In Early Israel the Father of the Family or Head of a Clan Acted as the Group's Priests

According to the Bible, the Tribe of Levi is 1 of the tribes of Israel, traditionally descended from Levi, son of Jacob. The descendants of Aaron, who was the commencement kohen gadol (high priest) of Israel, were designated every bit the priestly class, the Kohanim.

Levite reading the law to the Israelites (1873 drawing)

The Tribe of Levi served particular religious duties for the Israelites and had political responsibilities every bit well. In return, the landed tribes were expected to requite tithes to the Kohanim, the priests working in the Temple in Jerusalem, particularly the tithe known as the Maaser Rishon. The Levites who were not Kohanim played music in the Temple or served as guards. When Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan the Levites were the only Israelite tribe that received cities but were not allowed to be landowners, because "the Lord God of State of israel is their inheritance, as he said to them" (Book of Joshua, Joshua 13:33).

Notable descendants of the Levite lineage according to the Bible include Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Ezra, and Malachi.

In the Bible [edit]

In the Torah [edit]

Co-ordinate to the Torah, the tribe is named subsequently Levi, ane of the twelve sons of Jacob (also called Israel). Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (Genesis 46:11).

Levi

Adinah

Gershon

Kohath

Merari

Jochebed

Amram

Izhar

Hebron

Uzziel

Miriam

Aaron

Moses

Kohath's son Amram was the begetter of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. The descendants of Aaron, the Kohanim, had the special function as priests in the Tabernacle in the wilderness and as well in the Temple in Jerusalem. The remaining Levites were divided into three groups: Gershonites (descended from Gershon), Kohathites (from Kohath), and Merarites (from Merari). Each division filled different roles in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple services.

Levites' principal roles in the Temple included singing Psalms during Temple services, performing construction and maintenance for the Temple, serving every bit guards, and performing other services. Levites also served every bit teachers and judges, maintaining cities of refuge in biblical times. The Volume of Ezra reports that the Levites were responsible for the construction of the Second Temple and also translated and explained the Torah when it was publicly read.

During the Exodus the Levite tribe were particularly zealous in protecting the Mosaic law in the confront of those worshipping the aureate calf, which may take been a reason for their priestly status.^{[1] [2]} Although the Levites were not counted in the census amidst the children of Israel, they were numbered separately as a special ground forces.^[3]

Illustration of the allotment of land to the Levites (Numbers 35:four-five)

Map of the territory of Benjamin. Note the area effectually the cities allotted to the Levites, per Numbers 35:four–5

In the Book of Numbers the Levites were charged with ministering to the Kohanim and keeping sentry over the Tabernacle:

ⁱⁱ And with you bring your brother also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are earlier the tent of the testimony.^three They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die.⁴ They shall join yous and go along guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you lot.^v And y'all shall continue guard over the sanctuary and over the altar, that there may never once more be wrath on the people of Israel.⁶ And behold, I take taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of State of israel. They are a souvenir to y'all, given to the Lord, to do the service of the tent of meeting.

Numbers xviii:ii-6 (ESV)

In the Prophets [edit]

The Book of Jeremiah speaks of a covenant with the Kohanim and Levites, connecting information technology with the covenant with the seed of King David:

As the host of sky cannot exist numbered, neither the sand of the ocean measured; then will I multiply the seed of David My servant, and the Levites that government minister unto Me.

And the word of the 50ORD came to Jeremiah, saying:

'Considerest one thousand not what this people take spoken, saying: The 2 families which the LORD did choose, He hath cast them off?

Jeremiah 33:22-24, Jewish Publication Guild translation, 1917

The Book of Malachi also spoke of a covenant with Levi:

Know so that I have sent this commandment unto you lot, that My covenant might exist with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

My covenant was with him of life and peace, and I gave them to him, and of fright, and he feared Me, and was afraid of My name.

The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not plant in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and did plow many abroad from iniquity.

Malachi two:four-6, Jewish Publication Society translation, 1917

Malachi connected a purification of the "sons of Levi" with the coming of God's messenger:

Behold, I transport My messenger, and he shall articulate the way earlier Me; and the Lord, whom ye seek, volition suddenly come to His temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye please in, behold, he cometh, saith the FiftyORD of hosts.

Simply who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is similar a refiner's fire, and similar fullers' soap;

And he shall sit down every bit a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them every bit gilded and silverish; and in that location shall be they that shall offer unto the LORD offerings in righteousness.

Malachi 3:1-iii, Jewish Publication Society translation, 1917

Criticism [edit]

Critical scholars who follow the documentary hypothesis suggest that those parts of the Torah attributed to the Elohist seem to treat Levite every bit a descriptive attribute for someone peculiarly suited to the priesthood, rather than as a firm designation of a tribe, and believe that Moses and Aaron are beingness portrayed as part of the Joseph group rather than existence part of a tribe called Levi.^[4] Jahwist passages have more than cryptic language; traditionally interpreted as referring to a person named Levi, they could also exist interpreted every bit just referring to a social position titled levi.^[5]

In the Approving of Jacob, Levi is treated as a tribe, blasphemous them to become scattered; critics regard this equally an aetiological postdiction to explicate how a tribe could be and then scattered, the simpler solution being that the priesthood was originally open to any tribe, simply gradually became seen as a distinct tribe to themselves.^{[5] [six]} The Priestly source and the Blessing of Moses, which disquisitional scholars view equally originating centuries later, portray the Levites firmly established as a tribe, and as the simply tribe with the right to become priests.

Based on the controversial Shapira Scroll, Biblical scholar Idan Dershowitz has as well suggested that the Levites were originally members of a profession or lodge, rather than a tribe. If that is correct, this explanation might clarify passages such as Judges 17:7, where a Levite is paradoxically mentioned every bit being from the Tribe of Judah.^[vii]

See too [edit]

• House of Lévis
• Tribe of Joseph

References [edit]

1. ^ From Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Levites". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Visitor. quoting Exodus 32:25–32:29
2. ^ 32:four-half-dozen]
3. ^ Ginzberg, Louis (1909). The Legends of the Jews Vol Iii : The Demography of Levites (Translated by Henrietta Szold) Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Lodge.
4. ^  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
5. ^ ^{a b} Jewish Encyclopedia
6. ^ Peake'south commentary on the Bible
7. ^ Dershowitz, Idan (2021). The Valediction of Moses. Mohr Siebeck. pp. 87–91. doi:10.1628/978-3-sixteen-160645-8. ISBN978-3-16-160645-eight.

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribe_of_Levi

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