The Kohathites were one of the principal divisions of the Levites, the tribe set apart for religious duties and service to the Tabernacle and later the Temple. The Kohathites were descendants of Kohath, the second son of Levi, making them part of the Levitical priestly lineage. Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel (Exodus 6:18). From Amram came Moses and Aaron, establishing the Kohathites as a significant family within the Levitical order.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Kohathites were entrusted with the care of the most sacred objects of the Tabernacle. According to Numbers 4:4-15, their responsibilities included the transportation of the Ark of the Covenant, the table of showbread, the lampstand, the altars, and the sacred utensils. These items were to be covered by Aaron and his sons before the Kohathites could carry them, ensuring that the Kohathites did not touch the holy objects directly, as this would result in death (Numbers 4:15).

The Kohathites were not given carts or oxen for transportation, unlike the Gershonites and Merarites, because they were to carry the holy items on their shoulders (Numbers 7:9). This duty underscored the sanctity and importance of their role in the religious life of Israel.

Census and Organization

In the wilderness, the Kohathites were organized and numbered separately from the other Levitical families. During the census taken in the Sinai wilderness, the number of Kohathite males aged thirty to fifty was recorded as 2,750 (Numbers 4:36). They camped on the south side of the Tabernacle, under the leadership of Elizaphan, son of Uzziel (Numbers 3:29-30).

Historical Significance

The Kohathites played a crucial role during the wilderness wanderings and the conquest of Canaan. Their duties were essential for maintaining the sanctity and proper function of the Tabernacle, which was the center of Israelite worship and the dwelling place of God's presence among His people.

In the time of King David, the Kohathites continued to serve in the Temple. David organized the Levites into divisions for the service of the Temple, and the Kohathites were assigned specific roles, including the oversight of the treasuries and other duties related to the Temple service (1 Chronicles 6:31-48).

Notable Kohathites

Several notable figures in Israel's history were Kohathites. Moses, the great leader and prophet, and his brother Aaron, the first high priest, were descendants of Kohath through Amram. Korah, another descendant of Kohath, led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, which resulted in his destruction and served as a warning against challenging God's appointed leaders (Numbers 16).

The sons of Korah, however, did not perish with their father and became known for their contributions to the Psalms. Several psalms are attributed to the sons of Korah, reflecting their role in the musical and liturgical life of Israel (e.g., Psalms 42, 44-49, 84, 85, 87, 88).

Legacy

The Kohathites' legacy is one of both privilege and responsibility. As caretakers of the most sacred elements of Israelite worship, they were integral to the spiritual life of the nation. Their account is a testament to the importance of reverence, obedience, and service in the worship of God.The descendants of Kohath. They formed the first of the three divisions of the Levites (Exodus 6:16, 18; Numbers 3:17). In the journeyings of the Israelites they had the charge of the most holy portion of the vessels of the tabernacle, including the ark (Numbers 4). Their place in the marching and encampment was south of the tabernacle (Numbers 3:29, 31). Their numbers at different times are specified (3:28; 4:36; 26:57, 62). Samuel was of this division. KOHATH; KOHATHITES

ko'-hath, ko'-hath-its (qehath, qohathi; Kaath): Second son of Levi, and ancestor of Moses and Aaron (Genesis 46:11 Exodus 6:16-20 Numbers 3:17 1 Chronicles 6:1, etc.). The Kohathites formed one of the three divisions of the tribe of Levi; the other two being the Gershonites and the Merarites (Numbers 3:17). The Kohathites consisted of four families, the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites (Numbers 3:19, 27, etc.). Their place in the wilderness was on the southern side of the tabernacle (Numbers 3:29), and their number is given (from a month old) as 8,600 (Numbers 3:28). Their special charge was "the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the screen, and all the service thereof" (Numbers 3:31; compare Numbers 7:9). After the conquest 23 cities were assigned them by lot (Joshua 21:4, 5). In David's time and after, Heman, a Kohathite, and his family had a prominent place in the service of the music of the sanctuary (1 Chronicles 6:33; 16:41 ; 25:1); David likewise divided the Levites into courses (the Kohathites, 1 Chronicles 23:12-20; 1 Chronicles 24:20-25). We read of the Kohathites in the reign of Jehoshaphat at Engedi (2 Chronicles 20:19), and in connection with the cleansing of the temple under Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:12, 14).

James Orr

6956. Qehathi -- descendant of Kohath
... 6955, 6956. Qehathi. 6957 . descendant of Kohath. Transliteration: Qehathi
Phonetic Spelling: (ko-haw-thee') Short Definition: Kohathites. ... Kohathites. ...
/hebrew/6956.htm - 6k

Josiah
... and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari;
and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/josiah.htm

Were Christ and the Apostles Mistaken?
... 4. "These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that
might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and ...
/.../concerning the assumptions of destructive criticism/iv were christ and the.htm

Jehoshaphat
... And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites,
stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.". ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 15 jehoshaphat.htm

Kohathites (18 Occurrences)
... KOHATH; KOHATHITES. ... The Kohathites formed one of the three divisions of the tribe
of Levi; the other two being the Gershonites and the Merarites (Numbers 3:17). ...
/k/kohathites.htm - 15k

Ko'hathites (19 Occurrences)
... Kohathites, Ko'hathites. Kohath's . ... Numbers 3:30 The prince of the fathers'
house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. ...
/k/ko'hathites.htm - 11k

Kohathite (18 Occurrences)
... of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites,
and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites...
/k/kohathite.htm - 12k

Kohath (30 Occurrences)
... KOHATH; KOHATHITES. ... The Kohathites formed one of the three divisions of the tribe
of Levi; the other two being the Gershonites and the Merarites (Numbers 3:17). ...
/k/kohath.htm - 18k

Elizaphan (4 Occurrences)
... Phoenician, tsephanba`al, Baal has protected"): (1) The son of Uzziel, the son of
Kohath, and so a prince of the Levitical class of the Kohathites (Numbers 3 ...
/e/elizaphan.htm - 8k

Merarites (7 Occurrences)
... They with the Gershonites and the Kohathites had charge of the tabernacle, which
they had to carry from place to place (Numbers 3:20, 33-37; 4:29-33). ...
/m/merarites.htm - 10k

Merar'i (32 Occurrences)
... are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the
family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari ...
/m/merar'i.htm - 14k

Gershonites (17 Occurrences)
... Their function was thus more exalted than that of the Merarites, who carried the
boards, and less so than that of the Kohathites, who carried the most holy ...
/g/gershonites.htm - 14k

Merari (38 Occurrences)
... place (Numbers 3:34, 35), thus sharing in the honor of those who immediately surrounded
the tabernacle-the south side being given to the Kohathites, the west ...
/m/merari.htm - 23k

Clans (120 Occurrences)
... of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites,
and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites...
/c/clans.htm - 34k

Who were the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the sons of Korah in the Old Testament? | GotQuestions.org

Why did God strike Uzzah dead for touching the Ark of the Covenant? | GotQuestions.org

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