Reference: Merari, Merarites
Hastings
1. The third son of Levi, to whom a division of the Levites traced their descent (Ge 46:11; Ex 6:16; Nu 3:17; 1Ch 6:1,16; 23:6. The title 'Merarites' is found only in Nu 26:57; elsewhere they are called 'sons of Merari' (Ex 6:19; Nu 3:20; 4:29,33,42,46; 7:8; 10:17; Jos 21:7,34,39; 1Ch 6:19,29,44,63,77; 9:14; 15:6,17; 23:21; 24:27; 26:19; 2Ch 29:12; Ezr 8:19). They were subdivided into two groups, the Mahlites and the Mushites (Nu 3:33; 26:58), each being traced to a 'son' of Merari (Ex 6:19; Nu 3:20; 1Ch 6:19,29,17; 23:21). From these families fragments of genealogies remain, some branches being traced through the daughters of Mahli (see 1Ch 23:2).
Very little is related of the Merarites after the Exile. Certain Merarites are mentioned in 1Ch 9:14,16-18 = Ne 11:15,17-19 as dwelling in Jerusalem immediately after the Return, and certain others as accompanying Ezra to the city in 454 b.c. (Ezr 8:18 f.). But Priestly Narrative and the Chronicler introduce the family into the earlier history. (1) During the desert wanderings the Merarites were on the north side of the Tent (Nu 3:35); their duty was to carry the less sacred parts of it, the 'boards' (or rather frames), pegs, cords, etc. (Nu 3:38 f., Nu 4:31 f., Nu 10:17), for which they were given four waggons and eight oxen (Nu 7:8); and they were superintended by Ithamar, the youngest son of Aaron (Nu 4:33). (2) After the settlement in Palestine, twelve cities were assigned to them (Jos 21:7,34-40 = 1Ch 6:63,77-81). (3) In David's reign the Chronicler relates that the Temple music was superintended partly by Ethan, or Jeduthun, a Merarite, and his family (1Ch 6:44-47; 16:41 f., 1Ch 25:1,3,6,11,16,18,21 f.; and see 1Ch 15:6,17-19). David divided the Levites into courses 'according to the sons of Levi' (1Ch 23:8; Merarites, 1Ch 23:21-24,26-30), and particular offices of certain Merarites are detailed in 1Ch 26:10-13,16-18. (4) They took part in the cleansing of the Temple under Hezekiah (2Ch 29:12,14). Cf. also art. Kohath.
2. The father of Judith (Jdt 8:1; Jdt 16:7).
A. H. M'Neile.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And these the names of the sons of Levi, according to their generation; Gershon, and Kohath and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi, seven and thirty and a hundred years.
And the sons of Merari: Mahali and Mushi: these the tribes of Levi according to their generations.
And the sons of Merari: Mahali and Mushi: these the tribes of Levi according to their generations.
And these shall be the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
And the sons of Merari according to their families: Mahli, and Mushi; these they of the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
And the sons of Merari according to their families: Mahli, and Mushi; these they of the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
To Merari the families of the Mahlites, and the families of the Mushites: these they of the families of the Merari.
And the chief of the house of the father to the families of Merari, Zuriel, son of Abihail: by the thigh of the dwelling shall they encamp to the north.
And they encamping before the dwelling eastward before the tent of appointment, from the sunrising, Moses and Aaron and his sons, watching the watches of the holy place, for the watches of the sons of Israel; and the stranger coming near shall die.
The sons of Merari according to their families, according to the house of their fathers, thou shalt review them;
And this the watches from their lifting up, for all their service in the tent of appointment; the boards of the dwelling, and its bars and its pillars, and its bases,
This the service from the families of the sons of Merari, for all their service in the tent of appointment, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.
This the service from the families of the sons of Merari, for all their service in the tent of appointment, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.
And they being reviewed of the families of the sons of Merari, according to their families, according to the house of their fathers,
All the reviewings which Moses reviewed, and Aaron, and the chiefs of Israel, the Levites, according to their families, and according to the house of their fathers,
And four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
And four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
And the dwelling was taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari removed, lifting up the dwelling.
And the dwelling was taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari removed, lifting up the dwelling.
And these the reviewings of the Levites according to their families: to Gershon, the families of the Gershonites; to Kohath, the families of the Kohathites; to Merari, the families of the Merarites. These the families of Levi: the families of the Libnites, the families of the Hebronites, the families of the Mahlites, the families of the Mushites, the families of the Korathites: and Kohath begat Amram.
To the sons of Merari according to their families, from the tribe of Reuben, and from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulon, twelve cities.
To the sons of Merari according to their families, from the tribe of Reuben, and from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulon, twelve cities.
And to the families of the sons of Merari, the Levites remaining, from the tribe of Zebulon, Jokneam and her area, and Kartah and her area,
And to the families of the sons of Merari, the Levites remaining, from the tribe of Zebulon, Jokneam and her area, and Kartah and her area, Dimnah and her area, Nahalal and her area: four cities. read more. Omitted Omitted And from the tribe of Gad, the city of refuge of the slayer, Ramath in Gilead and her area; and Mahanaim and her area, And Heshbon and her area, and Jazer and her area: all, four cities.
And Heshbon and her area, and Jazer and her area: all, four cities. All the cities to the sons of Merari according to their families, those remaining from the families of the Levites, it shall be their lot twelve cities.
And the sons of Merari their brethren at the left: Ethan son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch, Son of Hashabiah, son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah, read more. Son of Amzi, son of Bath, son of Shamer, Son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi.
To the sons of Merari for their families from the tribe of Reuben, and from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulon, by lot, twelve cities.
