Category:House of Levi (subject)

• BACK TO THE PEOPLE--INDEX

According to Jewish tradition, the House of Levi are the descendants of Jacob's third son Levi. Not counted among the Twelve Tribes, they gradually emerged as a priestly tribe set apart to serve in the Temple. The term Sons of Levi / Levites, originally applied to all members of the House of Levi, in post-exilic times came to denote only those who in the threefold structure of the priesthood were serving in the Temple as servants to the Priests and the High Priests.

Overview

In Gen 49 (and earliest sources) the House of Levi are a tribe of warriors, cursed by Jacob to be scattered among Israel. They also settled in Egypt with the other descendants of Jacob, and then followed Moses and Joshua in their way back to the Land of Israel.

In Deuteronomy and subsequent sources, the House of Levi were given no inheritance in the Land of Israel as they were singled out by God to serve as Priests. The shift was likely a consequence of the Reform of Josiah. The priesthood, which was originally open to any tribe, became seen as a distinct tribe to themselves.

In Ezekiel's vision of the Restoration only a Levitical family (the Sons of Zadok) will serve as priests; all the other families of the House of Levi will be downgraded as "servants" because of their sins.

In the Second Temple, a threefold division emerged within the House of Levi. Several Levitical families managed to retain their right to serve as Priests in the Jerusalem Temple; they were called the Sons of Aaron). The Sons of Zadok were given the status of High Priests, and singled out as Sons of Phinehas. The remaining Sons of Levi were "servants" (or Levites). The same structure was duplicated in the schismatic Samaritan Temple, also run by a priesthood from the House of Levi.

After the Maccabean Revolt, the fall of the House of Zadok did not affect the distinction between Levites and Priests, but all Sons of Aaron were now deemed eligible for the High Priesthood. Members of the House of Levi followed the Zadokites in the establishment of a new Temple in Egypt.

With the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 CE (and of the Zadokiite Temple in Egypt), the House of Levi lost their central role in Judaism. In Christianity the dignity of the House of Levi were transferred to, and superseded by, the new priesthood in Christ, while in Rabbinic Judaism being a member of the House of Levi remained a acknowledged honorific title even in absentia of the Temple. The Samaritan Temple is still run by high priests, priests and levites who claim descent from the House of Levi.

Ancient sources

Gen 46:11 -- The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

Lev 6:16 -- These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath and Merari... [19] The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi according to their records.

Num The families of the tribe of Levi, however, were not counted along with the others.

Num 26:59 -- The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, who was born to the Levites in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses and their sister Miriam.

Deut 10:8 -- At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name, as they still do today.

Deut 18:1 -- The priests, who are Levites--indeed the whole tribe of Levi--are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the offerings made to the LORD by fire, for that is their inheritance.

Deut 21:5 -- The priests, the sons of Levi, shall step forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to minister and to pronounce blessings in the name of the LORD and to decide all cases of dispute and assault.

Deut 27:12 -- When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin

Deut 31:9 -- So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.

=

Jos 13:14 -- But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the offerings made by fire to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.

Jos 13:33 -- But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.

Chronicles

1 Chr 6:1 -- The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

1 Chr 6:16 (NIV) -- The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

1 Chr 6:38 (NIV) -- the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel;