The Descendants of Levi

1The sons of Levi (joined to):

Gershon (exile), Kohath (assembly), and Merari (bitter).

2The sons of Kohath (assembly):

Amram (exalted people), Izhar (shining oil), Hebron (association), and Uzziel (my strength is God).

3The children of Amram (exalted people):

Aaron (light bringer), Moses (drawn out), and Miriam (rebellion).

The sons of Aaron:

Nadab (generous), Abihu (he is my father), Eleazar (God has helped), and Ithamar (coast of palms).

4Eleazar (God has helped) was the father of Phinehas (mouth of brass),

Phinehas was the father of Abishua (my father is safety),

5Abishua (my father is safety) was the father of Bukki (wasting),

Bukki was the father of Uzzi (strong),

6Uzzi (strong) was the father of Zerahiah (YHWH has risen),

Zerahiah was the father of Meraioth (rebellious),

7Meraioth (rebellious) was the father of Amariah (YHWH has promised),

Amariah was the father of Ahitub (my brother is goodness),

8Ahitub (my brother is goodness) was the father of Zadok (righteous),

Zadok was the father of Ahimaaz (my brother is wrath),

9Ahimaaz (my brother is wrath) was the father of Azariah (YHWH has helped),

Azariah was the father of Johanan (YHWH has graced),

10Johanan (YHWH has graced) was the father of Azariah (YHWH has helped), who served as priest in the temple that Solomon (peace) built in Jerusalem (city of peace),

11Azariah (YHWH has helped) was the father of Amariah (YHWH has promised),

Amariah was the father of Ahitub (my brother is goodness),

12Ahitub (my brother is goodness) was the father of Zadok (righteous),

Zadok was the father of Shallum (retribution),

13Shallum (retribution) was the father of Hilkiah,

Hilkiah (my portion is YHWH) was the father of Azariah (YHWH has helped),

14Azariah (YHWH has helped) was the father of Seraiah (YHWH is ruler),

and Seraiah was the father of Jehozadak (Jozadak).a

15Jehozadak (YHWH is righteous) went into captivity when the LORD {YHWH} sent Judah (praised) and Jerusalem (city of peace) into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar (may Nebo protect the crown).

16The sons of Levi (joined to):

Gershom (Gershon),b Kohath (assembly), and Merari (bitter).

17These are the names of the sons of Gershom (foreigner):

Libni (white) and Shimei (renowned).

18The sons of Kohath (assembly):

Amram (exalted people), Izhar (shining oil), Hebron (association), and Uzziel (my strength is God).

19The sons of Merari (bitter):

Mahli (sick) and Mushi (yielding).

These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers:

20Of Gershom (foreigner):

Libni (white) his son, Jahath (He will snatch up) his son, Zimmah (plotter) his son, 21Joah (YHWH is brother) his son, Iddo (His witness) his son, Zerah (rising) his son, and Jeatherai (whom YHWH leads) his son.

22The descendants of Kohath (assembly):

Amminadab (my kinsman is noble) his son, Korah (bald) his son, Assir (prisoner) his son, 23Elkanah (God has possessed) his son, Ebiasaph (Abiasaph)c his son, Assir (prisoner) his son, 24Tahath (station) his son, Uriel (God is my light) his son, Uzziah (my strength is YHWH) his son, and Shaul (desired) his son.

25The descendants of Elkanah (God has possessed):

Amasai (burdensome), Ahimoth (brother of death), 26Elkanah (God has possessed) his son [Elkanah. The sons of Elkanah:],d Zophai (honeycomb) his son, Nahath (rest) his son, 27Eliab (Eliel)e his son, Jeroham (showing pity) his son, and Elkanah (God has possessed) his son [and Samuel his son].f

28The sons of Samuel (his name is El):

Joel his firstborn and Abijah (YHWH is my father) his second son.g

29The descendants of Merari (bitter):

Mahli (sick), Libni (white) his son, Shimei (renowned) his son, Uzzah (strength) his son, 30Shimea (fame) his son, Haggiah (festival of YHWH) his son, and Asaiah (made by YHWH) his son.

The Temple Musicians

31These are the men David (beloved) put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD {YHWH} after the ark rested there. 32They ministered with song before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon (peace) built the house of the LORD {YHWH} in Jerusalem (city of peace). And they performed their duties according to the regulations given them. 33These are the men who served, together with their sons.

From the Kohathites:

Heman (faithful) the singer, the son of Joel (YHWH is God), the son of Samuel (his name is El), 34the son of Elkanah (God has possessed), the son of Jeroham (showing pity), the son of Eliel (Eliab),h the son of Toah (lowly), 35the son of Zuph (honeycomb), the son of Elkanah (God has possessed), the son of Mahath (grasping), the son of Amasai (burdensome), 36the son of Elkanah (God has possessed), the son of Joel (YHWH is God), the son of Azariah (YHWH has helped), the son of Zephaniah (YHWH has treasured), 37the son of Tahath (station), the son of Assir (prisoner), the son of Ebiasaph (my father has gathered), the son of Korah (bald), 38the son of Izhar (shining oil), the son of Kohath (assembly), the son of Levi (joined to), the son of Israel (he wrestles with God).

