth of the tenth. shall your heave-offering be reckoned your own, - as corn out of the threshing-floor, and as the abundance out of the wine-press. read more. Thus, shall ye also, offer up the heave-offering of Yahweh, out of all your tenths which ye shall take from the sons of Israel, - and give therefrom the heave-offering of Yahweh, unto Aaron the priest. Out of all your gifts, shall ye offer up every b heave-offering of Yahweh, - out of all the best thereof, the hallowed pert thereof out of it. And thou shalt say unto them, - When ye offer the best thereof out of it, then shall it be reckoned to belong unto the Levites, as the increase of the threshing-floor and as the increase of the wine-press, And ye shall eat it in any place, ye, and your household, - for a reward, it is unto you, the allotted portion for your laborious work in the tent of meeting. And ye shall not by reason of it bear sin, when ye offer up the best thereof, out of it; and the hallowed things of the sons of Israel, shall ye not profane neither shall ye die.
Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments of Yahweh thy God, - to walk in his ways and to revere him.
And thou shalt eat before Yahweh thy God - in the place which he shall choose to make a habitation for his name there, - the tithe of thy corn thy new wine and thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herd and of thy flock, - that thou mayest learn to revere Yahweh thy God all the days.
and, the Levite who is within thy gates, thou shalt not forsake him, - for he hath neither portion nor inheritance with thee.
and, the Levite who is within thy gates, thou shalt not forsake him, - for he hath neither portion nor inheritance with thee.
and shalt come in unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge who shall be in those days, - and shalt enquire and they shall declare unto thee, the sentence of judgment; and thou shalt do according to the sentence which they shall declare unto thee, out of that place, which Yahweh, shall choose, - yea thou shalt observe to do according to all which they shall direct thee: read more. according to the direction wherewith they direct thee and after the judgment which they shall announce to thee, shalt thou do, - thou shalt not turn aside from the sentence which they shall declare unto thee to the right hand or to the left. And, the man who shall do presumptuously by not hearkening unto the priest that standeth to minister there to Yahweh thy God, or unto the judge, that man shall die, and so shalt thou consume the wicked thing out of Israel.
then may he minister in the name of Yahweh his God, - like any of his brethren the Levites who are standing there before Yahweh. Portion for portion, shall they eat, - apart from his possessions upon his patrimony.
Then shall the Levites respond and say unto every man of Israel with voice uplifted: -
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, who were bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, - and unto all the elders of Israel.
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, who were bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, - and unto all the elders of Israel. And Moses commanded them, saying, - At the end of seven years in the appointed season of the year of release, during the festival of booths;
And Moses commanded them, saying, - At the end of seven years in the appointed season of the year of release, during the festival of booths; when all Israel cometh in to see the face of Yahweh thy God, in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt lead this law before all Israel, in their hearing.
when all Israel cometh in to see the face of Yahweh thy God, in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt lead this law before all Israel, in their hearing. Call together the people - the men and the women and the little ones, and thy sojourner who is within thy gates, - that they may hear, and that they may learn, so shall they revere Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law;
Call together the people - the men and the women and the little ones, and thy sojourner who is within thy gates, - that they may hear, and that they may learn, so shall they revere Yahweh your God, and observe to do all the words of this law; and that their children who know not, may hear and learn, that they may revere Yahweh your God, - all the days that ye are living upon the soil, which ye are passing over the Jordan to possess.
and that their children who know not, may hear and learn, that they may revere Yahweh your God, - all the days that ye are living upon the soil, which ye are passing over the Jordan to possess.
Take this scroll of the law, and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, - so shall it be there in thy midst as a witness.
and commanded the people saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and, the priests the Levites, bearing it, ye also, shall break up out of your place, and come after it.
then, as the bearers of the ark came as far as the Jordan, and, the feet of the priests who were bearing the ark, were dipped in the edge of the waters, - the Jordan being full over all his banks, all the days of harvest,
And Joshua appointed them that day to be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto the assembly, - and unto the altar of Yahweh, as they are until this day, in the place which he should choose.
And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-judah, of the family of Judah, - he, being a Levite, and, he, being a sojourner there.
Then came the men of Kiriath-jearim and fetched up the ark of Yahweh, and brought it into the house of Abinadab, in the hill, - and, Eleazar his son, hallowed they, to guard the ark of Yahweh.
And, David, was dancing with all boldness before Yahweh, - David, being girt with an ephod of linen.
And, his brother Asaph who stood on his right hand, Asaph son of Berechiah, son of Shimea, -
And, the sons of Merari, their brethren, on the left hand, Ethan son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch; -
Now, the first inhabitants, who were in their possessions, in their cities, were Israel, the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim.
And, Shallum, son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah and his brethren of his ancestral house - the Korahites, were over the business of the service, watchers at the vestibule of the tent, - and, their fathers, had been over the camp of Yahweh, watchers at the entrance.
And, some from among the Kohathites, of their brethren, were over the Bread that was set in Array, - to place it sabbath by sabbath.
Of the sons of Levi, four thousand, and six hundred. And Jehoiada, was chief ruler for Aaron, - and, with him, three thousand and seven hundred;
Then, said David, None must carry the ark of God, save the Levites, - for, of them, did Yahweh make choice, to bear the ark of Yahweh, and to attend it, unto times age-abiding.
So the Levites caused to stand, Heman son of Joel, and, of his brethren, Asaph, son of Berechiah, - and, of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan, son of Kushaiah;
Now the Levites were numbered, from thirty years old and upwards, - and their number by their polls, of mature men, was thirty-eight thousand.
These, were the sons of Levi by their ancestral house, the ancestral chiefs of them who were counted in the number of their names, by their polls, doing the work, for the service of the house of Yahweh, - from twenty years old, and upwards.
These, were the sons of Levi by their ancestral house, the ancestral chiefs of them who were counted in the number of their names, by their polls, doing the work, for the service of the house of Yahweh, - from twenty years old, and upwards. For, said David, Yahweh the God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, - and hath taken up his habitation in Jerusalem, unto times age-abiding;
For, said David, Yahweh the God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, - and hath taken up his habitation in Jerusalem, unto times age-abiding; moreover also, as for the Levites, they have no need to bear the habitation, nor any of its vessels in the laborious work thereof.
moreover also, as for the Levites, they have no need to bear the habitation, nor any of its vessels in the laborious work thereof. For, by the last words of David, the same, were the number of the sons of Levi, - from twenty years old, and upwards.
For, by the last words of David, the same, were the number of the sons of Levi, - from twenty years old, and upwards. For, their duty, was - to be in attendance upon the sons of Aaron, in the laborious work of the house of Yahweh, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the purifying of everything holy, - and doing the laborious work, of the house of God; read more. and for the bread set in array, and for the fine meal for the meal-offering, and for the unleavened cakes, even for that which is baked in a pan, for the moistened food, - even of every measure, and size; and to stand, morning by morning, to give thanks and offer praise unto Yahweh, - and, likewise, at even; and for all the offering of ascending-sacrifices unto Yahweh, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts, - by number, according to the manner prescribed for them continually, before Yahweh; - and they shall keep the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron, their brethren, - in the laborious work of the house of Yahweh.
