Topical Bible: Levites: The Merarites

◄ Levites: The Merarites ►

Topical Encyclopedia

The Merarites were one of the three main divisions of the Levites, the tribe set apart for religious duties and service to the Tabernacle and later the Temple. The Levites were descendants of Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and the Merarites specifically descended from Levi's son Merari. The other two divisions of the Levites were the Kohathites and the Gershonites.

Genealogy and Ancestry

The lineage of the Merarites is outlined in several passages of the Old Testament. Merari, the son of Levi, had two sons, Mahli and Mushi, from whom the Merarite clans descended (Numbers 3:20). The genealogical records in 1 Chronicles 6:19-30 provide further details on the descendants of Merari, emphasizing their role within the Levitical structure.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Merarites were assigned specific duties related to the care and transportation of the Tabernacle, the portable dwelling place of God during the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. According to Numbers 3:36-37, the Merarites were responsible for the frames of the Tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment. They were also tasked with the care of the surrounding courtyard, including its posts, bases, tent pegs, and ropes.

In Numbers 4:29-33, the specific tasks of the Merarites are further detailed. They were to carry the structural components of the Tabernacle during the Israelites' travels. The Merarites were under the supervision of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest, ensuring that their work was conducted according to the divine instructions given to Moses.

Allocation of Cities

As with other Levitical families, the Merarites were not given a specific territory in the Promised Land. Instead, they were allocated cities within the territories of other tribes. Joshua 21:7, 34-40 lists the cities given to the Merarites, which included twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. These cities served as their dwelling places and provided them with pasturelands for their livestock.

Role in the Temple

With the establishment of the Temple in Jerusalem, the roles of the Levites, including the Merarites, evolved. They continued to serve in various capacities, assisting the priests in the Temple services. The chronicler notes that the Merarites, along with other Levites, were involved in the music and worship aspects of the Temple (1 Chronicles 25:1-6).

Significance in Israelite Worship

The Merarites played a crucial role in maintaining the physical structure of the Tabernacle, which was central to Israelite worship and the presence of God among His people. Their responsibilities ensured that the Tabernacle was properly assembled, disassembled, and transported, allowing the Israelites to worship according to the commands given by God.

The Merarites, as part of the broader Levitical tribe, exemplified the dedication and service required to uphold the sanctity and order of Israelite worship. Their work, though often behind the scenes, was vital to the spiritual life of the nation and the proper observance of the covenantal relationship between God and His people.

Nave's Topical Index

Numbers 3:20,33-37
And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
Nave's Topical Index

Numbers 4:31-33
And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
Nave's Topical Index

Numbers 7:8
And four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Nave's Topical Index

Numbers 10:17
And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.
Nave's Topical Index

1 Chronicles 6:19,29,30
The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. And these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers.
Nave's Topical Index