These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Parallel translations
- WEB These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
- KJV And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
- ESV And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari.
- NKJV These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
- NASB These, then, are the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
- NLT Levi had three sons, whose names were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
Levi's three sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. These founded the three great Levitical clans.
Overview
The naming of Levi's sons establishes the three branches around which Levitical service was organized. Each clan would receive distinct duties in caring for the tabernacle. This genealogy provides the framework for the assignments that follow, showing God's orderly distribution of service among His ministers.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Gen 46:11The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
- Exod 6:16–19These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.
- Num 24:1–25And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as on previous occasions, but he turned his face toward the wilderness.
- Josh 21:1–45Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribes of Israel
- Num 23:6–23So he returned to Balak, who was standing there beside his burnt offering, with all the princes of Moab.
- 1 Chr 6:16–19The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
- Num 15:5–23With the burnt offering or sacrifice of each lamb, you are to prepare a quarter hin of wine as a drink offering.
- Neh 11:1–12Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to dwell in their own towns.
- 1 Chr 6:1–2The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
- Num 26:57–58Now these were the Levites numbered by their clans: The Gershonite clan from Gershon, the Kohathite clan from Kohath, and the Merarite clan from Merari.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 3:17 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.