And David and the captains of the host set apart for service, unto the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, such as should prophesy, with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals, - and, the number of the workers, for their service, was: Of the sons of Asaph, Zaccur and Joseph and Nethaniah and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph, - under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king. read more. Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun, - Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah - six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, with the lyre, as he prophesied, in giving thanks and offering praise unto Yahweh. Of Heman, the sons of Heman - Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jeremoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. All these, were sons of Heman, the seer of the king in the things of God, at the lifting of the horn. And God gave to Heman, fourteen sons and three daughters, All these, were under the direction of their father, in the singing of the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God, - Asaph and Jeduthun and Heman, under the direction of the king. And, the number of them - with their brethren, who were instructed in singing unto Yahweh, - even all the skilful, was two hundred and eighty-eight. So they cast lots for their charges, all alike, as the small so the great, the teacher with the learner.
Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, sons of valour, one thousand seven hundred, had the oversight of Israel, across the Jordan westward, - for all the business of Yahweh, and for the service of the king.
And, the priests and Levites that were in all Israel, took their stand with him, out of all their boundaries. For the Levites left their pasture lands, and their possessions, and came to Judah, and to Jerusalem, - for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, from ministering as priests unto Yahweh;
But, as for us, Yahweh, is our God, and we have not forsaken him, - and, the priests who are waiting upon Yahweh, are sons of Aaron, with Levites in the work; and they are making a perfume unto Yahweh, with ascending-sacrifices morning by morning, and evening by evening and an incense of sweet spices, and are putting in order bread upon the pure table, and the lampstand of gold with the lamps thereof, for lighting up evening by evening, for, observant, are we of the charge of Yahweh our God, - whereas, ye, have forsaken him. read more. And lo! with us as Head, is God himself, and his priests, and the trumpets of alarm, to sound an alarm against you, - O sons of Israel! do not fight against Yahweh God of your fathers, for ye shall not prosper.
And, even in Jerusalem, did Jehoshaphat station some of the Levites and the priests, and of the ancestral chiefs of Israel, to pronounce the just sentence of Yahweh, and to settle disputes, - when they returned to Jerusalem. And he laid charge upon them, saying, - Thus, shall ye act, in the fear of Yahweh, faithfully and with an undivided heart. read more. Any dispute that shall come in unto you from among your brethren who are dwelling in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment and statutes and regulations, then shall ye warn them, that they may not become guilty against Yahweh, and so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren, - Thus, shall ye act, and not incur guilt. And lo! Amariah the chief priest, is over you as to every matter of Yahweh, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael the chief ruler for the house of Judah, as to every matter of the king, and, as officers, the Levites are before you, - Be strong and act, and Yahweh be with the good!
And Levites - of the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to offer praise unto Yahweh, God of Israel, with an exceedingly loud voice. So they rose early in the morning, and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa, - and, as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, Trust ye in Yahweh your God, and ye shall be trusted, Trust ye in his prophets, and ye shall prosper. read more. And, when he had given counsel unto the people, he appointed such as should sing unto Yahweh, and offer praise with holy adorning, - as they should be going forth before the armed men, that they should be saying, O give thanks unto Yahweh, For, age-abiding, is his lovingkindness. And, when they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh had set liers-in-wait against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who were coming against Judah, and they were smitten.
and said unto them, Hear me, O Levites! Now, hallow yourselves, and hallow the house of Yahweh, God of your fathers, and take forth the impure thing out of the holy place. For our fathers have acted unfaithfully and done the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh our God, and have forsaken him,-and have turned round their faces from the habitation of Yahweh, and have offered their backs. read more. Moreover they have shut up the doors of the porch, and have quenched the lamps, and, incense, have they not burned,-and, ascending-sacrifice, have they not caused to go up in the holy place, unto the God of Israel. Thus hath it come to pass, that, the wrath of Yahweh, hath been upon Judah and Jerusalem, - and he hath delivered them up as a terror and as an astonishment and as hissing, even as, ye, can see with your own eyes. And lo! our fathers have fallen by the sword, and, our sons and our daughters and our wives, are in captivity for this. Now, is it near my heart, to solemnise a covenant unto Yahweh, God of Israel, - that he may turn from him the glow of his anger. My sons! now, do not be faulty, - for, of you, hath Yahweh made choice, to stand before him, and to wait upon him, and to be his attendants and burners of incense. Then arose the Levites - Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites, and, of the sons of Merari, Kish son of Abdi, and Azariah son of Jehallelel, - and, of the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah, and Eden son of Joah; and, of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel, - and, of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah, and Mattaniah; and, of the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei, - and, of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah, and Uzziel; and they gathered together their brethren, who hallowed themselves, and came in according to the command of the king, in the things of Yahweh, - to purify the house of Yahweh. So the priests entered into the inner part of the house of Yahweh, to make purification, and they brought out every unclean thing which they found in the temple of Yahweh, into the court of the house of Yahweh, - where the Levites received it, to carry it forth to the Kidron ravine outside. And they began, on the first of the first month, to hallow, - and, on the eighth day of the month, they came to the porch of Yahweh, so they hallowed the house of Yahweh in eight days, - and, on the sixteenth day of the first month, they finished. Then came they in unto Hezekiah the king, and said, We have purified all the house of Yahweh, - the altar of ascending-sacrifice, and all the utensils thereof, and the table for setting in array, and all the utensils thereof. And, all the utensils which King Ahaz in his reign rejected when he acted unfaithfully, have we made ready and hallowed, - and, there they are, before the altar of Yahweh. So Hezekiah the king rose up early, and gathered together the rulers of the city, - and went up to the house of Yahweh. And they brought in seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven young sheep, and seven he-goats for bearing sin, for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah, - and he bade the sons of Aaron, the priests, cause them to ascend upon the altar of Yahweh. So they slaughtered the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and dashed it against the altar, - and they slaughtered the rams, and dashed the blood against the altar, and slaughtered the young sheep, and dashed the blood against the altar. And they brought near the he-goats for bearing sin, before the king, and the convocation, - and they leaned their hands upon them; and the priests slaughtered them, and sin-cleansed, with their blood, the altar, to put a propitiatory-covering over all Israel,-because, for all Israel, did the king appoint the ascending-sacrifice and the offering for bearing sin. And he caused the Levites to stand in the house of Yahweh, with cymbals and with harps and with lyres, by the commandment of David, and of Gad the seer of the king, and of Nathan the prophet, - for, by the hand of Yahweh, came the commandment by the hand of his prophets. So the Levites took their stand, with the instruments of David, and the priests, with the trumpets. And Hezekiah gave word, to cause the ascending-sacrifice to go up on the altar, - and, when the ascending-sacrifice began, the singing unto Yahweh began, and the trumpets, even under the direction of the instruments of David, king of Israel. And, all the convocation, were bowing themselves in prostration, and, the song, was resounding and the trumpets were blowing,-the whole, until the completing of the ascending-sacrifice. And, when the offering was complete, the king knelt down and all who were present with him, and bowed themselves in prostration. And Hezekiah the king and the rulers gave word to the Levites, to offer praise unto Yahweh, in the words of David, and of Asaph the seer, - so they offered praise right joyfully, and bent their heads and bowed themselves in prostration. Then responded Hezekiah and said - Now, have ye consecrated yourselves unto Yahweh. Draw near, and bring in sacrifices and thank-offerings unto the house of Yahweh,-So the convocation brought sacrifices and thank-offerings, and, everyone of a willing heart, brought ascending-sacrifices. And it came to pass that, the number of ascending-sacrifices which the convocation brought, was - seventy bullocks, and a hundred rams, and two hundred young sheep, - as an ascending-sacrifice unto Yahweh, all these. But, the hallowed beasts, were six hundred bullocks, and three thousand sheep. Only, the priests, were too few, and were unable to flay all the ascending-sacrifices, - so their brethren the Levites strengthened them, until the work was complete and until the priests had hallowed themselves, for, the Levites, were more upright in heart to hallow themselves, than the priests.
