Levi
In Hebrew texts 6:1-15 is numbered 5:27-41, and 6:16-81 is numbered 6:1-66. 1The sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
2The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
3The children of Amram:
Aaron, Moses and Miriam.
The sons of Aaron:
Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
4Eleazar was the father of Phinehas,
Phinehas the father of Abishua,
5Abishua the father of Bukki,
Bukki the father of Uzzi,
6Uzzi the father of Zerahiah,
Zerahiah the father of Meraioth,
7Meraioth the father of Amariah,
Amariah the father of Ahitub,
8Ahitub the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Ahimaaz,
9Ahimaaz the father of Azariah,
Azariah the father of Johanan,
10Johanan the father of Azariah (it was he who served as priest in the temple Solomon built in Jerusalem),
11Azariah the father of Amariah,
Amariah the father of Ahitub,
12Ahitub the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Shallum,
13Shallum the father of Hilkiah,
Hilkiah the father of Azariah,
14Azariah the father of Seraiah,
and Seraiah the father of Jozadak.6:14 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verse 15
15Jozadak was deported when the Lord sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
16The sons of Levi:
Gershon,6:16 Hebrew Gershom, a variant of Gershon; also in verses 17, 20, 43, 62 and 71 Kohath and Merari.
17These are the names of the sons of Gershon:
Libni and Shimei.
18The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
19The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi.
These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers:
20Of Gershon:
Libni his son, Jahath his son,
Zimmah his son, 21Joah his son,
Iddo his son, Zerah his son
and Jeatherai his son.
22The descendants of Kohath:
Amminadab his son, Korah his son,
Assir his son, 23Elkanah his son,
Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son,
24Tahath his son, Uriel his son,
Uzziah his son and Shaul his son.
25The descendants of Elkanah:
Amasai, Ahimoth,
26Elkanah his son,6:26 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Ahimoth 26 and Elkanah. The sons of Elkanah: Zophai his son,
Nahath his son, 27Eliab his son,
Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son
and Samuel his son.6:27 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Samuel 1:19,20 and 1 Chron. 6:33,34); Hebrew does not have and Samuel his son.
28The sons of Samuel:
Joel6:28 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 1 Samuel 8:2 and 1 Chron. 6:33); Hebrew does not have Joel. the firstborn
and Abijah the second son.
29The descendants of Merari:
Mahli, Libni his son,
Shimei his son, Uzzah his son,
30Shimea his son, Haggiah his son
and Asaiah his son.
The Temple Musicians
31These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the Lord after the ark came to rest there. 32They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.
33Here are the men who served, together with their sons:
From the Kohathites:
Heman, the musician,
the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,
34the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham,
the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
35the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah,
the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,
36the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel,
the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,
37the son of Tahath, the son of Assir,
the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,
38the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath,
the son of Levi, the son of Israel;
39and Heman’s associate Asaph, who served at his right hand:
Asaph son of Berekiah, the son of Shimea,
40the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah,6:40 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, one Septuagint manuscript and Syriac Maaseiah
the son of Malkijah, 41the son of Ethni,
the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
42the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah,
the son of Shimei, 43the son of Jahath,
the son of Gershon, the son of Levi;
44and from their associates, the Merarites, at his left hand:
Ethan son of Kishi, the son of Abdi,
the son of Malluk, 45the son of Hashabiah,
the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,
46the son of Amzi, the son of Bani,
the son of Shemer, 47the son of Mahli,
the son of Mushi, the son of Merari,
the son of Levi.
48Their fellow Levites were assigned to all the other duties of the tabernacle, the house of God. 49But Aaron and his descendants were the ones who presented offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense in connection with all that was done in the Most Holy Place, making atonement for Israel, in accordance with all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.
50These were the descendants of Aaron:
Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son,
Abishua his son, 51Bukki his son,
Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,
52Meraioth his son, Amariah his son,
Ahitub his son, 53Zadok his son
and Ahimaaz his son.
54These were the locations of their settlements allotted as their territory (they were assigned to the descendants of Aaron who were from the Kohathite clan, because the first lot was for them):
55They were given Hebron in Judah with its surrounding pasturelands. 56But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh.
57So the descendants of Aaron were given Hebron (a city of refuge), and Libnah,6:57 See Joshua 21:13; Hebrew given the cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah. Jattir, Eshtemoa, 58Hilen, Debir, 59Ashan, Juttah6:59 Syriac (see also Septuagint and Joshua 21:16); Hebrew does not have Juttah. and Beth Shemesh, together with their pasturelands. 60And from the tribe of Benjamin they were given Gibeon,6:60 See Joshua 21:17; Hebrew does not have Gibeon. Geba, Alemeth and Anathoth, together with their pasturelands.
