Levi had three sons, whose names were 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.
- BSB These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, 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.
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 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.
- Num 24:1–25When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn’t go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
- Josh 21:1–45Then the heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites came near to Eleazar the priest, and to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the heads of fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel.
- Num 23:6–23He returned to him, and behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.
- 1 Chr 6:16–19The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
- Num 15:5–23You shall prepare wine for the drink offering, the fourth part of a hin, with the burnt offering, or for the sacrifice, for each lamb.
- Neh 11:1–12The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem. The rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the other cities.
- 1 Chr 6:1–2The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
- 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.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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.