Then slaughtered they the passover, on the fourteenth of the second month, - and, the priests and the Levites, were put to shame, and hallowed themselves, and brought in the ascending-sacrifices of the house of Yahweh. And they stood in their place, according to their regulation, according to the law of Moses the man of God, - the priests, dashing the blood, which they received at the hand of the Levites. read more. For there were many in the convocation, who had not hallowed themselves, - but, the Levites, were over the slaughtering of the passover-lambs, for every one who was, not pure, to hallow him unto Yahweh. For, the multitude of the people, many out of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, for they did eat the passover, otherwise than as was written, - for Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, May Yahweh the Good, put a propitiatory-covering about every one who hath prepared, his heart, to seek God, even Yahweh, God of his fathers, - though not according to the purification of the sanctuary! And Yahweh hearkened unto Hezekiah, and healed the people. And so the sons of Israel who were found in Jerusalem kept the festival of unleavened cakes seven days, with great rejoicing, - and the Levites and the priests, were offering praise unto Yahweh day by day, with loud instruments, unto Yahweh. And Hezekiah spake unto the heart of all the Levites who were giving good instruction respecting Yahweh, - and they did eat the appointed feast seven days, sacrificing the peace-offerings, and offering praise unto Yahweh, God of their fathers.
Then rose up the priests the Levites, and blessed the people, and there was a hearkening unto their voice, - and their prayer entered into his holy dwelling-place, even into the heavens.
and said to the Levites who gave instruction to all Israel as to the things which were hallowed unto Yahweh, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon son of David king of Israel did build, it is not yours as a burden on the shoulder, - Now, serve ye Yahweh your God, and his people Israel; and prepare yourselves by your ancestral houses, according to your courses, - by the writing of David king of Israel, and by what hath been written by Solomon his son; read more. and stand ye in the holy place, by the divisions of the ancestral house, for your brethren, the sons of the people, and the partitioning of an ancestral house, for the Levites. So slaughter ye the passover, - and hallow yourselves, and prepare for your brethren, that they may do according to the word of Yahweh, by the hand of Moses. And Josiah presented to the sons of the people - of flocks, young sheep and the young of the goats, the whole for the passover offerings, for all present, to the number of thirty thousand, and, of bullocks, three thousand, - these, out of the substance of the king. And, his rulers, willingly, to the people and to the priests and to the Levites, presented, - Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, chief rulers of the house of God, unto the priests, did give, for passover offerings, two thousand and six hundred, and, of bullocks, three hundred; and, Conaniah, and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, rulers of the Levites, presented to the Levites, for passover offerings, five thousand, and, of bullocks, five hundred. Thus was the service prepared, - and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the commandment of the king. So they slaughtered the passover, and the priests dashed the blood received at their hand, and the Levites were flaying the offerings . Then they removed the ascending-sacrifice, that they might give them - by the divisions of each ancestral house - unto the sons of the people, to offer unto Yahweh, as it is written in the Book of Moses, - and, in like manner, with the bullocks. And they cooked the passover with fire, according to the regulation, - but, the hallowed things, cooked they in cauldrons and in pots and in bowls, and then took quickly, unto all the sons of the people. And, afterwards, prepared they for themselves and for the priests, because, the priests, the sons of Aaron, had been engaged in offering up the ascending-sacrifice and the fat pieces, until night, - the Levites, therefore prepared for themselves, and for the priests, the sons of Aaron. the singers also, the sons of Asaph, were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the seer of the king, and, the doorkeepers, were at the several doors, - there was no need for them to remove from their service, for, their brethren the Levites, prepared for them.
The priests, The sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; The sons of Immer, a thousand and fifty-two; read more. The sons of Pashhur, a thousand two hundred and forty-seven; The sons of Harim, a thousand and seventeen, The Levites, The sons of Jeshua, and Kadmiel of the sons of Hodaviah, seventy-four. The singers, The sons of Asaph, a hundred and twenty-eight. The sons of the door-keepers, The sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, - in all, a hundred and thirty-nine.
And, when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, then the priests, enrobed, took their stand with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to offer praise unto Yahweh, after the instructions of David king of Israel. And, when they made responses in offering praise and in giving thanks unto Yahweh - For he is good, for, age-abiding, is his lovingkindness, upon Israel, then, all the people, shouted with a great shout, in offering praise unto Yahweh, over the laying of the foundation of the house of Yahweh.
And they set up the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, over the service of God, which was in Jerusalem, - as it is written, in the Book of Moses.
And I gathered them together, unto the river that cometh into Ahava, and we encamped there three days, - and I informed myself among the people and the priests, and, of the sons of Levi, found I none there.
So they brought unto us, according to the good hand of our God upon us, a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, - and Sherebiah, and his sons and his brethren, eighteen; and Hashabiah, and, with him, Jeshaiah, of the sons of Merari, - his brethren and their sons, twenty; read more. and, of the Nethinim whom David and the rulers had given for the service of the Levites, Nethinim, two hundred and twenty, - all of them, expressed by name.
And, Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, did cause the people to understand the law, the people, remaining in their places. So they read in the book of the law of God, distinctly, - and, giving the sense, caused them to understand the reading.
and, the first part of our meal and our heave-offerings and the fruit of all trees, new wine and oil, would we bring in unto the priests, into the chambers of the house of our God, and the tithe of our ground unto the Levites, - the Levites themselves, taking the tithes in all our cities of agriculture. And the priest the son of Aaron should be with the Levites, when the Levites should take the tithes, - and the Levites, should bring up the tithe of the tithe, unto the house of our God, into the chambers pertaining unto the treasure-house. read more. For, into the chambers, should the sons of Israel and the sons of Levi bring in the heave-offering of the corn, the new wine and the oil, since, there, are the utensils of the sanctuary, and the priests who are in attendance, and the doorkeepers, and the singers, - so would we not neglect the house of our God.
The Levites - in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded as ancestral chiefs, - also the priests, unto the reign of Darius the Persian.
And, at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought the Levites, out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, - to keep the dedication and the rejoicing, both with thanksgiving and with music, cymbals, harps, and with lyres. So the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, - both out of the circuit round about Jerusalem, and out of the villages of the Netophathites; read more. also out of Beth-gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba, and Azmaveth, - for, villages, had the singers builded for themselves, round about Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, - and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.