The total number of towns distributed among the Kohathite clans came to thirteen.
61The rest of Kohath’s descendants were allotted ten towns from the clans of half the tribe of Manasseh.
62The descendants of Gershon, clan by clan, were allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher and Naphtali, and from the part of the tribe of Manasseh that is in Bashan.
63The descendants of Merari, clan by clan, were allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Zebulun.
64So the Israelites gave the Levites these towns and their pasturelands. 65From the tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin they allotted the previously named towns.
66Some of the Kohathite clans were given as their territory towns from the tribe of Ephraim.
67In the hill country of Ephraim they were given Shechem (a city of refuge), and Gezer,6:67 See Joshua 21:21; Hebrew given the cities of refuge: Shechem, Gezer. 68Jokmeam, Beth Horon, 69Aijalon and Gath Rimmon, together with their pasturelands.
70And from half the tribe of Manasseh the Israelites gave Aner and Bileam, together with their pasturelands, to the rest of the Kohathite clans.
71The Gershonites received the following:
From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh
they received Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands;
72from the tribe of Issachar
they received Kedesh, Daberath, 73Ramoth and Anem, together with their pasturelands;
74from the tribe of Asher
they received Mashal, Abdon, 75Hukok and Rehob, together with their pasturelands;
76and from the tribe of Naphtali
they received Kedesh in Galilee, Hammon and Kiriathaim, together with their pasturelands.
77The Merarites (the rest of the Levites) received the following:
From the tribe of Zebulun
they received Jokneam, Kartah,6:77 See Septuagint and Joshua 21:34; Hebrew does not have Jokneam, Kartah. Rimmono and Tabor, together with their pasturelands;
78from the tribe of Reuben across the Jordan east of Jericho
they received Bezer in the wilderness, Jahzah, 79Kedemoth and Mephaath, together with their pasturelands;
80and from the tribe of Gad
they received Ramoth in Gilead, Mahanaim, 81Heshbon and Jazer, together with their pasturelands.
Øvrige berømte efterkommere af Levi
1Som allerede nævnt havde Levi sønnerne Gershon, Kehat og Merari. 2Gershon havde to sønner: Libni og Shimi. 3Kehat havde som nævnt fire sønner: Amram, Jitzhar, Hebron og Uzziel. 4Merari havde to sønner: Mahli og Mushi.
5Blandt Gershons efterkommere var der følgende slægtsoverhoveder: Libni, Jahat, Zimma, 6Joa, Iddo, Zerach og Jeateraj.
7Blandt Kehats efterkommere var der følgende slægtsoverhoveder: Amminadab,6,7 Sandsynligvis skulle der have stået Jitzhar, jf. 2.Mos. 6,21-24 og 4.Mos. 16,1. Kora, Assir, 8Elkana, Ebjasaf, Assir, 9Tahat, Uriel, Uzzija og Shaul.
10Blandt Elkanas efterkommere var der følgende: Amasaj, Ahimot, 11Elkana, Zofaj, Nahat, 12Eliab, Jeroham, Elkana og Samuel.
13Samuel fik to sønner: den første hed Joel og den anden Abija.
14Blandt Meraris efterkommere var der følgende slægtsoverhoveder: Mahli, Libni, Shimi, Uzza, 15Shima, Haggija og Asaja.
Tempelmusikerne af Levis stamme
16-17Kong David udvalgte en gruppe levitter til at stå for lovsangen og musikken i det telt, han havde rejst på Zions bjerg, og hvor han havde anbragt pagtens ark. De udførte deres tjeneste efter de retningslinier, David havde givet dem, indtil Salomon byggede templet.
18-23Tre ledere blev udvalgt til at stå for sangen og musikken sammen med deres sønner. Den øverste leder var Heman af Kehats slægt. Han kunne føre sin slægt tilbage til patriarken Jakob fra sin far, Joel, over Samuel, Elkana, Jeroham, Eliel, Toa, Zuf, Elkana, Mahat, Amasaj, Elkana, Joel, Azarja, Zefanja, Tahat, Assir, Ebjasaf, Kora, Jitzhar, Kehat, Levi til Jakob.
24-28Den næstøverste leder var Asaf af Gershons slægt. Han kunne føre sin slægt tilbage til Levi fra sin far, Berekja, over Shima, Mikael, Ba’aseja, Malkija, Etni, Zerach, Adaja, Etan, Zimma, Shimi, Jahat, Gershon til Levi.
29-32Den tredje leder blev Etan af Meraris slægt. Han kunne føre sin slægt tilbage til Levi fra sin far, Kishi, over Abdi, Malluk, Hashabja, Amatzja, Hilkija, Amzi, Bani, Shemer, Mahli, Mushi, Merari til Levi.
