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 according to their genealogies: Gershon and Kohath and Merari, and the years of the life of Levi [were] {one hundred and thirty-seven years}.
And Eleazar the son of Aaron took for himself [one] from the daughters of Putiel as a wife, and she bore for him Phinehas. These [are] the heads of the {families} of the Levites according to their clans.
And when the tabernacle is set out, the Levites will {take it down}, and when encamping the tabernacle the Levites will set it up; the stranger that approaches [it] will be put to death.
"Bring near the tribe of Levi, and {set the tribe} {before Aaron} the priest, and they will minister to him. They shall observe his duties and the duties of the entire community before the tent of assembly, to do the work of the tabernacle. read more. And they will keep all the vessels of the tent of assembly and the responsibilities of the {Israelites}, to do the work of the tabernacle. You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they [are] surely assigned to him from among the {Israelites}. But you will count Aaron and his descendants; they will keep their priesthood, and the stranger who approaches will be put to death."
"I [myself] receive the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} in the place of all [the] firstborn of [the] offspring of the womb from the {Israelites}. The Levites will be mine because all [the] firstborn [are] mine; on the day of my killing all [the] firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for myself all [the] firstborn in Israel, {both humankind and animal}; they will be mine. I am Yahweh."
These were the sons of Levi according to their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And these [are] the names of the sons of Gershon according to their clans: Libni and Shimei. read more. And the sons of Kohath according to their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari according to their tribes: Mahli and Mushi. These [are] the clans of the Levites according to {their families}.
All those counted from the Levites whom Moses and Aaron mustered according to {the word of Yahweh}, according to their clans, every male from {one month} and above [were] twenty-two thousand. And Yahweh said to Moses, "Muster every firstborn male from the {Israelites} from {one month} and above and {count} their names. read more. And you will receive the Levites for me--I [am] Yahweh--in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the animals among the {Israelites}." So Moses mustered all the firstborn among the {Israelites} just as Yahweh commanded him. And all [the] firstborn males among the number of names from {one month} and above, the {ones counted}, [were] twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Receive the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I [am] Yahweh. And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the {Israelites} who are excessive over the Levites, you will receive five shekels a person, in the sanctuary shekel; you will collect twenty gerahs [per] shekel. You will give the money to Aaron, and to his sons the ransom of the ones who are excessive among them." And Moses received the money of the redemption from the ones who were excessive from those redeemed of the Levites. From the firstborn of the {Israelites} he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, in the sanctuary shekel. And Moses gave the money of the ransom to Aaron and to his sons according to the {word} of Yahweh just as Yahweh commanded Moses.
from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly.
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} and purify them. read more. So you will do to them, to purify them: sprinkle on them waters of purification, and {they will shave their whole body} and wash their garments. And they will take a {young bull} and its grain offering of finely milled flour mixed with oil, and you will take a second {young bull} as a sin offering. You will bring the Levites {before} the tent of assembly, and you will summon the entire community of the {Israelites}. And you will bring the Levites {before Yahweh}, and the {Israelites} will lay their hands on the Levites, and {Aaron will offer} the Levites [as] a wave offering {before Yahweh} from the {Israelites}, and they will do the work of Yahweh. And the Levites will lay their hands on the head of the one bull and offer [it] as a sin offering and the other one as a burnt offering to Yahweh, to make atonement for the Levites. And you will present the Levites {before} Aaron and {before} his sons, and he {will offer} them [as] a wave offering to Yahweh. "And you will separate the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites}, and the Levites will be for me. And after this the Levites will come to serve [at] the tent of assembly, and you will purify them, and you {will offer} them [as] a wave offering. For they [are] given to me exclusively from the midst of the {Israelites}. I have taken them for myself in place of [the] firstborn of every womb, every firstborn from the {Israelites}. For every firstborn among the {Israelites} [is] mine, both humankind and animal. On the day I destroyed every firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them to me, and I have taken the Levites in the place of every firstborn among the {Israelites}. And I have given the Levites; they are given to Aaron and his sons from the midst of the {Israelites} to do the work of the {Israelites} in the tent of the assembly and to make atonement for the {Israelites}, so a plague will not be among the {Israelites} when the {Israelites} come near the sanctuary." And Moses and Aaron and the entire community of the {Israelites} did to the Levites; everything that Yahweh commanded Moses concerning the Levites, the {Israelites} did to them. And the Levites purified themselves, and they washed their garments, and {Aaron offered them} [as] a wave offering {before Yahweh}; and Aaron made atonement for them to purify them. After this the Levites came to do their work in the tent of assembly before Aaron and his sons. Just as Yahweh commanded Moses concerning the Levities, so they did to them.
and {those fifty years old} will return from the service of the work and will serve no longer.
Moreover, bring your brothers with you, the tribe of Levi the tribe of your father, that they may be joined to you and minister [to] you, you and your sons with you before the tent of testimony. They will keep your responsibility and the responsibility of all the tent, only they may not come near the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, so both you and they will not die. read more. They will be joined to you, and they will keep the responsibility of the tent of assembly for the entire service of the tent; a stranger may not come near you. You will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary and the responsibility of the altar, and there will no longer be wrath on the {Israelites}. Look, I myself have chosen your brothers the Levites from the midst of the children. They are a gift to you given from Yahweh to perform the work of the tent of assembly. But you with your sons will keep your priesthood to perform your priestly duties for everything at the altar and for {the area behind the curtain}. I give you the priesthood as a gift, but the stranger who approaches will be put to death."
"Behold, I have given to the descendants of Levi every tithe in Israel as an inheritance in return for their service, which they [are] doing, the work of the tent of assembly. The {Israelites} will not come near again to the tent of assembly, or {they will bear sin} and die. read more. The Levites will perform the service of the tent of assembly, and they will bear their guilt, an eternal decree for all your generations. But they will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites} because the tithes of the {Israelites} that are {offered} to Yahweh as a contribution, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I said to them, 'They will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites}.'" Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "You will speak to the Levites and say to them, 'When you receive the tithe from the {Israelites} that I have given to you from them for your inheritance, {you will present} a contribution from it to Yahweh, a tithe from a tithe. Your contribution will be credited to you like the grain from the threshing floor and like the produce from the press. So {you will present} your own contribution to Yahweh from all your tithes that you receive from the {Israelites}; from it you will give the contribution of Yahweh to Aaron the priest. From all your gifts {you will present} every contribution of Yahweh, from all its fat, the part [that is] sacred.' You will say to them, 'When {you are presenting} its fat, the rest will be credited to the Levites like a yield of the threshing floor and like a yield from the press. You may eat it anywhere, you and your household, because it [is] a wage in return for your service in the tent of assembly. You will not bear any sin because {you have presented} its fat; you will not defile the holy objects of the {Israelites}, or you will die.'"
The Horites previously lived in Seir, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them {from among themselves}, as Israel did with respect to the land of their possession that Yahweh gave to them.)
'You [are] about to cross over the boundary of Moab {today} at Ar. When you approach {the border of} the {Ammonites}, you shall not harass them, and you shall not get involved in battle with them, for I have not given the land of {the Ammonites} to you as a possession; because I have given it to the descendants of Lot [as] a possession.
But only {before} Yahweh your God you shall eat it, at the place that Yahweh your God will choose, you and your son and your daughter and your slave and your slave woman and the Levite who [is] in your {towns}, and you must rejoice {before} your God {in all your undertakings}. {Take care} so that you do not neglect the Levite all [of] your days on your land.
And if a Levite comes from one of your {towns} from {anywhere in Israel} where he is residing, {he may come whenever he desires}, to the place that Yahweh will choose, and he may minister in the name of Yahweh his God, [just] like all his brothers, {the Levites who stand there} {before} Yahweh. read more. They shall eat {equal portions}, apart from what he may receive from the sale of his patrimony.
and they commanded the people: "When you see the Levitical priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God you must set out from your place and go after it.