And of them also, will I take for priests - for Levites, saith Yahweh,
But as for the Levites. Who went far from me, when Israel went astray. Who went astray from me, after their manufactured gods, Therefore shall they bear their iniquity, Yet shall they remain in my sanctuary As attendants in charge at the gates of the house, - And attending upon the house, - They shall slay the ascending-offering, and the sacrifice of the people, And they, shall stand before them to wait upon them. read more. Because they used to wait upon them before their manufactured gods, and became to the house of Israel a stumbling-block of iniquity, For this cause have I lifted up my hand concerning them Declareth My Lord Yahweh, and they shall bear their iniquity; So then they shall not come near unto me To minister as priests unto me, Nor come near unto any of my holy things, As regardeth things most holy, - But they shall bear their rebuke, and their abominations which they have committed; Yet will I make them keepers of the charge of the house, - As to all the labour thereof, and As to all which shall be done therein.
for the priests that are hallowed - the sons of Zadok, who kept my charge, - who went not astray when the sons of Israel went astray, as the Levites I went astray.
My covenant, was with him, Life and Well-being, so I gave them to him - I as One to be revered - and he did revere me, - and, before my Name, dismayed, was he. The deliverance of truth, was in his mouth, and, perverseness, was not found in his lips, - In well-doing and in uprightness, walked he with me, and, multitudes, did he turn from iniquity.
Therefore will he sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and will purify the sons of Levi, and will smelt them, as gold and as silver; so shall they belong to Yahweh, offering a gift in righteousness.
And, in like manner, a Levite also, coming down to the place, and seeing him, passed by, on the opposite side.
And, this, is the witness of John, when the Jews sent forth unto him, out of Jerusalem, priests and Levites, - that they might question him - Who art, thou?
And, Joseph, who had been surnamed Barnabas by the Apostles, which is to be translated Son of Exhortation, - a Levite, a Cyprian by nation,
I beseech you therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a living, holy sacrifice, unto God acceptable, - your rational divine service;
Hastings
Morish
Le'vites
The tribe that descended from Levi, son of Jacob. When Moses came down from the mount and saw the golden calf which the people had made, he asked, "Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him." He bade them gird on their swords and slay every man his brother, his companion, and his neighbour. And there fell of the people that day about three thousand. Moses spoke of it as consecrating themselves to the Lord, every man upon his son, and upon his brother, that God might bestow a blessing upon them. Ex 32:26-29.
The Levites were chosen by God as a redemption for all the firstborn of Israel, which God claimed for Himself. They thus became wholly His, and they were given to Aaron to minister in all that pertained to the service of the tabernacle, except the priesthood, which was restricted to Aaron and his descendants. Nu 3:5-51.
Of the Levites there were three main branches: the GERSHONITES, the KOHATHITES, and the MERARITES. Moses and Aaron were descendants of Kohath. When the camp of Israel rested, this tribe surrounded the tabernacle. When it moved they had to carry its various parts and the sacred things belonging thereto. According to Nu 4:3, etc., the Levites appear to have commenced their tabernacle service at the age of thirty; but in Nu 8:24-26 the age is given as twenty-five. It may be that they spent the first five years on probation, learning their duties. When Israel had settled in Canaan and the labour of carrying the tabernacle was over, they commenced their service at the age of twenty. They laboured till they were fifty years of age. 1Ch 23:24-27.
Before the Levites entered upon any service they were thoroughly cleansed and consecrated. The children of Israel put their hands upon them, and Aaron offered them "before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel" that they might execute the service of the Lord. An atonement was made for them. Nu 8:5-26.
The Levites had no inheritance in the land, and in order that they might be free to serve the Lord, tithes were given them. Nu 18. Forty-eight cities were given to them as places to dwell in, and the suburbs thereof for their cattle. Six of these cities were to be CITIES OF REFUGE. Nu 35:1-8. The names of the cities are given in Jos 20:7-9; 21:1-42.
In the time of David the Levites were set over 'the service of song;' others were door-keepers: some were singers and others played on various instruments. 1Ch 6:31; 15:16,26. In the days of Hezekiah after the temple had been cleansed, the Levites apparently helped to flay the sacrifices, being found "more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests." 2Ch 29:34. At the Passover that followed, the Levites had the charge of killing the passover lambs for the people who were unclean. 2Ch 30:17. On the return from exile the Levites helped to explain the law to the people. Ne 8:7-8. In the N.T. the Levites are mentioned only in Lu 10:32; Joh 1:19; Ac 4:36.
The Levites are typical of Christians, who are redeemed, cleansed, and consecrated to the service of the Lord, and have no inheritance on earth.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
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 he said to them - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, - pass through and return from gate to gate in the camp, and slay ye every man his brother and every man his friend and every man his neighbour. read more. So the sons of Levi did, according to the word of Moses, - and there fell from among the people on that day, about three thousand men. And Moses said - Install yourselves to-day, unto Yahweh, yea every man for his son and for his brother, - so will he bestow upon you to-day, a blessing.
Bring near the tribe of Levi, and thou shalt cause it to stand before Aaron the priest, - so shall they wait upon him; so shall they keep his charge, and the charge of all the assembly, before the tent of meeting, - to do the laborious work of the habitation; read more. so shall they have charge of all the furniture of the tent of meeting, even the charge of the sons of Israel, - to do the laborious work of the habitation. Thus shalt thou give the Levites unto Aaron and unto his sons, - given, given, they are unto him, from among the sons of Israel; but unto Aaron, and unto his sons, shalt thou give oversight, so shall they keep charge of their priesthood, - and, the stranger who cometh near, shall be put to death.
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. read more. Then spake Yahweh unto Moses, in the desert of Sinai, saying: - Number thou the sons of Levi, by their ancestral houses, by their families, - every male, from one month old and upwards, shalt thou number them. So then Moses numbered them according to the bidding of Yahweh, - as he was commanded. And these were the sons of Levi, by their names, - Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. And these, the names of the sons of Gershon by their families, - Libni and Shimei. And, the sons of Kohath, by their families Amram, and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. And the sons of Merari by their families, Mahli and Mushi. These, are they - the families of the Levites by their ancestral houses. To, Gershon, belonged the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites, - these, are they - the families of the Gershonites. They who were numbered of them in the counting of every male, from one month old, and upwards, - they who were num-bered of them, were seven thousand and five hundred. the families of the Gershonites, to the rear of the habitation, were to encamp, westward. And, the prince of the ancestral house of the Gershonites, was Eliasaph son of Lael. And, the charge, of the sons of Gershon, was over the tent of meeting, the habitation, and the tent, - the covering thereof, and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting; and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the court which was near the habitation and near the altar, round about, - and the cords thereof, as to all the laborious work thereof. And to Kohath, belonged the family of the Amramites and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites, - these, are they - the families of the Kohathites. In, the counting of every male, from one month old and upwards, there were eight thousand and six hundred, to keep the charge of the sanctuary. 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 the Kohathites, was Elizaphan, son of Uzziel. And their charge, was - the ark and the table and the lampstand and the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary wherewith they were to minister, - and the screen, as to all the laborious work thereof. And the prince of the princes of the Levites, was Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, - to have the oversight of them that were to keep the charge of the sanctuary. To Merari, belonged the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites, - these, are they - the families of Merari. And they who were numbered of them in the counting of every male, from one month old and upwards, were six thousand, and two hundred. 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. And the oversight of the charge of the sons of Merari, was - the boards of the habitation, and the bars thereof and the pillars thereof and the sockets thereof, - and all the furniture thereof, as to all the laborious work thereof; also the pillars of the court round about and their sockets, - and their pins and their cords. 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. All they who were numbered of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the bidding of Yahweh by their families, - every male, from one month old and upwards, were two-and-twenty thousand. And Yahweh said unto Moses: Number thou every firstborn male belonging to the sons of Israel, from one month old and upwards, - and reckon up the number of their names; then shalt thou take the Levites for me, me Yahweh, instead of every firstborn among the sons of Ishmael, - also the cattle of the Levites, instead of every firstling among the cattle of the sons of Israel. So then Moses numbered, as Yahweh commanded him, - every firstborn among the sons of Israel. And it was so - that all the firstborn of the males in the counting of names from one month old and upwards of such as were numbered of them, - were two-and-twenty thousand, two hundred and seventy-three. Then spake Yahweh unto Moses, saying: - Take the Levites, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites, instead of their cattle, - so shall the Levites belong unto me, me Yahweh; and as the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three, - who are mere than the Levites, of the firstborn of the sons of Israel, thou shalt take five shekels apiece by the poll, - by the shekel of the sanctuary, shalt thou take it, twenty gerahs to the shekel; and shalt give the silver to Aaron and to his sons, - as the ransom of them that are in excess over them. So Moses took the redemption silver from them who were in excess over them who were redeemed by the Levites: from the firstborn of the sons of Israel, took he the silver, - a thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, And Moses gave the redemption silver to Aaron and to his sons at the bidding of Yahweh, - As Yahweh commanded Moses.
