What the Bible Says About Levites

Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.

And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.

For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying,

Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:

But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.

And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.

But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.

And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.

And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. word: Heb. mouth

And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.

The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.

And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.

The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.

And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.

And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.

And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto, under: Heb. the office of the charge

And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.

And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.

And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.

Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,

From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:

But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. let them shave: Heb. let them cause a razor to pass over, etc

Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.

And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:

And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:

And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. offer: Heb. wave offering: Heb. wave offering they: Heb. they may be to execute, etc

And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites.

And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.

Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering.

For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.

For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. a gift: Heb. given

And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.

And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.

And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.

These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.

And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.

And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.

And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that warred,

(Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep,

And thirty and six thousand beeves,

And thirty thousand asses and five hundred,

And sixteen thousand persons;)

Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.

They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar. They shall teach: or, Let them teach they shall put: or, let them put before: Heb. at thy nose

And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king. parts: or, companies: Heb. hands

And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.

And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD.

And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple. corner: Heb. shoulder

Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight thousand.

Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges: set: or, oversee

Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. resorted: Heb. presented themselves to him

For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:

And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.

So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. to consecrate: Heb. to fill his hand

But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:

And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.

The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four. Hodaviah: or, Judah called also Hodevah

The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.

The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.

The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, Siaha: or, Sia

The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,

The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan, Shalmai: or, Shamlai

The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,

The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,

The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,

The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim, Nephusim: or, Nephishesim

The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,

The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, Bazluth: or, Bazlith

The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,

The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda, Peruda: or, Perida

The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,

The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami. Ami: or, Amon

All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

And these were they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel: Addan: or, Addon seed: or, pedigree

The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.

And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:

These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. were they: Heb. they were polluted from the priesthood

And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim. Tirshatha: or, governor

Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.

And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God. I told: Heb. I put words in their mouth

And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;

And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;

Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.

Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.

The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four. Hodevah: or, Hodaviah or Judah

The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight.

The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.

The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,

The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,

The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,

The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,

The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,

The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,

The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,

The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,

The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,

The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,

The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,

The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon. Amon: or, Ami

All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

And these were they which went up also from Telmelah, Telharesha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel. seed: or, pedigree

The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.

And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.

These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.

And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim. the Tirshatha: or, the governor

The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,

Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.

Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:

Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.

And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments. some: Heb. part.

And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver.

And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven priests' garments.

So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;

And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,

Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,

Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.

The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,

Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,

Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,

Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,

Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,

Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,

Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,

Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,

Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,

Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,

Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,

Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,

And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,

Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.