These [were] the sons of Levi according to the house of their fathers, the heads of the {families}, according to their enrollment, by the number of the names, according to their head count, [who were to] do the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and above. For David said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever. read more. And also, the Levites do not [need] to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service." For by the last words of David, they [are] the number of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and above.
And in all the cities [he put] shields and spears, and he greatly strengthened them. So he had Judah and Benjamin. Now the priests and the Levites who [were] throughout all Israel took their stand with him from all their territories. read more. For the Levites left their pasturelands and their property and came to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to Yahweh.
Did you not drive out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, the Levites? Have you [not] made for yourselves priests like all the peoples of the lands? All who come {to be consecrated for priestly service} with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of [what is] not a god. But as for us, Yahweh [is] our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests serving Yahweh [are] the sons of Aaron, the Levites, according to their service. read more. They offer burnt offerings to Yahweh {every morning} and {every evening}, sweet spices of incense, and the rows of bread upon the pure table. And the golden lampstand with its lamps [they] keep kindled {every evening}, for we are keeping the requirement of Yahweh our God, but you yourselves have forsaken him.
And they taught in Judah, and the scroll of the law of Yahweh [was] with them when they went around in all the cities of Judah, and they taught the people.
Moreover, Jehoshaphat appointed in Jerusalem some of the Levites and the priests and heads of the {families} of Israel as judges and to decide legal disputes for Yahweh. And they sat [in] Jerusalem. And he commanded them, saying, "Thus you must do in the fear of Yahweh in faithfulness and with a whole heart. read more. Any legal dispute that comes before you from your brothers who live in their cities concerning bloodguilt, law, commandment, statutes, and justice, you must warn them, so that they do not incur guilt before Yahweh, and that wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you must do that you do not incur guilt. And behold, Amariah the chief priest [is] over you in all matters of the word of Yahweh, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all matters of the king, and the Levites [shall be] before you [as] officials. Be strong and do [well]! May Yahweh be with the upright."
This is the thing that you must do: one third of you priests and Levites {coming off duty on the Sabbath} [shall be] gatekeepers at the entrances
And the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And they each took his men [who were] {coming off duty on the Sabbath} with {the ones going out to duty on the Sabbath}, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the working groups.
Then they stood at their positions according to custom, according to the law of Moses the man of God. The priests were sprinkling the blood from the hand of the Levites. For [there were] many in the assembly who did not consecrate themselves, so the Levites [were] over the killing of the Passover sacrifices for all who [were] not clean, to consecrate [them] to Yahweh.
And Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites {who were skilled at service} to Yahweh. So they ate the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and giving thanks to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.
And the enrollment of the priests [was] according to the house of their fathers, and the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, according to their posts by their working groups.
Josiah kept the Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem. And they slaughtered the Passover [sacrifice] on the fourteenth day of the first month.
In the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak began [their work], and the remainder of their brothers the priests and the Levites and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem. They appointed the Levites {from twenty years and older} to direct the work of the house of Yahweh. And Jeshua [with] his sons and brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons--the sons of Judah--together directed the workers in the house of God, [along with] the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers the Levites. read more. And the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, and the priests [in their] apparel with the trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with the cymbals, were positioned to praise Yahweh, {as described by} King David of Israel. And they {sang responsively}, with praising and thanksgiving to Yahweh [saying], "For he is good, for his loyal love is everlasting for Israel." And all of the people responded with a great shout of joyful acclaim in praise to Yahweh because the house of Yahweh was laid. But many of the elderly priests, Levites, and heads of the families who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house, but many {shouted aloud with joy}.
And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites were teaching the people from the law while the people were in their places.
Now from the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni; and Shabbethai and Jehozabad, leaders over the work of the Levites outside of the house of God; read more. Mattaniah son of Micah, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, [who was] the leader to begin the thanksgiving prayer, and Bakbukiah the second of his brothers; Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun. All of the Levites in the holy city [were] two hundred and eighty-four. The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, the keepers of the gates, one hundred and seventy-two.
And the heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their brothers opposite them, to praise and to give thanks by the command of David the man of God, section alongside section. Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storerooms of the gates. read more. These were in the days of Jehoiakim son of Jeshua, son of Jehozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and Ezra the priest and scribe. At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites from all of their places in order to bring them to Jerusalem to do the dedication with joy, thanksgivings, song and cymbals, stringed instruments and lyres. The {singers} were gathered from the circuit all around Jerusalem and from the villages of Netophathite, from Beth Gilgal, from the field of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers built for themselves villages all around Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people, the gates, and the wall. Then I brought the commanders of Judah up on to the wall. I appointed two great choirs; [one went in] a procession to the right on the wall to the Dung Gate.
I appointed as treasurer over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, Pedaiah from the Levites, and as their hand Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered faithful. [The responsibility given] to them was to distribute to their brothers.
And then I told two Levites that they must purify themselves and come to guard the gates in order to consecrate the day of the Sabbath. Remember this also, my God, and take pity on me according to the greatness of your loyal love.
And in the same way also a Levite, [when he] came down to the place and saw [him], passed by on the opposite side.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem so that they could ask him, "Who are you?"
So Joseph, who was called Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated "son of encouragement"), a Levite of Cyprus by nationality,
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
See Verses Found in Dictionary
{And Yahweh was angry with} Moses and said, "[Is there] not Aaron your brother the Levite? I know that he certainly can speak, and also there he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will rejoice in his heart.
And these [are] the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogies: Gershon and Kohath and Merari, and the years of the life of Levi [were] {one hundred and thirty-seven years}. The sons of Gershon [are] Libni and Shimei according to their clans. read more. And the sons of Kohath [are] Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel, and the years of the life of Kohath [were] {one hundred and thirty-three years}. And the sons of Merari [are] Mahli and Mushi. These [are] clans of the Levites according to their genealogies. And Amram took Jochebed his aunt for himself as a wife, and she bore for him Aaron and Moses, and the years of the life of Amram [were] {one hundred and thirty-seven years}. And the sons of Izhar [are] Korah and Nepheg and Zikri. And the sons of Uzziel [are] Mishael and Elzaphan and Sithri. And Aaron took Elisheba the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, for himself as a wife, and she bore for him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. And the sons of Korah [are] Assir and Elkanah and Abiasaph. These [are] the clans of the Korahites. And Eleazar the son of Aaron took for himself [one] from the daughters of Putiel as a wife, and she bore for him Phinehas. These [are] the heads of the {families} of the Levites according to their clans.
And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Consecrate to me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the {Israelites}, among humans and among domestic animals; {it belongs to me}."
you will hand over every first offspring of a womb to Yahweh, and every first offspring dropped by a domestic animal that will belong to you, the males [will be] for Yahweh. And every first offspring of a donkey you will redeem with small livestock, and if you will not redeem [it], then you will break its neck, and every firstborn human among your sons you will redeem.
but you, you will [belong] to me [as] a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you will speak to the {Israelites}."
And even the priests who come near Yahweh must consecrate themselves, lest Yahweh break out against them."
And Yahweh said to him, "Go, go down, and come up, you and Aaron with you and the priests, but the people must not break through to go up to Yahweh, lest he break out against them."
And he sent young men from the {Israelites}, and they offered burnt offerings, and they sacrificed sacrifices [as] fellowship offerings to Yahweh [using] bulls.
And if from {a month of age} up to {five years of age}, then your proper value shall be five shekels [of] money [for] the male, and your proper value for the female [shall be] three shekels [of] money.
And when the tabernacle is set out, the Levites will {take it down}, and when encamping the tabernacle the Levites will set it up; the stranger that approaches [it] will be put to death.
You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they [are] surely assigned to him from among the {Israelites}.
because all [the] firstborn [are] mine; on the day of my killing all [the] firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for myself all [the] firstborn in Israel, {both humankind and animal}; they will be mine. I am Yahweh."
The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] seven thousand five hundred.
According to [the] number of every male from {one month} and above [there were] eight thousand six hundred keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary.
The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] six thousand two hundred.