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.
Take the Levites, out of the midst of the sons of Israel, - and thou shalt purify them. And, thus, shalt thou do unto them, to purify them, sprinkle upon them sin-cleansing water, - then shall they, cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and shall wash their clothes and so make themselves pure. read more. Then shall they take a choice young bullock, with the meal-offering thereof even fine meal overflowed with oil, - and a second choice young bullock, shalt thou take. as a sin-bearer. Then shalt thou bring the Levites near, before the tent of meeting, - and shalt call together all the assembly of the sons of Israel; and shalt bring the Levites near before Yahweh, - and the sons of Israel shall lean their hands upon the Levites; and Aaron shall offer the Levites as a wave-offering before Yahweh, from among the sons of Israel, - so shall they be for performing the laborious work of Yahweh. And, the Levites, shall lean their hands upon the head of the bullocks; then make thou of the one a sin-bearer and of the other an ascending-sacrifice unto Yahweh, to put a propitiatory-covering over the Levites. Thus shalt thou cause the Levites to stand before Aaron and before his sons, - thus shalt thou offer them as a wave-offering unto Yahweh; thus shalt thou separate the Levites out of the midst of the sons of Israel, - thus shall the Levites become mine. And after that, shall the Levites enter to do the labour of the tent of meeting, - so shalt thou purify them, and offer them as a wave-offering, For, given, given, they are unto me, out of the midst of the sons of Israel, - instead of every firstborn that a mother beareth from among the sons of Israel, have I taken them unto me. For mine, is every firstborn among the sons of Israel, among men and among beasts, - on the day when I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, did I hallow them unto me. Therefore have I taken the Levites, - instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel; 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. And Moses and Aaron and all the assembly of the sons of Israel did thus unto the Levites, - according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses as touching the Levites, so, did the sons of Israel unto them. And the Levites accepted the cleansing from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron offered them as a wave-offering before Yahweh, - and Aaron put a propitiatory-covering over them to make them pure. And after that, went the Levites in to do their laborious work in the tent of meeting, before Aaron and before his sons, - as Yahweh commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so, did they unto them. And Yahweh spake unto Moses saying; This is what concerneth the Levites, - from twenty-five years old and upwards, shall they enter to take rank in the host, for doing the laborious work of the tent of meeting;
This is what concerneth the Levites, - from twenty-five years old and upwards, shall they enter to take rank in the host, for doing the laborious work of the tent of meeting; but from the age of fifty years, shall they retire from taking rank in the labour, and shall do laborious work no more;
but from the age of fifty years, shall they retire from taking rank in the labour, and shall do laborious work no more; yet shall they wait upon their brethren in the tent of meeting, by keeping charge, but laborious work, shall they not perform, - thus, shalt thou do unto the Levites, as touching their charges.
yet shall they wait upon their brethren in the tent of meeting, by keeping charge, but laborious work, shall they not perform, - thus, shalt thou do unto the Levites, as touching their charges.
And Yahweh spake unto Moses in the waste plains of Moab, - by Jordan, near Jericho, saying: 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. read more. 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. 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, And, among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall be the six cities of refuge, which ye shall give that the manslayer may flee thither, - and besides them, ye shall give, forty-two cities, All the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall be forty-eight cities, - them, and their pasture lands, And as touching the cities which ye shall give out of the possession of the sons of Israel from the many, shall ye take many, and from the few, shall ye take few, - each, according to his inheritance, which they shall inherit, shall We of his cities unto the Levites.
So then they set apart Kadesh in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba, the same, is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah. And, beyond the Jordan, by Jericho eastward, they appointed Bezer in the wilderness, in the table-land, out of the tribe of Reuben, - and Ramoth in Gilead, out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, out of the tribe of Manasseh. read more. These, were the cities appointed for all the sons of Israel, and for the sojourner who sojourneth in their midst, that whosoever should slay a person by mistake, might flee thither, - and not die by the hand of the blood-redeemer, until he should stand before the assembly.
