Difference between revisions of "Levites"

<p> The tribe that descended from Levi, son of Jacob. When Moses came down from the mount and saw the golden calf which the people had made, he asked, "Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him." He bade them gird on their swords and slay every man his brother, his companion, and his neighbour. And there fell of the people that day about three thousand. Moses spoke of it as consecrating themselves to the Lord, every man upon his son, and upon his brother, that God might bestow a blessing upon them. &nbsp;Exodus 32:26-29 . </p> <p> The Levites were chosen by God as a redemption for all the firstborn of Israel, which God claimed for Himself. They thus became wholly His, and they were given to Aaron to minister in all that pertained to the service of the tabernacle, except the priesthood, which was restricted to Aaron and his descendants. &nbsp;Numbers 3:5-51 . </p> <p> Of the Levites there were three main branches: the GERSHONITES, the KOHATHITES, and the MERARITES. Moses and Aaron were descendants of Kohath. When the camp of Israel rested, this tribe surrounded the tabernacle. When it moved they had to carry its various parts and the sacred things belonging thereto. According to &nbsp;Numbers 4:3 , etc., the Levites appear to have commenced their tabernacle service at the age of thirty; but in &nbsp;Numbers 8:24-26 the age is given as twenty-five. It may be that they spent the first five years on probation, learning their duties. When Israel had settled in [[Canaan]] and the labour of carrying the tabernacle was over, they commenced their service at the age of twenty. They laboured till they were fifty years of age. &nbsp; 1 Chronicles 23:24-27 . </p> <p> Before the Levites entered upon any service they were thoroughly cleansed and consecrated. The children of Israel put their hands upon them, and Aaron offered them "before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel" that they might execute the service of the Lord. An atonement was made for them. &nbsp;Numbers 8:5-26 . </p> <p> The Levites had no inheritance in the land, and in order that they might be free to serve the Lord, tithes were given them. &nbsp;Numbers 18:1-32 . Forty-eight cities were given to them as places to dwell in, and the suburbs thereof for their cattle. Six of these cities were to be CITIES OF REFUGE. &nbsp;Numbers 35:1-8 . The names of the cities are given in &nbsp;Joshua 20:7-9; &nbsp;Joshua 21:1-42 . </p> <p> In the time of David the Levites were set over 'the service of song;' others were door-keepers: some were singers and others played on various instruments. &nbsp;1 Chronicles 6:31; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 15:16,26 . In the days of [[Hezekiah]] after the temple had been cleansed, the Levites apparently helped to flay the sacrifices, being found "more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests." &nbsp;2 Chronicles 29:34 . At the Passover that followed, the Levites had the charge of killing the passover lambs for the people who were unclean. &nbsp;2 Chronicles 30:17 . On the return from exile the Levites helped to explain the law to the people. &nbsp;Nehemiah 8:7,8 . In the N.T. the Levites are mentioned only in &nbsp;Luke 10:32; &nbsp;John 1:19; &nbsp;Acts 4:36 . </p> <p> The Levites are typical of Christians, who are redeemed, cleansed, and consecrated to the service of the Lord, and have no inheritance on earth. </p>

<p> [[Levites]] (''Lç'Vîtes'' ). A term applied sometimes to all the descendants of Levi. &nbsp;Numbers 35:2; &nbsp;Joshua 21:3; &nbsp;Joshua 21:41; &nbsp;Exodus 6:25; &nbsp;Leviticus 25:32, etc. But the "sons of Aaron" were separated from the rest of the descendants of Levi and consecrated priests; hence, after this the Levites comprised only those descendants of Levi who were not "sons of Aaron"—that is, priests. &nbsp;1 Kings 8:4; &nbsp;Ezra 2:70; &nbsp;John 1:19, etc. Sometimes, also, the term was used to show from what tribe the priests came—"the priests the Levites." &nbsp;Joshua 3:3; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 17:18. The Levites numbered 22,000 in the wilderness, and took the place of the first-born, part of whom were redeemed at five shekels each, &nbsp;Numbers 3:45-51, the fixed ransom for a victim vowed in sacrifice. &nbsp;Numbers 18:16; &nbsp;Leviticus 27:6. Thus the Levites came to occupy in the [[Hebrew]] theocracy a position midway between the priests and the people. They consisted of three great families, the Kohathites, the Gershonites, and the Merarites, of which the first carried the sacred vessels, the second the hangings and curtains of the tabernacle, and the third the boards and pillars. They also kept the book of the Law, &nbsp;Deuteronomy 17:8-12, and served as judges, etc. Forty-eight cities, with 1000 cubits of the country surrounding, were appropriated for the residence and maintenance of the Levites. Besides these cities, with adjacent districts, the Levites received a tithe of all produce, animal and vegetable, but of this they paid a tithe to the priests. &nbsp;Numbers 18:20-32. Another tithe they received every third year, and special provision was made for them during the term they administered in the sanctuary. In the time of David their number had increased to 38,000, of which 24,000 were set apart for the ordinary services, 6000 for the teaching of the Law and the administration of justice, 4000 as porters, and 4000 as musicians. They were divided into courses, and came up from their cities to the sanctuary in regular rotation. &nbsp;1 Chronicles 23:1-32; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 24:20-31; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 25:1-31; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 26:1-32. When the separation took place between the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah, all the Levites gathered to Judah, &nbsp;2 Chronicles 11:13-15, and they continued to play a conspicuous part in the destinies of this kingdom. After the captivity, however, only a small number of them returned, &nbsp;Ezra 2:36-42; &nbsp;Ezra 8:10; &nbsp;Ezra 6:18; but in the new organization they assumed their old positions. They settled in the villages near Jerusalem, received their old tithes, etc. &nbsp;Nehemiah 10:37-39; &nbsp;Nehemiah 12:29. In the New Testament they occur as representatives of a formal worship destitute of love. &nbsp;Luke 10:32. The distinction of Levite is still maintained among the Jews. </p>