And Yahweh said to Moses, "Muster every firstborn male from the {Israelites} from {one month} and above and {count} their names. And you will receive the Levites for me--I [am] Yahweh--in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the animals among the {Israelites}." read more. So Moses mustered all the firstborn among the {Israelites} just as Yahweh commanded him. And all [the] firstborn males among the number of names from {one month} and above, the {ones counted}, [were] twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
"Receive the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I [am] Yahweh. And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the {Israelites} who are excessive over the Levites, read more. you will receive five shekels a person, in the sanctuary shekel; you will collect twenty gerahs [per] shekel. You will give the money to Aaron, and to his sons the ransom of the ones who are excessive among them." And Moses received the money of the redemption from the ones who were excessive from those redeemed of the Levites. From the firstborn of the {Israelites} he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, in the sanctuary shekel. And Moses gave the money of the ransom to Aaron and to his sons according to the {word} of Yahweh just as Yahweh commanded Moses.
from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly. This [is] the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly, concerning the holiness of the sanctuary: read more. When setting out the camp, Aaron and his sons will go and lower the curtain of the covering and cover with it the ark of the testimony. They will put on it a covering of {fine leather}, and they will spread a cloth of perfect blue over it, and they will place its poles. And over the table of the presence they will spread [out] a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes, and libation bowls, and the pitchers of the libation; and the bread of continuity will be on it. They will spread over it a scarlet cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of {fine leather}, and they will place its poles. They will take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light source, its lamps, a pair of its tongs, its small pans, and all the vessels of its oil with which they attend to it. They will put it and all its vessels inside a covering of {fine leather} and put it on the carrying frame. Over the altar of gold they will spread a blue cloth, and they will cover it with a covering of {fine leather} and place its poles. They will take all the vessels of the cultic service with which they serve in the sanctuary and put [them] on a blue cloth, and they will cover them with a covering of {fine leather}; and they will put [them] on the carrying frame. They will remove the fat-soaked ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it; they will put on it all the vessels with which they serve, the fire pans, forks, shovels, and bowls--all the vessels of the altar. They will spread on it a covering of {fine leather}; and they will place its poles. And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come after to carry [these], but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These [are] the load of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly.
And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come after to carry [these], but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These [are] the load of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly.
And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come after to carry [these], but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These [are] the load of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly. "Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is to supervise the oil of the light source, the incense, {the regular grain offering}, the oil of anointment, the supervision of all the tabernacle and all that [is] in it, in the sanctuary and in its vessels." read more. Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "You must not cut off the tribe of the clan of the Kohathites from the midst of the Levites. Do this to them and they will live and not die when they come near the most holy things. Aaron and his sons will go and appoint them, each one to his task and burden. But they must not go and look {for a moment} at the holy objects." Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "{Take a census} of the descendants of Gershon also, according to {their families} and clans, from {those twenty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to help to do the work of the tent of assembly. This [is] the work of the clans of the Gershonites: to serve and to carry. They will carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of assembly [and] its covering and the covering of {fine leather}, which {is on top of it}, and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of assembly, and the curtains of the courtyard, and the covering for the doorway of the gate of the courtyard, which [is] all around on the tabernacle and altar, and their cords and all the vessels of their work; and all that is done to them they will do. And all the work of the descendants of the Gershonites will be at {the command} of Aaron and his sons, for all they [are to] carry and for all their work, and you will appoint to them responsibility for all they [are to] carry. This [is] the work of the clan of the descendants of the Gershonites in the tent of assembly, and their responsibility [lies] {under the direction} of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
This [is] the work of the clan of the descendants of the Gershonites in the tent of assembly, and their responsibility [lies] {under the direction} of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. "[For] the descendants of Merari according to their clans, according to {their families}, you will muster them; read more. from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to do the work of the tent of assembly.
This [is] the work of the clan of the descendants of Merari, for all their work in the tent of assembly {under the direction} of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."
But to the descendants of Kohath he did not give [anything] because the work of the sanctuary they carried upon them on their shoulders.
For every firstborn among the {Israelites} [is] mine, both humankind and animal. On the day I destroyed every firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them to me,
And I have given the Levites; they are given to Aaron and his sons from the midst of the {Israelites} to do the work of the {Israelites} in the tent of the assembly and to make atonement for the {Israelites}, so a plague will not be among the {Israelites} when the {Israelites} come near the sanctuary."
"This [is] what is for the Levites: {those twenty-five years old} and above will come to help [with the] service in the work of the tent of assembly; and {those fifty years old} will return from the service of the work and will serve no longer. read more. They can attend their brothers in the tent of assembly to keep [their] responsibilities, but they will not do work. This is what you will do concerning the Levities and their responsibilities."
Yahweh said to Aaron, "You, your sons, and your family with you will bear the guilt of the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you will bear the guilt of your priesthood. Moreover, bring your brothers with you, the tribe of Levi the tribe of your father, that they may be joined to you and minister [to] you, you and your sons with you before the tent of testimony.
Moreover, bring your brothers with you, the tribe of Levi the tribe of your father, that they may be joined to you and minister [to] you, you and your sons with you before the tent of testimony. They will keep your responsibility and the responsibility of all the tent, only they may not come near the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, so both you and they will not die. read more. They will be joined to you, and they will keep the responsibility of the tent of assembly for the entire service of the tent; a stranger may not come near you.
They will be joined to you, and they will keep the responsibility of the tent of assembly for the entire service of the tent; a stranger may not come near you. You will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary and the responsibility of the altar, and there will no longer be wrath on the {Israelites}. read more. Look, I myself have chosen your brothers the Levites from the midst of the children. They are a gift to you given from Yahweh to perform the work of the tent of assembly.
Look, I myself have chosen your brothers the Levites from the midst of the children. They are a gift to you given from Yahweh to perform the work of the tent of assembly. But you with your sons will keep your priesthood to perform your priestly duties for everything at the altar and for {the area behind the curtain}. I give you the priesthood as a gift, but the stranger who approaches will be put to death."
As to their price of redemption, from {a one-month-old} you will redeem them according to your proper value, five shekels of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which [is] twenty gerah.
Then Yahweh said to Aaron, "You will not receive an inheritance in their land, and there will not be a plot of ground for you in the midst of the {Israelites}. "Behold, I have given to the descendants of Levi every tithe in Israel as an inheritance in return for their service, which they [are] doing, the work of the tent of assembly. read more. The {Israelites} will not come near again to the tent of assembly, or {they will bear sin} and die.
The {Israelites} will not come near again to the tent of assembly, or {they will bear sin} and die. The Levites will perform the service of the tent of assembly, and they will bear their guilt, an eternal decree for all your generations. But they will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites} read more. because the tithes of the {Israelites} that are {offered} to Yahweh as a contribution, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I said to them, 'They will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites}.'" Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "You will speak to the Levites and say to them, 'When you receive the tithe from the {Israelites} that I have given to you from them for your inheritance, {you will present} a contribution from it to Yahweh, a tithe from a tithe. Your contribution will be credited to you like the grain from the threshing floor and like the produce from the press. So {you will present} your own contribution to Yahweh from all your tithes that you receive from the {Israelites}; from it you will give the contribution of Yahweh to Aaron the priest. From all your gifts {you will present} every contribution of Yahweh, from all its fat, the part [that is] sacred.' You will say to them, 'When {you are presenting} its fat, the rest will be credited to the Levites like a yield of the threshing floor and like a yield from the press. You may eat it anywhere, you and your household, because it [is] a wage in return for your service in the tent of assembly. You will not bear any sin because {you have presented} its fat; you will not defile the holy objects of the {Israelites}, or you will die.'"
So you must keep the commandments of Yahweh your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him.
And you shall eat {before} Yahweh your God in the place that he will choose to make to dwell his name there the tithe of your grain, your wine and your olive oil and the firstling of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to revere Yahweh your God {always}.
And [as to] the Levite who [is] in your {towns}, you shall not neglect him, because there is not a plot of ground for him and an inheritance [along] with you.