Then came near the ancestral heads of the Levites, unto Eleazar, the priest, and unto Joshua son of Nun, - and unto the ancestral heads of the tribes, of the sons of Israel; and spake unto them in Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying: Yahweh himself, commanded, by the hand of Moses, that there should be given unto us cities to dwell in, - with their pasture-lands for our cattle. read more. 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. And, when the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites, then had the sons of Aaron the priest, from among the Levites - out of the tribe of Judah and out of the tribe of the Simeonites and out of the tribe of Benjamin - by lot, thirteen cities. And, the sons of Kohath that remained, had - out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim and out of the tribe of Dan and out of the half tribe of Manasseh - by lot, ten cities. And, the sons of Gershon, had - out of families of the tribe of Issachar and out of the tribe of Asher and out of the tribe of Naphtali and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan - by lot, thirteen cities. The sons of Merari, by their families, had - out of the tribe of Reuben and out of the tribe of Gad and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. So the sons of Israel gave unto the Levites these cities, with their pasture lands, - as Yahweh commanded, by the hand of Moses, by lot. Thus then they gave - out of the tribe of the sons of Judah and out of the tribe of the sons of Simeon - these cities which are mentioned by name. And the sons of Aaron, from among the sons of Kohath, from among the sons of Levi, had them, - because, theirs, was the first lot; yea there was given unto them, the city of Arba, the father of Anak, the same, is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, - with the pasture land thereof, round about it; whereas, the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they unto Caleb son of Jephunneh, as his possession. But, unto the sons of Aaron the priest, gave they the city of refuge for the manslayer, even Hebron, with the pasture lands thereof, - Libnah also, with her pasture lands; and Jattir with her pasture land, and Eshtemoa with her pasture land; and Holon, with her pasture land, and Debir, with her pasture land; and Ain, with her pasture land, and Juttah, with her pasture land, Beth-shemesh, with her pasture land, - nine cities, out of these two tribes. And, out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon, with her pasture land, - Geba, with her pasture land; Anathoth, with her pasture land, and Almon, with her pasture land, - four cities. All the cities of the sons of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities, with their pasture lands. And, as for the families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites, which remained of the sons of Kohath, the cities of their lot were out of the tribe of Ephraim. So they gave unto them a city of refuge for the manslayer, even Shechem with her pasture land, in the hill country of Ephraim, - also Gezer, with her pasture land; and Kibzaim, with her pasture land, and Beth-horon, with her pasture land, - four cities. And, out of the tribe of Dan, Elteke, with her pasture land, - Gibbethon, with her pasture land; Aijalon, with her pasture land, Gath-rimmon, with her pasture land, - four cities. And, out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Taanach, with her pasture land, and Gath-rimmon, with her pasture land, - two cities. All the cities, were ten, with their pasture lands: for the families of the sons of Kohath which remained. And, the sons of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, had, out of the half tribe of Manasseh, a city of refuge for the manslayer, even Golan in Bashan, with her pasture land, and Be-eshterah, with her pasture land, - two cities. And, out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishion, with her pasture land, - Daberath, with her pasture land; Jarmuth, with her pasture land, En-gannim, with her pasture land, - four cities. And, out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal, with her pasture land, Abdon, with her pasture land; Helkath, with her pasture land, and Rehob, with her pasture land, - four cities. And, out of the tribe of Naphtali, a city of refuge for the manslayer - even Kedesh in Galilee, with her pasture land, and Hammoth-dor, with her pasture land, and Kartan, with her pasture land, - three cities. All, the cities of the Gershonites, by their families, were thirteen cities, with their pasture lands. And, unto the families of the sons of Merari, the Levites that remained, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam, with her pasture land, - Kartah, with her pasture land; Dimnah, with her pasture land, Nahalal, with her pasture land, - four cities. And, out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer, with her pasture land, - and Jahaz, with her pasture land; Kedemoth, with her pasture land and Mephaath, with her pasture land, - four cities. And, out of the tribe of Gad, a city of refuge for the manslayer - even Ramoth in Gilead, with her pasture land, - and Mahanaim, with her pasture land; Heshbon, with her pasture land, Jazer, with her pasture land, - in all, four cities. All the cities for the sons of Merari, by their families, who remained of the families of the Levites, yea their lot was, twelve, cities. 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: these cities passed, each severally, with its pasture lands round about it; thus, was it with all these cities.
And, these, are they whom David caused to stand, as the servants of song, in the house of Yahweh, when he had given rest unto the ark;
And David spake to the chiefs of the Levites, to station their brethren the singers, with instruments of song, harps and lyres, and cymbals, - sounding aloud at the lifting up of the voice, for joy.
And so it was that, when God helped the Levites, who were bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, they sacrificed seven bullocks and seven rams.
These, were the sons of Levi by their ancestral house, the ancestral chiefs of them who were counted in the number of their names, by their polls, doing the work, for the service of the house of Yahweh, - from twenty years old, and upwards. For, said David, Yahweh the God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, - and hath taken up his habitation in Jerusalem, unto times age-abiding; read more. moreover also, as for the Levites, they have no need to bear the habitation, nor any of its vessels in the laborious work thereof. For, by the last words of David, the same, were the number of the sons of Levi, - from twenty years old, and upwards.
Only, the priests, were too few, and were unable to flay all the ascending-sacrifices, - so their brethren the Levites strengthened them, until the work was complete and until the priests had hallowed themselves, for, the Levites, were more upright in heart to hallow themselves, than the priests.
For there were many in the convocation, who had not hallowed themselves, - but, the Levites, were over the slaughtering of the passover-lambs, for every one who was, not pure, to hallow him unto Yahweh.
And, Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, did cause the people to understand the law, the people, remaining in their places. So they read in the book of the law of God, distinctly, - and, giving the sense, caused them to understand the reading.
And, in like manner, a Levite also, coming down to the place, and seeing him, passed by, on the opposite side.
And, this, is the witness of John, when the Jews sent forth unto him, out of Jerusalem, priests and Levites, - that they might question him - Who art, thou?
And, Joseph, who had been surnamed Barnabas by the Apostles, which is to be translated Son of Exhortation, - a Levite, a Cyprian by nation,
Smith
Le'vites
(descendants of Levi). Sometimes the name extends to the whole tribe, the priests included,
Ex 6:25; Le 25:32; Nu 35:2; Jos 21:3,41
etc; sometimes only to those members of the tribe who were not priests, and as distinguished from them. Sometimes again it is added as an epithet of the smaller portion of the tribe, and we read of "the priests the Levites."
The history of the tribe and of the functions attached to its several orders is essential to any right apprehension of the history of Israel as a people. It will fall naturally into four great periods:-- I. The time of the exodus. --There is no trace of the consecrated character of the Levites till the institution of a hereditary priesthood in the family of Aaron, during the first withdrawal of Moses to the solitude of Sinai.
The next extension of the idea of the priesthood grew out of the terrible crisis of Exod 32. The tribe stood forth separate and apart, recognizing even in this stern work the spiritual as higher than the natural. From this time they occupied a distinct position. The tribe of Levi was to take the place of that earlier priesthood of the first-born as representatives of the holiness of the people. At the time of their first consecration there were 22,000 of them, almost exactly the number of the first-born males in the whole nation. As the tabernacle was the sign of the presence among the people of their unseen King, so the Levites were, among the other tribes of Israel, as the royal guard that waited exclusively on him. It was obviously essential for their work as the bearers and guardians of the sacred tent that there should be a fixed assignment of duties; and now accordingly we meet with the first outlines of the organization which afterward became permanent. The division of the tribe into the three sections that traced their descent from the sons of Levi formed the groundwork of it. The work which they all had to do required a man's full strength, and therefore, though twenty was the starting-point for military service, Numb 1, they were not to enter on their active service till they were thirty.
At fifty they were to be free from all duties but those of superintendence.
(1) The Kohathites, as nearest of kin to the priests, held from the first the highest offices. They were to bear all the vessels of the sanctuary, the ark itself included.
(2) the Gershonites had to carry the tent-hangings and curtains.
(3) The heavier burden of the boards, bars and pillars of the tabernacle fell on the sons of Merari. The Levites were to have no territorial possessions. In place of them they were to receive from the others the tithes of the produce of the land, from which they, in their turn, offered a tithe to the priests, as a recognition of their higher consecration.
Distinctness and diffusion were both to be secured by the assignment to the whole tribe of forty-eight cities, with an outlying "suburb,"
of meadowland for the pasturage of their flocks and herds. The reverence of the people for them was to be heightened by the selection of six of these as cities of refuge. Through the whole land the Levites were to take the place of the old household priests, sharing in all festivals and rejoicings.
De 12:19; 14:26-27; 26:11
Every third year they were to have an additional share in the produce of the land.
De 14:28; 26:12
To "the priests the Levites" was to belong the office of preserving, transcribing and interpreting the law.