To the sons of Merari remaining from the tribe of Zebulon Rimmon and her areas, Tabor and her areas: And from beyond Jordan of Jericho to the sunrising of Jordan, from the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the desert and her areas, and Jahzah and her areas, read more. And Kedemoth and her areas, and Mephaath and her areas. And from the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead and her areas, and Mahanaim and her areas. And Heshbon and her areas, and Jazer and her areas.
And from the Levites Shemaiah son of Hashub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, from the sons of Memari;
And Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthan, and Berechiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah, dwelling in the villages of the Netophathites. The gate-keepers, Shallum and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum the head; read more. And hitherto in the king's gate from the sunrising: they keeping the gate for the camps of the sons of Levi.
To the sons of Merari: Asaiah the chief and his brethren, two hundred and twenty:
And the Levites wilt set up He-man son of Joel; and from his brethren, Asaph son of Berechiah; and from the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan son of Kushaiah; And with them their brethren being second, Zechariah the son, and Jahaziel and Shemiramoth and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah. and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom, Jeiel, gate-keepers. read more. And those singing, Heman, Asaph and Ethan, with cymbals of brass to cause to hear;
And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest being chosen, who were separated by names to confess to Jehovah: for his mercy is forever.
And he will gather together all the chiefs of Israel, and the priests and the Levites.
The sons of Merari Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish. And Eleazar will die, and no sons were to him, but daughters: and their brethren the sons of Kish will take them. read more. The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three. These the sons of Levi for the house of their fathers: the heads of the fathers for their reviewing by the number of names to their craniums doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from the son of twenty years and above.
And also to the Levites: not to lift up the dwelling and all its vessels for its service. For by the last words of David these the number of the sons of Levi from the son of twenty years and above. read more. For from their station at the hand of the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of Jehovah, upon the enclosures and upon the cells and for the cleansing to all the holy place and the works of the service of the house of God. And for the bread of the arrangement, and for the fine flour for the gift, and for the thin cakes unleavened, and for the pan, and for the mingling, and for all measure and extension. And to stand in the morning by morning to confess and to praise to Jehovah, and so at evening.
And David will separate, and the chiefs of the army, for service to the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, prophesying with harps, with lyres and with cymbals: and there will be their number of men of work for their service.
To Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, upon the hands of their father Jeduthun, with the harp prophesying for confessing and praising to Jehovah.
All these upon the hands of their father in the song of the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the service of the house of God, upon the hands of the king, Asaph and Jeduthun and Heman.
And to Hosah from the sons of Merari, Shimri the head, (for he was not the first-born, and his father will set him for head;) Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and the brethren to Hosah, thirteen. read more. To these the divisions of the gates for the heads of the strong ones, the watches near their brethren, to serve in the house of Jehovah. And they will cast lots, according to small according to great, for the house of their fathers, to gate and gate
To Shuppim and to Hosah to the west, with the gate of Shallecheth, by the highway of the going up, watch over against watch. To the sunrising, six Levites; to the north, four for the day, to the south, four for the day, and to Asuppim, two, two. read more. To Parbar to the west, four at the highway, two at the open portico,
And the Levites will rise up, Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, from the sons of the Kohathites: and from the sons of the Merarites: Kish, son of Abdi, and Azariah, son of Jehalelel: and from the Gershonites: Joah, son of Zimmah, and Eden, son of Joah:
And from the sons of Heman: Jehiel and Shimei: and from the sons of Jeduthun: Shemaiah and Uzziel.
And they will bring to us according to the good hand of our God upon us a man of understanding from the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel; and Sherebiah, and his sons and his brethren, eighteen. And Hashabiab, and with him Jeshaiah, from the sons of Merari, brethren and their sons, twenty
And from the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hashub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, son of Bunni
And Mattaniah son of Micha, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, head of the beginning of Judah for prayer: and Bakbukiah the second from his brethren, and Abda, son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthan. All the Levites in the holy city, two hundred eighty and four. read more. And the gate-keepers, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren watching in the gates, a hundred seventy and two.
Smith
Mer'ari, Mer'arites
(bitter, unhappy), third son of Levi and head of the third great division of the Levites, the Merarites.
At the time of the exodus and the numbering in the wilderness, the Merarites consisted of two families, the Mahlites and the Mushites, Mahli and Mushi being either the two sons of the son and grandson of Merari.
Their chief at that time was Zuriel. Their charge was the cords of the tabernacle and the court, and all the tools connected with setting them up. In the division of the land by Joshua, the merarites had twelve cities assigned to them, out of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.
Jos 21:7,34-40; 1Ch 6:63,77-81
In the days of Hezekiah the Merarites were still flourishing.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And these the names of the sons of Israel having come to Egypt. Jacob and his sons: the first born of Jacob, Reuben.
To the sons of Merari according to their families, from the tribe of Reuben, and from the tribe of Gad, and from the tribe of Zebulon, twelve cities.
And to the families of the sons of Merari, the Levites remaining, from the tribe of Zebulon, Jokneam and her area, and Kartah and her area, Dimnah and her area, Nahalal and her area: four cities. read more. Omitted Omitted And from the tribe of Gad, the city of refuge of the slayer, Ramath in Gilead and her area; and Mahanaim and her area, And Heshbon and her area, and Jazer and her area: all, four cities. All the cities to the sons of Merari according to their families, those remaining from the families of the Levites, it shall be their lot twelve cities.
The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. And these the families of the Levites according to their fathers.
And the Levites will rise up, Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, from the sons of the Kohathites: and from the sons of the Merarites: Kish, son of Abdi, and Azariah, son of Jehalelel: and from the Gershonites: Joah, son of Zimmah, and Eden, son of Joah:
And they will gather their brethren, and they will consecrate themselves, and they will come according to the command of the king in the words of Jehovah, to cleanse the house of Jehovah.