And [as to] the Levite who [is] in your {towns}, you shall not neglect him, because there is not a plot of ground for him and an inheritance [along] with you.
then you shall go to the priests and the Levites and to the judge who will be [in office] in those days, and you shall enquire, and they shall announce to you {the verdict}. "And {you shall carry out exactly the decision} that they announced to you from that place that Yahweh will choose, and {you shall diligently observe} according to all that they instruct you. read more. [And so] according to {the instruction of the law} that they teach you and according to the decisions that they say to you, you shall do; you shall not turn from the word that they tell you to the right or [to the] left. And the man who treats with contempt [so as] not to listen to the priest [who] [is] standing to minister on behalf of Yahweh your God or to the judge, that man shall die; so you shall purge the evil from Israel.
and he may minister in the name of Yahweh his God, [just] like all his brothers, {the Levites who stand there} {before} Yahweh. They shall eat {equal portions}, apart from what he may receive from the sale of his patrimony.
And {the Levites shall declare}, and they shall say to each man of Israel [with] a loud voice,
So Moses wrote this law, and he gave it to the priests, the descendants of Levi, the [ones] carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and to all the elders of Israel.
So Moses wrote this law, and he gave it to the priests, the descendants of Levi, the [ones] carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, and to all the elders of Israel. Then Moses commanded them, {saying}, "At the end of seven years, in the time of the year for canceling debts during the Feast of Booths,
Then Moses commanded them, {saying}, "At the end of seven years, in the time of the year for canceling debts during the Feast of Booths, {when all Israel comes to appear before} Yahweh their God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel {in their hearing}.
{when all Israel comes to appear before} Yahweh their God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel {in their hearing}. Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little children and your aliens that are in your {towns}, so that they may hear and so that they may learn and they may revere Yahweh your God, and {they shall diligently observe} all the words of this law.
Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little children and your aliens that are in your {towns}, so that they may hear and so that they may learn and they may revere Yahweh your God, and {they shall diligently observe} all the words of this law. And [then] their children, who have not known, they [too] may hear, and they may learn to revere Yahweh their God all the days {that you live} on the land that you [are] crossing the Jordan {to get there} to take possession of it."
And [then] their children, who have not known, they [too] may hear, and they may learn to revere Yahweh their God all the days {that you live} on the land that you [are] crossing the Jordan {to get there} to take possession of it."
"Take the scroll of this law and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and it will be there as a witness against you.
and they commanded the people: "When you see the Levitical priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God you must set out from your place and go after it.
When those carrying the ark came up to the Jordan, and the priests carrying the ark dipped their feet in the edge of the water (the Jordan was flowing over its banks during all the days of harvest),
And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place that he should choose.
There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, from the clan of Judah; he [was] a Levite and [was] dwelling as a foreigner there.
The men of Kiriath Jearim came and brought up the ark of Yahweh, and they brought it to the house of Abinadab in Gibeah. They consecrated Eleazer his son to guard the ark of Yahweh.
Now David [was] dancing with all [his] might before Yahweh, and David [was] wearing a linen ephod.
and his brother Asaph, who stood on his right [namely], Asaph the son of Berechiah, son of Shimea,
On the left [were] their brothers, the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch,
Now the first inhabitants who [were settled] on their property in their cities [in] Israel [were] the priests, the Levites, and the temple servants.
And Shallum the son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, and his kinsmen of the house of his fathers, the Korahites, [were] over the work of the service, the guardians of the entrances to the tent, and their fathers [were] over the camp of Yahweh, guardians of the entrance.
And from the sons of the Kohathites, some of their kinsmen [were] over the {showbread} to prepare [it] {every Sabbath}.
From the Levites: four thousand six hundred. Jehoiada the chief officer of [the house of] Aaron, and with him, three thousand seven hundred.
Then David ordered [that] none except the Levites should carry the ark of God, for Yahweh had chosen them to carry the ark of Yahweh and to serve him forever.
So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel, and from his brothers, Asaph the son of Berekiah, and from the sons of Merari, their brothers, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
And the Levites thirty years old and above were counted, and their number according to their head count for the men [was] thirty-eight thousand.
These [were] the sons of Levi according to the house of their fathers, the heads of the {families}, according to their enrollment, by the number of the names, according to their head count, [who were to] do the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and above.
These [were] the sons of Levi according to the house of their fathers, the heads of the {families}, according to their enrollment, by the number of the names, according to their head count, [who were to] do the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and above. For David said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.
For David said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever. And also, the Levites do not [need] to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service."
And also, the Levites do not [need] to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service." For by the last words of David, they [are] the number of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and above.
For by the last words of David, they [are] the number of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and above. For their station [was] {to assist} the sons of Aaron with the service of the house of Yahweh, over the courtyards, over the chambers, and over the cleansing of all the sanctified objects, and [with] the work of the service of the house of God, read more. and with the rows of bread, the flour, the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and for all the amounts and measurements. And [they were] to stand {every morning}, thanking and praising Yahweh, and likewise in the evening, and for every burnt offering offered to Yahweh, on Sabbaths, on new moon festivals, and at the appointed feasts, according to the customary number {required of them}, regularly before Yahweh. And they shall keep the responsibility of the tent of assembly, the responsibility of the sanctified objects, and the responsibility of the sons of Aaron, their brothers, to serve the house of Yahweh.
And David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, [of] Heman, and [of] Jeduthun, who prophesied with stringed instruments, with harps, and with cymbals. And their inventory of the men of the work [and] for their duty was: for the sons of Asaph: Zakkur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under the hand of Asaph, who prophesied under the hands of the king. read more. Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Heshabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the stringed instrument with thanksgiving and praise to Yahweh. Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. All these [were] sons to Heman, the seer of the king, according to the words of God to raise a horn. And God had given to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these [were] under the {direction} of their father in the music of the house of Yahweh, with cymbals, harps, and stringed instruments for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman [were] under the {direction} of the king. And their number, along with their brothers, trained singers, all the skilled people for Yahweh, were two hundred and eighty-eight. And they cast lots [for] responsibilities {on the principle of small and great alike}, teacher with student.
For the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his brothers, one thousand seven hundred men of ability, [were] over the administration of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the work of Yahweh and for the service of the king.
Now the priests and the Levites who [were] throughout all Israel took their stand with him from all their territories. For the Levites left their pasturelands and their property and came to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to Yahweh.
But as for us, Yahweh [is] our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests serving Yahweh [are] the sons of Aaron, the Levites, according to their service. They offer burnt offerings to Yahweh {every morning} and {every evening}, sweet spices of incense, and the rows of bread upon the pure table. And the golden lampstand with its lamps [they] keep kindled {every evening}, for we are keeping the requirement of Yahweh our God, but you yourselves have forsaken him. read more. And look, God [is] with us at the head, and his priests [have] the trumpets for sounding blasts against you, O sons of Israel. Do not fight against Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed."
Moreover, Jehoshaphat appointed in Jerusalem some of the Levites and the priests and heads of the {families} of Israel as judges and to decide legal disputes for Yahweh. And they sat [in] Jerusalem. And he commanded them, saying, "Thus you must do in the fear of Yahweh in faithfulness and with a whole heart. read more. Any legal dispute that comes before you from your brothers who live in their cities concerning bloodguilt, law, commandment, statutes, and justice, you must warn them, so that they do not incur guilt before Yahweh, and that wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you must do that you do not incur guilt. And behold, Amariah the chief priest [is] over you in all matters of the word of Yahweh, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all matters of the king, and the Levites [shall be] before you [as] officials. Be strong and do [well]! May Yahweh be with the upright."