De 17:9-12; 31:26
II. The period of the judges. --The successor of Moses, though belonging to another tribe, did all that could be done to make the duty above named a reality. The submission of the Gibeonites enabled him to relieve the tribe-divisions of Gershon and Merari of the most burdensome of their duties. The conquered Hivites became "hewers of wood and drawers of water" for the house of Jehovah and for the congregation.
As soon as the conquerors had advanced far enough to proceed to a partition of the country, the forty-eight cities were assigned to them. III. The monarchy. --When David's kingdom was established, there came a fuller organization of the whole tribe. Their position in relation to the priesthood was once again definitely recognized. In the worship of the tabernacle under David, as afterward in that of the temple, the Levites were the gatekeepers, vergers, sacristans, choristers, of the central sanctuary of the nation. They were, in the language of
to which we may refer as almost the locus classicus on this subject, "to wait on the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah, in the courts, and the chambers, and the purifying of all holy things." They were, besides this, "to stand every morning to thank and praise Jehovah, and likewise at even." They were, lastly, "to offer" --i.e. to assist the priest in offering-- "all burnt sacrifices to Jehovah in the sabbaths and on the set feasts." They lived for the greater part of the year in their own cities, and came up at fixed periods to take their turn of work.
1-Chronicles/25/1/type/emb'>1Ch 25:1,1; 26:1
... The educational work which the Levites received for their peculiar duties, no less than their connection, more or less intimate, with the schools of the prophets, would tend to make them the teachers of the others, the transcribers and interpreters of the law, the chroniclers of the times in which they lived. (Thus they became to the Israelites what ministers and teachers are to the people now, and this teaching and training the people in morality and religion was no doubt one of the chief reasons why they were set apart by God from the people, and yet among the people. --ED.) The revolt of the ten tribes, and the policy pursued by Jeroboam, who wished to make the priests the creatures and instruments of the king, and to establish a provincial and divided worship, caused them to leave the cities assigned to them in the territory of Israel, and gather round the metropolis of Judah.
In the kingdom of Judah they were, from this time forward, a powerful body, politically as well as ecclesiastically. IV. After the captivity. --During the period that followed the captivity of the Levites contributed to the formation of the so-called Great Synagogue. They, with the priests, formed the majority of the permanent Sanhedrin, and as such had a large share in the administration of justice even in capital cases. They appear but seldom in the history of the New Testament.
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.
And unto Moses, he said - Come up unto Yahweh - thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, so shall ye bow yourselves down from afar.
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.
And their charge, was - the ark and the table and the lampstand and the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary wherewith they were to minister, - and the screen, as to all the laborious work thereof.
So shall Aaron and his sons make an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the utensils of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set forward, then after that, shall the sons of Kohath enter to bear it, but they must not put forth a touch unto that which, is holy, else should they die, these, shall be the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
reckon up the sum of the sons of Gershon even of them also, - by their ancestral house by their families; 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, shalt thou number them, - All that may enter to take rank in the host, to do laborious work in the tent of meeting. This, shall be the labour of the families of the Gershonites, - in labouring and in bearing: read more. they shall bear the curtains of the habitation and the tent of meeting, the covering thereof and the covering of badgers skin which is over above it, - and the screen, at the entrance of the tent of meeting; and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court which is near the habitation and near the altar round about, and their cords, and all their articles of service, and all that is to be done to them when they shall do their labour,
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 unto fifty years old, all that might enter the host, to labour in the tent of meeting;
but from the age of fifty years, shall they retire from taking rank in the labour, and shall do laborious work no more; yet shall they wait upon their brethren in the tent of meeting, by keeping charge, but laborious work, shall they not perform, - thus, shalt thou do unto the Levites, as touching their charges.
And unto the sons of Levi, lo! I have given all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, - the allotted portion for their laborious work which, they are performing, the laborious work of the tent of meeting:
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.
Unto the Levites, therefore shalt thou speak and shalt say unto them, When ye shall take of the sons of Israel the tenth which I have given unto you from them as your inheritance, then shall ye offer up therefrom the heave-offering of Yahweh, a tenth of the tenth.
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.
Take heed to thyself, lest thou forsake the Levite, - all thy days upon thy soil.
and shalt turn the silver into whatsoever thy soul desireth - of the herd or of the flock, or of wine or of strong drink, or of whatsoever thy soul shall ask thee for, - and shalt eat it there, before Yahweh thy God, and shalt rejoice, thou and thy household, and, the Levite who is within thy gates, thou shalt not forsake him, - for he hath neither portion nor inheritance with thee. read more. At the end of three years, shalt thou bring forth all the tithe of thine increase in that year, - and shalt lay it up within thy gates;
and shalt come in unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge who shall be in those days, - and shalt enquire and they shall declare unto thee, the sentence of judgment; and thou shalt do according to the sentence which they shall declare unto thee, out of that place, which Yahweh, shall choose, - yea thou shalt observe to do according to all which they shall direct thee: read more. according to the direction wherewith they direct thee and after the judgment which they shall announce to thee, shalt thou do, - thou shalt not turn aside from the sentence which they shall declare unto thee to the right hand or to the left. And, the man who shall do presumptuously by not hearkening unto the priest that standeth to minister there to Yahweh thy God, or unto the judge, that man shall die, and so shalt thou consume the wicked thing out of Israel.
and shalt rejoice in all the good things which Yahweh thy God, hath given unto thee, and unto thy house, - thou and the Levite, and the sojourner who is in thy midst. When thou shalt make an end of tithing all the tithe of thine increase in the third year the year of tithing, - and shalt give unto the Levite unto the sojourner, unto the fatherless and unto the widow, and they shall eat within thy gates and be satisfied,
Take this scroll of the law, and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, - so shall it be there in thy midst as a witness.
So Moses spake in the hearing of all the convocation of Israel the words of this Song, until they were ended: -
and commanded the people saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and, the priests the Levites, bearing it, ye also, shall break up out of your place, and come after it.
And Joshua appointed them that day to be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto the assembly, - and unto the altar of Yahweh, as they are until this day, in the place which he should choose.
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:
These, were the sons of Levi by their ancestral house, the ancestral chiefs of them who were counted in the number of their names, by their polls, doing the work, for the service of the house of Yahweh, - from twenty years old, and upwards. For, said David, Yahweh the God of Israel hath given rest unto his people, - and hath taken up his habitation in Jerusalem, unto times age-abiding; read more. moreover also, as for the Levites, they have no need to bear the habitation, nor any of its vessels in the laborious work thereof. For, by the last words of David, the same, were the number of the sons of Levi, - from twenty years old, and upwards. For, their duty, was - to be in attendance upon the sons of Aaron, in the laborious work of the house of Yahweh, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the purifying of everything holy, - and doing the laborious work, of the house of God; and for the bread set in array, and for the fine meal for the meal-offering, and for the unleavened cakes, even for that which is baked in a pan, for the moistened food, - even of every measure, and size; and to stand, morning by morning, to give thanks and offer praise unto Yahweh, - and, likewise, at even; and for all the offering of ascending-sacrifices unto Yahweh, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts, - by number, according to the manner prescribed for them continually, before Yahweh; - and they shall keep the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron, their brethren, - in the laborious work of the house of Yahweh.