33De øvrige levitter fik hver deres opgave i tjenesten ved Guds telt.
Præsternes opgave
34Det var kun Arons efterkommere, der fik lov at gøre tjeneste som præster. Det var deres opgave at brænde røgelse og ofre brændofre på alteret, og kun ypperstepræsten måtte træde frem for Gud inde i det allerhelligste rum og skaffe soning for folkets synder. Præsterne var ansvarlige for, at de regler og forskrifter, som Gud havde givet sin tjener Moses, blev overholdt til punkt og prikke.
35-38Præsteslægten fra Aron og fremover var som før nævnt: Eleazar, Pinehas, Abishua, Bukki, Uzzi, Zerahja, Merajot, Amarja, Ahitub, Zadok og Ahima’atz.
De byer, der blev givet til Arons slægt og de øvrige levitter
39En række byer og områder blev ved hjælp af de hellige lodder tildelt Arons præsteslægt, som var en del af Kehat-slægten. 40-44Først fik de Hebron i Judas stammeområde med tilhørende græsmarker—de øvrige marker og omliggende landsbyer tilhørte Kaleb, Jefunnes søn. Hebron var en af tilflugtsbyerne. Dernæst fik de i Judas område tildelt Libna, Jattir, Eshtemoa, Hilen,6,40-44 Det samme som „Holon”, jf. Jos. 21,15. Debir, Ashan, Jutta6,40-44 Indføjet fra Jos. 21,16, som har en mere nøjagtig liste. og Bet-Shemesh—alle med tilhørende græsmarker. 45Fra Benjamins stammeområde fik Arons slægt tildelt byerne Gibeon,6,45 Ordet „Gibeon” er faldet ud af teksten her, men indføjet fra Jos. 21,17. Der var altså ni byer fra Judas område og fire fra Benjamins, i alt 13 byer. Geba, Alemet og Anatot med tilhørende græsmarker. Det var i alt 13 byer. 46Derefter fik Kehats øvrige efterkommere ved lodtrækning tildelt ti byer fra Efraims og Dans område samt fra Manasses halve stamme vest for Jordan.6,46 Ordene „fra Efraims og Dans område” er faldet ud af teksten her, men hentet fra parallelstedet i Jos. 21,5. Der var to byer fra Manasse, fire fra Efraim og fire fra Dan, i alt 10, jf. de nærmere detaljer i vers 51-55 og Jos. 21,20-25.
47Gershons efterkommere fik slægt for slægt tildelt 13 byer i Issakars, Ashers og Naftalis område og i Bashan, hvor Manasses anden halve stamme boede.
48Meraris efterkommere fik slægt for slægt tildelt 12 byer i de områder, hvor Rubens, Gads og Zebulons stammer boede.
49Israelitterne tildelte altså ved lodtrækning levitterne en række byer med tilhørende græsmarker. 50Præsterne fik byer tildelt fra Judas, Simeons og Benjamins stammeområder.6,50 Levitterne fik ingen jord, fordi de ikke skulle dyrke jorden, men leve af gaver fra de øvrige stammer. Dog fik de nogle byer, for de skulle jo have et sted at bo og græsmarker til deres husdyr. Præsterne fik de byer, der lå nærmest ved helligdommen i Jerusalem.
51Kehats efterkommere fik som sagt tildelt en række byer fra Efraims stammeområde: 52Det var tilflugtsbyen Sikem i Efraims højland, samt Gezer, 53Jokmeam og Bet-Horon. 54De fik også Ajjalon og Gat-Rimmon6,54 En del af teksten er faldet ud, jf. Jos. 21,23-24.—alle byer kom med de tilhørende græsmarker. 55Manasses halve stamme mod vest afstod byerne Aner og Bileam med tilhørende græsmarker.
56Blandt de byer, Gershons efterkommere fik tildelt, var Golan og Ashtarot med tilhørende græsmarker fra Manasses halve stamme i Bashan øst for Jordan. 57-58Af Issakars stamme fik de Kedesh, Daberat, Jarmut og En-Gannim med tilhørende græsmarker. 59-60Af Ashers stamme fik de Mashal, Abdon, Hukok og Rehob med tilhørende græsmarker. 61Af Naftalis stamme fik de Kedesh i Galilæa, Hammot og Kirjatajim med tilhørende græsmarker.
62Meraris efterkommere fik tildelt Rimmon og Tabor med tilhørende græsmarker af Zebulons stamme. 63-64Fra Rubens stamme øst for Jordanfloden, over for Jeriko, fik de ørkenbyen Betzer samt Jatza, Kedemot og Mefa’at—alle med tilhørende græsmarker. 65-66Gads stamme gav dem Ramot i Gilead, Mahanajim, Heshbon og Jazer—alle med tilhørende græsmarker.