Then the Levites, from the {Kohathites} and from the {Korahites} stood up to praise Yahweh the God of Israel with an exceedingly loud voice. And they rose up early in the morning and went out to the desert of Tekoa. And when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in Yahweh your God, and you shall be established! Believe in his prophets, and you shall succeed!" read more. And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed singers to Yahweh [who were] giving praise to the splendor of [his] holiness when they went out before the army. And they said, "Give thanks to Yahweh, for his loyal love [is] everlasting!" And {when} they began with singing and praise, Yahweh set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who were coming against Judah. And they were defeated
And he said to them, "Hear me, O Levites! Sanctify yourselves now, and sanctify the house of Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, and bring out the defilement from the sanctuary. For our ancestors acted unfaithfully and did evil in the sight of Yahweh our God, and have forsaken him and turned away their faces from the dwelling place of Yahweh. {They have turned their backs} [on it]. read more. They also shut the doors of the portico and extinguished the lamps. And they did not burn incense or offer burnt offerings in the sanctuary to the God of Israel. And the wrath of Yahweh was upon Judah and Jerusalem. And he made them as an abhorrence, as a desolation and an object of scorn, as you see with your own eyes. Now behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives [are] in captivity on account of this. Now {it is in my heart} to {make} a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger might turn away from him. Now, my sons, do not be negligent, for Yahweh has chosen you to stand before him to serve him and to be his servants and incense burners." Then the Levites arose--Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the Kohathites; and Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel from the Merarites; and Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah, from the Gershonites. And from the descendants of Elizaphan: Shimri and Jeiel; and from the descendants of Asaph: Zechariah and Mattaniah; and from the descendants of Heman: Jeiel and Shimei; and from the descendants of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel-- and they gathered their brothers and sanctified themselves, and they went in according to the command of the king because of the words of Yahweh, to purify the house of Yahweh. And the priests went into the inner [part] of the house of Yahweh to purify [it]. And they brought out all the impurity that they found in the temple of Yahweh [out] to the courtyard of the house of Yahweh. And the Levites took [them] to bring [them] outside to the Wadi Kidron. And they began to sanctify themselves on the first day of the first month. And on the eighth day of the month they came to the portico of Yahweh. And they sanctified the house of Yahweh for eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. And they went into the inner [part] to King Hezekiah and said, "We have cleansed all the house of Yahweh: the altar of burnt offering, all its objects, the table of the rows [of bread] and all its objects, and all the objects that King Ahaz discarded in his reign when he sinned, we have prepared and sanctified. Look, they [are] before the altar of Yahweh." Then King Hezekiah rose early and gathered the officials of the city, and he went up to the house of Yahweh. And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a purification offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the descendants of Aaron, the priests, to offer [them] on the altar of Yahweh. And they slaughtered the cattle, and the priests received the blood and threw it toward the altar. Then they slaughtered the rams and threw the blood toward the altar, and then they slaughtered the lambs and threw the blood toward the altar. Then they brought the goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid hands upon them. And the priest killed them and offered their blood against the altar to make atonement for all Israel, for the king had commanded the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel. And he stood the Levites [in] the house of Yahweh with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the command of David and Gad, the seer of the king, and Nathan the prophet, for the command [was] by the hand of Yahweh by the hand of his prophets. When the Levites stood with the objects of David and the priests with the trumpets, Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And at the time the burnt offering began, the song of Yahweh began, and also the trumpets, at the hands of [the] instruments of David king of Israel. Then all the assembly bowed down, and the song was sung, and the trumpeters trumpeted--all [together] until the end of the burnt offering. And when the offering was finished, the king and all who were found with him knelt down and bowed themselves. Then King Hezekiah and the princes commanded the Levites to praise Yahweh with the words of David and Asaph the seer. So they offered praise with joy, and they bowed down and worshiped. Then Hezekiah answered and said, "Now {you have consecrated yourselves} to Yahweh. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of Yahweh!" And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all [who were] willing in heart [brought] burnt offerings. And the number of burnt offerings that the assembly brought was seventy cattle, one hundred rams, two hundred lambs--all these [were] to offer to Yahweh. And the consecrated offerings of cattle [were] six hundred cattle and three thousand sheep. But the priests were too few, and they were not able to offer all the burnt offerings, so their brothers, the Levites, strengthened them to finish the work, and until the [rest of] the priests consecrated themselves. (For the Levites [were] {more conscientious} to sanctify themselves than the priests.)
And they slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were disgraced, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings into the house of Yahweh. Then they stood at their positions according to custom, according to the law of Moses the man of God. The priests were sprinkling the blood from the hand of the Levites. read more. For [there were] many in the assembly who did not consecrate themselves, so the Levites [were] over the killing of the Passover sacrifices for all who [were] not clean, to consecrate [them] to Yahweh. For a majority of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves. But they ate the Passover sacrifice {otherwise than prescribed}, but Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, "May the good Yahweh make atonement unto everyone whose heart is set to seek God, Yahweh the God of his ancestors, though not according to the cleansing for the sanctuary." And Yahweh listened to Hezekiah, and he healed the people. And the {Israelites} who were found in Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great joy. And the Levites and the priests were offering praise to Yahweh day by day, with powerful instruments to Yahweh. And Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites {who were skilled at service} to Yahweh. So they ate the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and giving thanks to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.
Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy dwelling place in the heavens.
And he said to the Levites who [were] teaching all Israel, who were sanctified to Yahweh, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. There is no [need] to carry it on [your] shoulders. Now serve Yahweh your God and his people Israel. And prepare yourselves according to {your families}, according to your working groups, according to the decree of David king of Israel and according to the decree of Solomon his son. read more. And stand in the sanctuary according to the clans of {your families} for your brothers, the {lay people}, and a part of the {family} of the Levites. And slaughter the Passover [lamb] and consecrate yourself and prepare for your brothers to do according to the word of Yahweh by the hand of Moses. Then Josiah provided for the {lay people} sheep, lambs, and young goats, all for the Passover for all who were found [there], to the sum of thirty thousand, along with three thousand bulls. These [were] the possession of the king. And his officials contributed a freewill offering to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, commanders of the house of God, gave to the priests two thousand six hundred Passover [lambs] and three hundred bulls. Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jehozabad, commanders of the Levites, contributed to the Levites five thousand Passover [lambs] and five hundred bulls. And when the work had been completed, the priests stood at their positions and the Levites in their working groups according to the command of the king. And they slaughtered the Passover [lamb], and the priests sprinkled [the blood] from their hand, and the Levites flayed [the sacrifices]. And they set aside the burnt offerings to give them to the clans of the {families} for the {lay people}, to offer to Yahweh according to what is written in the scroll of Moses. And thus they did with the bulls. Then they roasted the Passover [lamb] in the fire according to the ordinance. And they boiled the holy offerings in pots, in kettles, and in dishes and brought it quickly to the {lay people}. And afterward they prepared for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, [were busy] with offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night. So the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. And the singers, the descendants of Asaph, [were] at their stations according to the decree of David and Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, the seer of the king. And the gatekeepers [were] at {each gate}. They did not need to depart from their service, for their brothers the Levites had made preparations for them.
The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; the descendants of Immer, one thousand fifty-two; read more. the descendants of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; the descendants of Harim, one thousand seventeen. The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the descendants of Hodaviah, seventy-four. The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight. The descendants of the gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai; in total one hundred and thirty-nine.
And the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, and the priests [in their] apparel with the trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with the cymbals, were positioned to praise Yahweh, {as described by} King David of Israel. And they {sang responsively}, with praising and thanksgiving to Yahweh [saying], "For he is good, for his loyal love is everlasting for Israel." And all of the people responded with a great shout of joyful acclaim in praise to Yahweh because the house of Yahweh was laid.
Then they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their sections for the work of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.
I gathered them by the river that goes to Ahava and we camped there for three days. And I looked at the people and the priests, I found no one there from the sons of Levi.
With the good hand of our God before us, they brought us a man of understanding from the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel--Sherebiah and his sons and brothers, eighteen [in total]. Also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah, the sons of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, twenty [in total]. read more. And from the temple servants, whom David and [his] officials had set up to serve the Levites, two hundred and twenty [in total]. All of them were registered by name.
And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites were teaching the people from the law while the people were in their places. So they read the book from the law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that they could understand the reading.
