Levites

– In the OT Jewish cult, dedicated to Temple services, of non-Aaronic ancestry:

Numbers 3–4 : The Levites will take charge of everything that has been entrusted to their care and that of the entire assembly.

Num 26,57-58 : These are the Levites who were numbered according to their families: from Gershon, the family of the Gershonites.

1Ch 2,1 : These are the children of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zabulon.

1Ch 5,27-28 : Sons of Levi: Gershom, Caat and Merari. Sons of Caat: Amram, Isaar, Hebron and Oziel.

1Ch 6,1-14 : Sons of Levi: Gershom, Caat and Merari. These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Lobni and Semei.

1Ch 9,26-27 : The four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were on constant watch.

– They lived off the altar, as they did not work the land or have territory like the other tribes:

Lev 25:32 : As for the cities of the Levites and the houses they possess, they will have a right of perpetual redemption.

Num 35,1-8 : Command the children of Israel to give the Levites cities to live in from their possessions.

Jos 21: The heads of the Levite families came to Eleazar the priest […], and to the heads of the families.

– The word “Levite” could also designate a member of the priestly tribe of Levi:

Ex 6,16-17 : These are the names of the sons of Levi, in order of generations: Gershon, Caath and Merari.

Ex 32,26-27 : “Come to me all those who are for the Lord!”. All the sons of Levi gathered around him.

Num 1,47-48 : As for the Levites, however, they were not numbered with the rest, according to their patriarchal tribes.