Levites

In short

In general, members of the tribe of Levi (one of the 12 clans of Israel), and the only tribe with a specific mission – Levites were either priests or assistants to the priests.

But since there is a word for priests, when people say “Levites,” it’s implied that they usually mean “all the other people”; in other words, “Levites” often means “Levites that are not priests” (1Ki 8:4)*.

You know, like a square is technically a kind of rectangle. But usually when you say, “draw a rectangle,” the last thing you want someone to draw is a square. What you mean is, “a rectangle that looks like the kind of rectangle that I was expecting.”

Why they are important

This never really dawned on me, but it is apparently a lot of work to deal with all of the sins of an entire nation. You need more than just one guy in a robe burning incense. Especially when you have tons of animal carcasses to deal with.

Levites also served as temple singers and musicians, which started (or at least came to prominence) in the days of King David, as well as carrying the Ark of the Covenant and guarding the tabernacle.

Origins and calling

Their origin is literally, of course, from the man Levi, who was a son of Jacob (aka Israel). But the designation of Levites into their special role comes from Moses and Aaron.

• Ex 2:1 – Moses’ and Aaron’s mom is a “Levite woman” – this is the first mention of the word “Levite” in the Bible. (Dad is a Levite also.)
• Ex 4:14 – In anger with Moses’ obstinance, God settles for “Aaron, your brother, the Levite?” It’s ironic because Moses is a “Levite,” too, of course (they’re brothers!). It seems to be a foreshadow of the fact that all priests will be descendants of Aaron.

“And behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of Israel. They are… given to the LORD, to do the service of the tent of meeting. …and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance”

Num 18:6, 23

The Levites were special because they were the only tribe (of 12) to not get any territory, because “the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them” (Deut 18:2). They were, however, given the six cities of refuge and some other small lands (Num 35).

Duties of the Levites

A partial list.

• Num 1:50-51 – Assemble and dismantle the tabernacle
• Num 1:53 – Encamp and guard the tabernacle
• Deut 31:25 – Carry the Ark of the Covenant
• 1Ch 9:31, 33 – Bakers and singers
• 1Ch 15:16 – Instruments, also

Footnote

* This really seems to hit its stride in Ezra and Nehemiah, where “priests and Levites” is like a knee-jerk phrase. At a few points, they even mention “the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants” (Ezra 7:7) – even though ALL of those are subsets of Levites. (Just about the only “Levites” not included that list are the wives and children.)