And we bring the best of our dough, our offerings, the fruit of every tree, new wine, and olive oil to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and [to bring] the tithe of our soil to the Levites, for the Levites [receive] the tithes in all of our rural towns. And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, will be with the Levites during the tithe the Levites receive. The Levites will bring up a tithe of the tithes for the house of our God to the chambers of the storehouse. read more. For the {Israelites} and the {Levites} will bring to the storerooms the offering of grain, new wine, and olive oil. These are the objects of the sanctuary and the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and singers. We will not neglect the house of our God."
In the days of Eliashib, Jehoiada, Jehohanan, and Jaddua the Levites were recorded as heads of the {families}. So [these were] the priests [during] the reign of Darius the Persian.
At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites from all of their places in order to bring them to Jerusalem to do the dedication with joy, thanksgivings, song and cymbals, stringed instruments and lyres. The {singers} were gathered from the circuit all around Jerusalem and from the villages of Netophathite, read more. from Beth Gilgal, from the field of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers built for themselves villages all around Jerusalem. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
{But} the Levites who removed themselves from me {at the going astray of Israel}, who went astray from me [and went] after their idols, as a result they will bear their guilt. Then they will be in my sanctuary, [those] serving [in] my sanctuary, [as] sentries at the gates of the temple and [as] [those] serving the temple; they will slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they will stand {before them} to serve them, read more. {because} they used to serve them {before} their idols and they were for the house of Israel [like] a stumbling block of iniquity. Therefore {I swore} concerning them," {declares} the Lord Yahweh, "[that] they will bear their iniquity. And they shall not approach me to serve as priest for me and to come near to all of my holy objects, {to the most holy objects}, and they will bear their disgrace and [the results of] their detestable things they have done. And I will appoint them [as] the keepers of the responsibility of the temple, for all of its work and {everything} which will be done in it.
To the priests, the [ones] being consecrated from the descendants of Zadok, who took care of my service [and] who {did not go astray} {when the Israelites went astray}, {just as} the Levites went astray.
"My covenant with him was [one of] life and peace, and I gave them to him. [This required] reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe {before} my name. [The] instruction of truth was in his mouth, and wickedness was not found on his lips. In peace and in uprightness he walked with me, and he brought back many from sin.
He will sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the children of Levi, and he will refine them like gold and like silver, and they will present to Yahweh offerings in righteousness.
And in the same way also a Levite, [when he] came down to the place and saw [him], passed by on the opposite side.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem so that they could ask him, "Who are you?"
So Joseph, who was called Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated "son of encouragement"), a Levite of Cyprus by nationality,
Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies [as] a living sacrifice, holy [and] pleasing to God, [which is] your reasonable 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
And Moses stood at the entrance of the camp, and he said, "Whoever [is] for Yahweh, to me." And all the sons of Levi were gathered to him. And he said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Put each his sword on his side. Go {back and forth} from gate to gate in the camp, and kill, each his brother and each his friend and each his close relative.'" read more. And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and from the people on that day about three thousand persons fell. And Moses said, "{You are ordained} today for Yahweh, because each [has been] against his son and against his brother and so bringing on you today a blessing."
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Bring near the tribe of Levi, and {set the tribe} {before Aaron} the priest, and they will minister to him. read more. They shall observe his duties and the duties of the entire community before the tent of assembly, to do the work of the tabernacle. And they will keep all the vessels of the tent of assembly and the responsibilities of the {Israelites}, to do the work of the tabernacle. You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they [are] surely assigned to him from among the {Israelites}. But you will count Aaron and his descendants; they will keep their priesthood, and the stranger who approaches will be put to death." Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, "I [myself] receive the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} in the place of all [the] firstborn of [the] offspring of the womb from the {Israelites}. The Levites will be mine because all [the] firstborn [are] mine; on the day of my killing all [the] firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for myself all [the] firstborn in Israel, {both humankind and animal}; they will be mine. I am Yahweh." Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, saying, "Muster the descendants of Levi according to {their families}, according to their clans. You will count every male from {one month} and above." So Moses mustered them according to the {command of Yahweh}, just as he commanded. These were the sons of Levi according to their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And these [are] the names of the sons of Gershon according to their clans: Libni and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath according to their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari according to their tribes: Mahli and Mushi. These [are] the clans of the Levites according to {their families}. {To Gershon belonged} the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these [are] the clans of the Gershonites. The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] seven thousand five hundred. The clans of the Gershonites will camp behind the tabernacle to the west, and the leader of {the family} of the Gershonites is Eliasaph son of Lael. And the responsibility of the descendants of Gershon in the tent of assembly [is] the tabernacle, and the tent covering it and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of the assembly, and the hangings of the courtyard and the curtain of the doorway of the courtyard that [is] around the tabernacle and the altar, and its ten cords, all of its use. {To Kohath belonged} the clan of Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan [of] the Uzzielites; these [were] the clans of the Kohathites. According to [the] number of every male from {one month} and above [there were] eight thousand six hundred keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. The clan of the descendants of Kohath will encamp on the side of the tabernacle to the south. The leader of {his family} according to the clans of the Kohathites [is] Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. Their responsibility [was] the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use. The {chief of the leaders} of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest [who had] oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary. {To Merari belonged} the clan of Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these [are] the clans of Merari. The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] six thousand two hundred. [The] leader of {the family} according to the clans of Merari [is] Zuriel son of Abihail; they will encamp of the side of the tabernacle to the north. The responsibility of the sons of Merari [was] the supervision of the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, pillars, bases, and all its vessels and all its service, and the pillars around the courtyard, and their bases, pegs, and cords. Those encamped before the tabernacle to the east--before the tent of assembly to the east--[were] Moses and Aaron and his sons; they will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary {for the Israelites}; and the stranger who approaches will be put to death. All those counted from the Levites whom Moses and Aaron mustered according to {the word of Yahweh}, according to their clans, every male from {one month} and above [were] twenty-two thousand. And Yahweh said to Moses, "Muster every firstborn male from the {Israelites} from {one month} and above and {count} their names. And you will receive the Levites for me--I [am] Yahweh--in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the animals among the {Israelites}." So Moses mustered all the firstborn among the {Israelites} just as Yahweh commanded him. And all [the] firstborn males among the number of names from {one month} and above, the {ones counted}, [were] twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Receive the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I [am] Yahweh. And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the {Israelites} who are excessive over the Levites, you will receive five shekels a person, in the sanctuary shekel; you will collect twenty gerahs [per] shekel. You will give the money to Aaron, and to his sons the ransom of the ones who are excessive among them." And Moses received the money of the redemption from the ones who were excessive from those redeemed of the Levites. From the firstborn of the {Israelites} he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, in the sanctuary shekel. And Moses gave the money of the ransom to Aaron and to his sons according to the {word} of Yahweh just as Yahweh commanded Moses.
from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly.