39Heman’s kinsman was Asaph (gatherer), who served at his right hand:

Asaph the son of Berechiah (YHWH blesses), the son of Shimea (fame), 40the son of Michael (who is like God), the son of Baaseiah [Maaseiah],i the son of Malchijah (my king is YHWH), 41the son of Ethni (my hire), the son of Zerah (rising), the son of Adaiah (YHWH has adorned Himself), 42the son of Ethan (enduring), the son of Zimmah (plotter), the son of Shimei (renowned), 43the son of Jahath (He will snatch up), the son of Gershom (foreigner), the son of Levi (joined to).

44On the left were their kinsmen, the sons of Merari (bitter):

Ethan (enduring) the son of Kishi (bow of YHWH), the son of Abdi (servant of YHWH), the son of Malluch (counselor), 45the son of Hashabiah (YHWH has considered), the son of Amaziah (YHWH is mighty), the son of Hilkiah (my portion is YHWH), 46the son of Amzi (my strength), the son of Bani (built), the son of Shemer (preserved), 47the son of Mahli (sick), the son of Mushi (yielding), the son of Merari (bitter), the son of Levi (joined to).

The Descendants of Aaron

48Their fellow Levites were assigned to every kind of service of the tabernacle, the house of God {Elohim}. 49But Aaron (light bringer) and his sons did all the work of the Most Holy Place (the Holy of Holies).j They presented the offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense to make atonement for Israel (he wrestles with God), according to all that Moses (drawn out) the servant of God {Elohim} had commanded.

50These were the descendants of Aaron (light bringer):

Eleazar (God has helped) his son, Phinehas (mouth of brass) his son, Abishua (my father is safety) his son, 51Bukki (wasting) his son, Uzzi (strong) his son, Zerahiah (YHWH has risen) his son, 52Meraioth (rebellious) his son, Amariah (YHWH has promised) his son, Ahitub (my brother is goodness) his son, 53Zadok (righteous) his son, and Ahimaaz (my brother is wrath) his son.

Territories for the Levites
(Numbers 35:1–8; Joshua 21:1–45)

54Now these were the territories assigned to the descendants of Aaron (light bringer) from the Kohathite clan for their settlements, because the first lot fell to them:

55They were given Hebron (association) in the land of Judah (praised) and its surrounding pasturelands. 56But the fields and villages around the city were given to Caleb (dog) son of Jephunneh (He will be facing). 57So the descendants of Aaron (light bringer) were given Hebron (association) (a city of refuge), Libnah (pavement) <Jos 21:13>,k Jattir (plenty), Eshtemoa (fire of astonishment), 58Hilen (place of caves) [Hilez],l Debir (sanctuary), 59Ashan (Ain),m Juttah,n and Beth-shemesh (house of the sun), together with their pasturelands.

60And from the tribe of Benjamin (son of the right hand) they were given Gibeon,o Geba (hill), Alemeth (covering), and Anathoth (answers to prayer), together with their pasturelands. So they had thirteen cities in all among their families.

61To the rest of the Kohathites (assembly), ten cities were allotted from the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget).

62The Gershomites (Gershonites)p (foreigner), according to their clans, were allotted thirteen cities from the tribes of Issachar (there is recompense), Asher (happy), Naphtali (wrestling), and Manasseh (causing to forget) in Bashan (fruitful).

63The Merarites (bitter), according to their clans, were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben (behold a son), Gad (troop), and Zebulun (exalted).

64So the Israelites (God prevails) gave to the Levites these cities and their pasturelands. 65They assigned by lot the cities named above from the tribes of Judah (praised), Simeon (heard), and Benjamin (son of the right hand).

66And some of the clans of the Kohathites (assembly) were given cities from the tribe of Ephraim (doubly fruitful) for their territory:

67They were given Shechem (shoulder) (a city of refuge <Jos 21:21>)q with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim (doubly fruitful), and Gezer (portion), 68Jokmeam (gathered by the people), Beth-horon (house of hollowness), 69Aijalon (field of deer), and Gath-rimmon (winepress of the pomegranate), together with their pasturelands.

70And from the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) the rest of the clans of the Kohathites (assembly) were given Aner (boy) and Bileam (not of the people), together with their pasturelands.

71The Gershomites received the following (foreigner):

From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh (causing to forget) they were given Golan (their captivity) in Bashan (fruitful) and also Ashtaroth (star), together with their pasturelands.

72From the tribe of Issachar (there is recompense) they were given Kedesh (holy place), Daberath (word), 73Ramoth (heights), and Anem (fountains), together with their pasturelands.

74From the tribe of Asher (happy) they were given Mashal (entreaty), Abdon (servile), 75Hukok (appointed), and Rehob (broad place), together with their pasturelands.

76And from the tribe of Naphtali (wrestling) they were given Kedesh (holy place) in Galilee (circuit), Hammon (warm springs), and Kiriathaim (two cities), together with their pasturelands.

77The Merarites (bitter) (the rest of the Levites) received the following:

From the tribe of Zebulun (exalted) they were given [Jokneam, Kartah,] Rimmono (pomegranate) and Tabor,r together with their pasturelands.

78From the tribe of Reuben (behold a son) east of the Jordan (flowing down) opposite Jericho (city of palms) they were given Bezer (gold ore) in the wilderness, Jahzah (trodden down) (Jahaz),s 79Kedemoth (eastern), and Mephaath (splendor / height), together with their pasturelands.

80And from the tribe of Gad (troop) they were given Ramoth (heights) in Gilead (rocky region), Mahanaim (two camps), 81Heshbon (stronghold), and Jazer (helped), together with their pasturelands.