And David and the captains of the host set apart for service, unto the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, such as should prophesy, with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals, - and, the number of the workers, for their service, was:
And David and the captains of the host set apart for service, unto the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, such as should prophesy, with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals, - and, the number of the workers, for their service, was:
To the courses of the door-keepers, pertained, - of the Korahites, Meshelemiah son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph;
And, the priests and Levites that were in all Israel, took their stand with him, out of all their boundaries. For the Levites left their pasture lands, and their possessions, and came to Judah, and to Jerusalem, - for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, from ministering as priests unto Yahweh;
and, the first part of our meal and our heave-offerings and the fruit of all trees, new wine and oil, would we bring in unto the priests, into the chambers of the house of our God, and the tithe of our ground unto the Levites, - the Levites themselves, taking the tithes in all our cities of agriculture.
But the priests the Levites the sons of Zadok, Who kept the charge of my sanctuary - when the sons of Israel went astray from me, They shall draw near unto me to wait upon me, And shall stand before me, to bring near unto me the fat and the blood Declareth My Lord, Yahweh:
Watsons
LEVITES. Under this name may be comprised all the descendants of Levi; but it principally denotes those who were employed in the lowest ministries of the temple, by which they were distinguished from the priests, who, being descended from Aaron, were likewise of the race of Levi by Kohath, but were employed in higher offices. The Levites were descendants of Levi, by Gershom, Kohath, and Merari, excepting the family of Aaron; for the children of Moses had no part in the priesthood, and were only common Levites. God chose the Levites instead of the first-born of all Israel, for the service of his tabernacle and temple, Nu 3:6, &c. They obeyed the priests in the ministrations of the temple, and brought to them wood, water, and other things necessary for the sacrifices. They sung and played on instruments, in the temple, &c; they studied the law, and were the ordinary judges of the country, but subordinate to the priests. God provided for the subsistence of the Levites, by giving them the tithe of corn, fruit, and cattle; but they paid to the priests the tenth of their tithes; and as the Levites possessed no estates in the land, the tithes which the priests received from them were looked upon as the first-fruits which they were to offer to the Lord, Nu 18:21-24. God assigned them for their habitations forty-eight cities, with fields, pastures, and gardens, Numbers 35. Of these thirteen were given to the priests, six of which were cities of refuge, Jos 20:7; 21:19-20, &c. While the Levites were actually employed in the temple, they were subsisted out of the provisions in store there, and out of the daily offerings there made; and if any Levite quitted the place of his abode, to serve the temple, even out of the time of his half-yearly or weekly waiting, he was received there, kept and provided for, in like manner as his other brethren, who were regularly in waiting, De 18:6-8. The consecration of Levites was without much ceremony. They wore no particular habit to distinguish them from the other Israelites, and God ordained nothing particularly for their mourning, 2Ch 29:34. The manner of their consecration may be seen in Nu 8:5-7, &c.
Josephus says, that in the reign of Agrippa, king of the Jews, about A.D. 62, six years before the destruction of the temple by the Romans, the Levites desired permission from that prince to wear the linen tunic like the priests; and this was granted. This innovation was displeasing to the priests; and the Jewish historian remarks, that the ancient customs of the country were never forsaken with impunity. He adds, that Agrippa permitted likewise the families of the Levites, whose duty it was to guard the doors, and perform other troublesome offices, to learn to sing and play on instruments, that they might be qualified for the temple service as musicians. The Levites were divided into different classes: Gershonites, Kohathites, Merarites, and Aaronites or priests, Numbers 3, &c. The Gershonites, whose number was seven thousand five hundred, were employed in the marches through the wilderness in carrying the veils and curtains of the tabernacle; the Kohathites, whose number was eight thousand six hundred, in carrying the ark and sacred vessels of the tabernacle; the Merarites, whose number was six thousand two hundred, in carrying the several pieces of the tabernacle which could not be placed upon the chariots; and the Aaronites were the priests who served the sanctuary. When the Hebrews encamped in the wilderness, the Levites were placed around the tabernacle; Moses and Aaron at the east, Gershon at the west, Kohath at the south, and Merari at the north. Moses ordained that the Levites should not begin in the service of the tabernacle till they were five-and-twenty years of age, Nu 8:24-26; or, as he says elsewhere, from thirty to fifty years old, Nu 4:3. But David, finding that they were no longer employed in these grosser offices of transporting the vessels of the tabernacle, appointed them to enter on service at the temple at twenty years of age. The priests and Levites waited by turns, weekly, in the temple. They began their weeks on one Sabbath day, and on the Sabbath day in the following week went out of waiting, 1Ch 23:24; 2Ch 21:17; Ezr 3:8. When an Israelite made a religious entertainment in the temple, God required that the Levites should be invited to it, De 12:18-19.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Bring near the tribe of Levi, and thou shalt cause it to stand before Aaron the priest, - so shall they wait upon him;
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.
Take the Levites, out of the midst of the sons of Israel, - and thou shalt purify them. And, thus, shalt thou do unto them, to purify them, sprinkle upon them sin-cleansing water, - then shall they, cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and shall wash their clothes and so make themselves pure.
This is what concerneth the Levites, - from twenty-five years old and upwards, shall they enter to take rank in the host, for doing the laborious work of the tent of meeting; but from the age of fifty years, shall they retire from taking rank in the labour, and shall do laborious work no more; read more. yet shall they wait upon their brethren in the tent of meeting, by keeping charge, but laborious work, shall they not perform, - thus, shalt thou do unto the Levites, as touching their charges.
And unto the sons of Levi, lo! I have given all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, - the allotted portion for their laborious work which, they are performing, the laborious work of the tent of meeting: that the sons of Israel come near no more, unto the tent of meeting, - to bear sin, to die. read more. 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. 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.
but before Yahweh thy God, shalt thou eat it in the place which Yahweh thy God shall choose, thou and thy son and thy daughter, and thy servant and thy handmaid, and the Levite who is within thy gates, - so shalt thou rejoice before Yahweh thy God, in all whereunto thou puttest thy hand. Take heed to thyself, lest thou forsake the Levite, - all thy days upon thy soil.
And when the Levite shall come in out of any of thy gates out of any part of Israel, where he is sojourning, - yea shall come in with all the desire of his soul, into the place which Yahweh shall choose, then may he minister in the name of Yahweh his God, - like any of his brethren the Levites who are standing there before Yahweh. read more. Portion for portion, shall they eat, - apart from his possessions upon his patrimony.
So then they set apart Kadesh in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba, the same, is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah.
All the cities of the sons of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities, with their pasture lands. And, as for the families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites, which remained of the sons of Kohath, the cities of their lot were out of the tribe of Ephraim.
These, were the sons of Levi by their ancestral house, the ancestral chiefs of them who were counted in the number of their names, by their polls, doing the work, for the service of the house of Yahweh, - from twenty years old, and upwards.
Only, the priests, were too few, and were unable to flay all the ascending-sacrifices, - so their brethren the Levites strengthened them, until the work was complete and until the priests had hallowed themselves, for, the Levites, were more upright in heart to hallow themselves, than the priests.
Now, in the second year of their coming in unto the house of God, to Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak and the rest of their brethren - the priests and the Levites, and all that were come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, and stationed the Levites, of twenty years old and upwards, to preside over the work of the house of Yahweh.