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} and purify them. read more. So you will do to them, to purify them: sprinkle on them waters of purification, and {they will shave their whole body} and wash their garments. And they will take a {young bull} and its grain offering of finely milled flour mixed with oil, and you will take a second {young bull} as a sin offering. You will bring the Levites {before} the tent of assembly, and you will summon the entire community of the {Israelites}. And you will bring the Levites {before Yahweh}, and the {Israelites} will lay their hands on the Levites, and {Aaron will offer} the Levites [as] a wave offering {before Yahweh} from the {Israelites}, and they will do the work of Yahweh. And the Levites will lay their hands on the head of the one bull and offer [it] as a sin offering and the other one as a burnt offering to Yahweh, to make atonement for the Levites. And you will present the Levites {before} Aaron and {before} his sons, and he {will offer} them [as] a wave offering to Yahweh. "And you will separate the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites}, and the Levites will be for me. And after this the Levites will come to serve [at] the tent of assembly, and you will purify them, and you {will offer} them [as] a wave offering. For they [are] given to me exclusively from the midst of the {Israelites}. I have taken them for myself in place of [the] firstborn of every womb, every firstborn from the {Israelites}. For every firstborn among the {Israelites} [is] mine, both humankind and animal. On the day I destroyed every firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them to me, and I have taken the Levites in the place of every firstborn among the {Israelites}. And I have given the Levites; they are given to Aaron and his sons from the midst of the {Israelites} to do the work of the {Israelites} in the tent of the assembly and to make atonement for the {Israelites}, so a plague will not be among the {Israelites} when the {Israelites} come near the sanctuary." And Moses and Aaron and the entire community of the {Israelites} did to the Levites; everything that Yahweh commanded Moses concerning the Levites, the {Israelites} did to them. And the Levites purified themselves, and they washed their garments, and {Aaron offered them} [as] a wave offering {before Yahweh}; and Aaron made atonement for them to purify them. After this the Levites came to do their work in the tent of assembly before Aaron and his sons. Just as Yahweh commanded Moses concerning the Levities, so they did to them. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "This [is] what is for the Levites: {those twenty-five years old} and above will come to help [with the] service in the work of the tent of assembly;
"This [is] what is for the Levites: {those twenty-five years old} and above will come to help [with the] service in the work of the tent of assembly; and {those fifty years old} will return from the service of the work and will serve no longer.
and {those fifty years old} will return from the service of the work and will serve no longer. They can attend their brothers in the tent of assembly to keep [their] responsibilities, but they will not do work. This is what you will do concerning the Levities and their responsibilities."
They can attend their brothers in the tent of assembly to keep [their] responsibilities, but they will not do work. This is what you will do concerning the Levities and their responsibilities."
Yahweh spoke to Moses on the desert plains of Moab beyond the Jordan [across] Jericho, saying, "Command the {Israelites} that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their property cities to live in; and you will give to the Levites pastureland all around the cities. read more. The cities will be theirs to live in, and their pasturelands will be for their domestic animals, for their possessions, and their animals. "The pasturelands of the cities that you will give to the Levites [will extend] from the wall of the city to [a distance of] a thousand cubits all around. You will measure outside the city the eastern edge two thousand cubits, for the southern edge two thousand cubits, for the western edge two thousand cubits, and for the northern edge two thousand cubits, with the city in the middle; this will be for them the pasturelands of the cities. "All the cities that you will give the Levites will be six cities of refuge, to which the killer can flee; in addition to them you will give forty-two cities. All the cities that you will give to the Levites will be forty-eight cities, them with their pasturelands. And the cities that you will give from the property of the {Israelites}, you will take more from the larger group and less from the smaller group; each of them will give according to the portion of their inheritance according to the portion that he inherits."
So {they set apart} Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that [is], Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they appointed Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau, from the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in the Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh. read more. These were the cities designated for all the {Israelites}, and for the foreigners dwelling among them, for anyone that kills a person unintentionally to flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, {until there is a trial} before the congregation.
Then the heads of the families of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the families of the tribes of the {Israelites}. And they spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, "Yahweh commanded through the hand of Moses to give us cities to live [in], with their pasturelands for our livestock." read more. So, {by command of Yahweh}, the {Israelites} gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands from their inheritance. The allotment {fell} for the families of the Kohathites. The descendants of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, {received} by lot thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. The remaining descendants of Kohath [received] by lot ten cities from the families of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The descendants of Gershon [received] by lot thirteen cities from the families of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan. The descendants of the Merarites according to their families [received] twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. The {Israelites} gave to the Levites these cities and their pastureland by lot, just as Yahweh commanded through the hand of Moses. They gave these cities, which are [here] mentioned by name, from the tribe of the families of Judah and from the tribe of the families of Simeon; and they were for the descendants of Aaron, from the families of the Kohathites, from the descendants of Levi, because the first lot was theirs. And they gave to them Kiriath Arba, [Arba being] the father of Anak (that [is], Hebron), in the hill country of Judah and the pasturelands surrounding it. But the field of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his property. To the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge [for] the killer, and its pasturelands, Libnah and its pasturelands, Jattir and its pasturelands, Eshtemoa and its pasturelands, Holon and its pasturelands, Debir and its pasturelands, Ain and its pasturelands, Juttah and its pasturelands, and Beth Shemesh and its pasturelands; nine cities from these two tribes. From the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its pasturelands, Geba and its pasturelands, Anathoth and its pasturelands, Almon and its pasturelands; four cities. All the cities of the descendants of Aaron the priests, thirteen cities and their pasturelands. For the families of the descendants of Kohath, the remaining Levites of the descendants of Kohath, they [received] the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim. They gave them Shechem, the city of refuge [for] the killer, and its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer and its pasturelands, Kibzaim and its pasturelands, and Beth-horon and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and its pasturelands, Gibbethon and its pasturelands, Aijalon and its pasturelands, and Gath Rimmon and its pasturelands; four cities. From the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and its pasturelands and Gath Rimmon with its pasturelands; two cities. All the cities and their pasturelands for the remaining families of the descendants of Kohath [were] ten. To the descendants of Gershon, one of the families of the Levites, from the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, and Eshtarah and its pasturelands; two cities. From the tribe of Issachar, Kishion and its pasturelands, Daberath and its pasturelands, Jarmuth and its pasturelands, En Gannim and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Asher, Mishal and its pasturelands, Abdon and its pasturelands, Helkath and its pasturelands, Rehob and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee, the city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, Hammoth Dor and its pasturelands, and Kartan and its pasturelands; three cities. All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families [were] thirteen cities and their pasturelands. To the families of the descendants of Merarite, the remaining Levites, from the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam and its pasturelands, Kartah and its pasturelands, Dimnah and its pasturelands, and Nahalal and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Reuben, Bezer and its pasturelands, Jahaz and its pasturelands, Kedemoth and its pasturelands, and Mephaath and its pasturelands; four cities. From the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead, the city of refuge for the killer, and its pasturelands, Mahanaim and its pasturelands, Heshbon and its pasturelands, and Jazer and its pasturelands; four cities [in] all. All [these were] the cities of the descendants of Merarite according to their families, the remaining families of the Levites; their allotment was twelve cities. All the cities of the Levites among the property of the {Israelites} [were] forty-eight cities and their pasturelands. Each of these cities had pasturelands surrounding them; so [it was] for all of these cities.
Now these [are the men] whom David appointed for {control of singing} in the house of Yahweh where the ark rested.
Then David ordered the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers [as] singers with instruments of song, musical instruments, stringed instruments, and cymbals, {raising their voices for joy}.
And it happened [that] when God helped the Levites carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
These [were] the sons of Levi according to the house of their fathers, the heads of the {families}, according to their enrollment, by the number of the names, according to their head count, [who were to] do the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and above. For David said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever. read more. And also, the Levites do not [need] to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service." For by the last words of David, they [are] the number of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and above.
But the priests were too few, and they were not able to offer all the burnt offerings, so their brothers, the Levites, strengthened them to finish the work, and until the [rest of] the priests consecrated themselves. (For the Levites [were] {more conscientious} to sanctify themselves than the priests.)
For [there were] many in the assembly who did not consecrate themselves, so the Levites [were] over the killing of the Passover sacrifices for all who [were] not clean, to consecrate [them] to Yahweh.
And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites were teaching the people from the law while the people were in their places. So they read the book from the law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that they could understand the reading.
And in the same way also a Levite, [when he] came down to the place and saw [him], passed by on the opposite side.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem so that they could ask him, "Who are you?"
So Joseph, who was called Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated "son of encouragement"), a Levite of Cyprus by nationality,
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/leb'>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 the son of Aaron took for himself [one] from the daughters of Putiel as a wife, and she bore for him Phinehas. These [are] the heads of the {families} of the Levites according to their clans.
And to Moses he said, "Go up to Yahweh--you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy from the elders of Israel--and you will worship at a distance.
" 'As for the cities of the Levites, [that is], the houses in their property's cities, it shall be {a lasting redemption} for the Levites.
Their responsibility [was] the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use.
