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And the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Genesis 46:11 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
  • KJV And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
  • BSB The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
  • NKJV The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
  • NLT The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The sons of Levi are Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. From this line will come the priestly tribe.

Overview

Levi's three sons are recorded, founding the families later set apart for priestly service. Kohath's line in particular will produce Moses and Aaron. This genealogy thus quietly marks the origins of the tribe entrusted with Israel's worship and the tabernacle.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 14

  • Gen 29:34She conceived again, and bore a son. Said, “Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
  • Num 4:1–49Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
  • Num 8:1–26Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
  • Num 26:57–58These are those who were counted of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites.
  • Exod 6:16These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Levi were one hundred thirty-seven years.
  • Deut 33:8–11About Levi he said, “Your Thummim and your Urim are with your godly one, whom you proved at Massah, with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah.
  • 1 Chr 6:1–3The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
  • 1 Chr 22:1–19Then David said, “This is the house of Yahweh God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
  • 1 Chr 2:1These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,
  • 1 Chr 2:16and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. The sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, three.
  • 1 Chr 2:11and Nahshon became the father of Salma, and Salma became the father of Boaz,
  • 1 Chr 6:16The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
  • Num 3:17–22These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
  • Gen 49:5–7“Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Genesis videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Genesis 46:11YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on GenesisMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.

How Genesis 46:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.