Silver Tribe

Lore & Background

The Tribe of Levi served particular religious duties for the Israelites and had political responsibilities as well. In return, the landed tribes were expected to give tithes to the Kohanim, the priests working in the Temple in Jerusalem, particularly the first tithe. The Levites who were not Kohanim played music in the Temple or served as guards. Most scholars view the Torah as projecting the origins of the Levites into the past to explain their role as landless cultic functionaries. When Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan, the Levites were the only Israelite tribe that received cities but were not allowed land tenure. Some Biblical traditions point to the alien aspects of the Levites and their role as military troops. Notable descendants of the Levite lineage according to the Bible include Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Samuel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Ezra, and Malachi.

Reader's Guide

According to the Torah, the tribe is named after Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. Levi married a woman named Adinah—according to the Book of Jasher—and had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi also had a daughter named Jochebed. Kohath's son Amram was the father of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. The descendants of Aaron, the Kohanim, had the special role as priests in the Tabernacle in the wilderness and also in the Temple in Jerusalem. The remaining Levites were divided into three groups: Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites. Levites' principal roles in the Temple included singing Psalms, performing construction and maintenance, serving as guards, and performing other services. Levites also served as teachers and judges, maintaining cities of refuge. During the Exodus the Levite tribe were particularly zealous in protecting the Mosaic law in the face of those worshipping the golden calf. In the Book of Numbers the Levites were charged with ministering to the Kohanim and keeping watch over the Tabernacle. The Books of the Prophets speak of a covenant with the Kohanim and Levites. Critical scholars propose that those parts of the Torah attributed to the Elohist seem to treat Levite as a descriptive attribute for someone particularly suited to the priesthood, rather than as a firm designation of a tribe. In the Blessing of Jacob, Levi is treated as a tribe, cursing them to become scattered. The Priestly source and the Blessing of Moses portray the Levites firmly established as a tribe, and as the only tribe with the right to become priests.

Did You Know?

• The etymology linking the term Levi with the Mycenaean Greek term la-wo (the people / armed people) was proposed.
• Joshua 13:33 states: 'But no portion was assigned by Moses to the tribe of Levi; YHWH God of Israel is their portion.'
• Aren M. Maier holds that it is very likely that priestly groups such as the Levites existed during the First Temple period.