And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come after to carry [these], but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These [are] the load of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly.
"{Take a census} of the descendants of Gershon also, according to {their families} and clans, from {those twenty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to help to do the work of the tent of assembly.
from {those twenty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to help to do the work of the tent of assembly. This [is] the work of the clans of the Gershonites: to serve and to carry. read more. They will carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of assembly [and] its covering and the covering of {fine leather}, which {is on top of it}, and the curtain of the doorway of the tent of assembly, and the curtains of the courtyard, and the covering for the doorway of the gate of the courtyard, which [is] all around on the tabernacle and altar, and their cords and all the vessels of their work; and all that is done to them they will do.
from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; you will muster them, all who come to do the work of the tent of assembly.
from {those thirty years old} and above until {fifty years old}; everyone who comes to the service to work in the tent of assembly,
and {those fifty years old} will return from the service of the work and will serve no longer. They can attend their brothers in the tent of assembly to keep [their] responsibilities, but they will not do work. This is what you will do concerning the Levities and their responsibilities."
"Behold, I have given to the descendants of Levi every tithe in Israel as an inheritance in return for their service, which they [are] doing, the work of the tent of assembly.
because the tithes of the {Israelites} that are {offered} to Yahweh as a contribution, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I said to them, 'They will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites}.'"
"You will speak to the Levites and say to them, 'When you receive the tithe from the {Israelites} that I have given to you from them for your inheritance, {you will present} a contribution from it to Yahweh, a tithe from a tithe.
"Command the {Israelites} that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their property cities to live in; and you will give to the Levites pastureland all around the cities.
"Command the {Israelites} that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their property cities to live in; and you will give to the Levites pastureland all around the cities.
{Take care} so that you do not neglect the Levite all [of] your days on your land.
You may spend the money for anything {that you desire}, for oxen or for sheep or for wine or for strong drink or for anything {that you desire}, and you shall eat [it] there {before} Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. And [as to] the Levite who [is] in your {towns}, you shall not neglect him, because there is not a plot of ground for him and an inheritance [along] with you. read more. "At the end of three years you shall bring out all [of] the tithe of your yield for that year, and you shall store [it] in your {towns}.
then you shall go to the priests and the Levites and to the judge who will be [in office] in those days, and you shall enquire, and they shall announce to you {the verdict}. "And {you shall carry out exactly the decision} that they announced to you from that place that Yahweh will choose, and {you shall diligently observe} according to all that they instruct you. read more. [And so] according to {the instruction of the law} that they teach you and according to the decisions that they say to you, you shall do; you shall not turn from the word that they tell you to the right or [to the] left. And the man who treats with contempt [so as] not to listen to the priest [who] [is] standing to minister on behalf of Yahweh your God or to the judge, that man shall die; so you shall purge the evil from Israel.
And you shall celebrate with all of the bounty that Yahweh your God gave to you and to your family, you and the Levite and the alien who [is] in your midst. "When you are finished {giving a tithe}, all of the tithe of your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, then you shall give to the Levite, to the alien, to the orphan, and to the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and they may be satisfied.
"Take the scroll of this law and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and it will be there as a witness against you.
So Moses spoke into the ears of the assembly of Israel the words of this song {until they were complete}.
and they commanded the people: "When you see the Levitical priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God you must set out from your place and go after it.
And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place that he should choose.
So, {by command of Yahweh}, the {Israelites} gave the Levites these cities and their pasturelands from their inheritance.
All the cities of the Levites among the property of the {Israelites} [were] forty-eight cities and their pasturelands.
These [were] the sons of Levi according to the house of their fathers, the heads of the {families}, according to their enrollment, by the number of the names, according to their head count, [who were to] do the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and above. For David said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and he dwells in Jerusalem forever. read more. And also, the Levites do not [need] to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service." For by the last words of David, they [are] the number of the sons of Levi, from twenty years old and above. For their station [was] {to assist} the sons of Aaron with the service of the house of Yahweh, over the courtyards, over the chambers, and over the cleansing of all the sanctified objects, and [with] the work of the service of the house of God, and with the rows of bread, the flour, the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked offering, the offering mixed with oil, and for all the amounts and measurements. And [they were] to stand {every morning}, thanking and praising Yahweh, and likewise in the evening, and for every burnt offering offered to Yahweh, on Sabbaths, on new moon festivals, and at the appointed feasts, according to the customary number {required of them}, regularly before Yahweh. And they shall keep the responsibility of the tent of assembly, the responsibility of the sanctified objects, and the responsibility of the sons of Aaron, their brothers, to serve the house of Yahweh.
And David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, [of] Heman, and [of] Jeduthun, who prophesied with stringed instruments, with harps, and with cymbals. And their inventory of the men of the work [and] for their duty was:
And David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, [of] Heman, and [of] Jeduthun, who prophesied with stringed instruments, with harps, and with cymbals. And their inventory of the men of the work [and] for their duty was:
As for the working groups of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, from the sons of Asaph.
Now the priests and the Levites who [were] throughout all Israel took their stand with him from all their territories. For the Levites left their pasturelands and their property and came to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to Yahweh.
And we bring the best of our dough, our offerings, the fruit of every tree, new wine, and olive oil to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and [to bring] the tithe of our soil to the Levites, for the Levites [receive] the tithes in all of our rural towns.
But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok, who cared for the responsibility of my sanctuary {when the Israelites went astray} from me, they will approach me to serve me, and they will stand {before me} to offer to me fat and blood," {declares} the 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 {set the tribe} {before Aaron} the priest, and they will minister to him.
from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly.
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the Levites from the midst of the {Israelites} and purify them. read more. So you will do to them, to purify them: sprinkle on them waters of purification, and {they will shave their whole body} and wash their garments.
"This [is] what is for the Levites: {those twenty-five years old} and above will come to help [with the] service in the work of the tent of assembly; and {those fifty years old} will return from the service of the work and will serve no longer. read more. They can attend their brothers in the tent of assembly to keep [their] responsibilities, but they will not do work. This is what you will do concerning the Levities and their responsibilities."
"Behold, I have given to the descendants of Levi every tithe in Israel as an inheritance in return for their service, which they [are] doing, the work of the tent of assembly. The {Israelites} will not come near again to the tent of assembly, or {they will bear sin} and die. read more. The Levites will perform the service of the tent of assembly, and they will bear their guilt, an eternal decree for all your generations. But they will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites} because the tithes of the {Israelites} that are {offered} to Yahweh as a contribution, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I said to them, 'They will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the {Israelites}.'"
But only {before} Yahweh your God you shall eat it, at the place that Yahweh your God will choose, you and your son and your daughter and your slave and your slave woman and the Levite who [is] in your {towns}, and you must rejoice {before} your God {in all your undertakings}. {Take care} so that you do not neglect the Levite all [of] your days on your land.
And if a Levite comes from one of your {towns} from {anywhere in Israel} where he is residing, {he may come whenever he desires}, to the place that Yahweh will choose, and he may minister in the name of Yahweh his God, [just] like all his brothers, {the Levites who stand there} {before} Yahweh. read more. They shall eat {equal portions}, apart from what he may receive from the sale of his patrimony.
So {they set apart} Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that [is], Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
All the cities of the descendants of Aaron the priests, thirteen cities and their pasturelands. For the families of the descendants of Kohath, the remaining Levites of the descendants of Kohath, they [received] the cities of their lot from the tribe of Ephraim.
These [were] the sons of Levi according to the house of their fathers, the heads of the {families}, according to their enrollment, by the number of the names, according to their head count, [who were to] do the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, from twenty years old and above.
But the priests were too few, and they were not able to offer all the burnt offerings, so their brothers, the Levites, strengthened them to finish the work, and until the [rest of] the priests consecrated themselves. (For the Levites [were] {more conscientious} to sanctify themselves than the priests.)
In the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak began [their work], and the remainder of their brothers the priests and the Levites and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem. They appointed the Levites {from twenty years and older} to direct the work of the house of Yahweh.