Home People Mahli Mahli was a son of Merari, who was a son of Levi. He was the ancestor of one of the Levitical clans, the Mahlites, which had specific duties related to the transport and maintenance of the tabernacle. His descendants played an important role in temple service throughout Israel's history.
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Key events Mahli is recorded as the firstborn son of Merari, son of Levi, and thus one of the founders of the Levitical clans.
19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi according to their generations. Heb וּבְנֵ֥י מְרָרִ֖י מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַלֵּוִ֖י לְתֹלְדֹתָֽם׃
The Mahlites were registered as one of the Levitical clans during Israel's wilderness stay, with responsibility for parts of the tabernacle service.
20 The sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites by their ancestral houses. Heb וּבְנֵ֧י מְרָרִ֛י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֛ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַלֵּוִ֖י לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם׃
33 To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites; these are the clans of Merari. Heb לִמְרָרִ֕י מִשְׁפַּ֙חַת֙ הַמַּחְלִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַמּוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֖ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת מְרָרִֽי׃
The Mahlites received specific tasks related to transporting the framework, posts, bases, and accessories of the tabernacle during the journey through the wilderness.
29 Register the Merarites by their clans and their ancestral houses, Heb בְּנֵ֖י מְרָרִ֑י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֥ם לְבֵית־אֲבֹתָ֖ם תִּפְקֹ֥ד אֹתָֽם׃
30 from thirty years old up to fifty years old—all who are fit for service, to do the work of the tent of meeting. Heb מִבֶּן֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים שָׁנָ֜ה וָמַ֗עְלָה וְעַ֛ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תִּפְקְדֵ֑ם כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַעֲבֹ֕ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
31 This is what they are charged to carry as their whole service at the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, and bases, Heb וְזֹאת֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת מַשָּׂאָ֔ם לְכָל־עֲבֹדָתָ֖ם בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד קַרְשֵׁי֙ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וּבְרִיחָ֖יו וְעַמּוּדָ֥יו וַאֲדָנָֽיו׃
32 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, pegs, and ropes, and all their equipment and everything used with them. You shall assign by name the items each man is charged to carry. Heb וְעַמּוּדֵי֩ הֶחָצֵ֨ר סָבִ֜יב וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֗ם וִֽיתֵדֹתָם֙ וּמֵ֣יתְרֵיהֶ֔ם לְכָל־כְּלֵיהֶ֔ם וּלְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וּבְשֵׁמֹ֣ת תִּפְקְד֔וּ אֶת־כְּלֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת מַשָּׂאָֽם׃
33 This is the service of the Merarite clans, their whole service at the tent of meeting, under the oversight of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest." Heb זֹ֣את עֲבֹדַ֗ת מִשְׁפְּחֹת֙ בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִ֔י לְכָל־עֲבֹדָתָ֖ם בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד בְּיַד֙ אִֽיתָמָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵֽן׃
The Mahlites were counted as part of the census of the Levites, and their number was recorded in the book of Numbers.
58 These were the clans of Levi: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, the Korahite clan. And Kohath was the father of Amram. Heb אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת לֵוִ֗י מִשְׁפַּ֨חַת הַלִּבְנִ֜י מִשְׁפַּ֤חַת הַֽחֶבְרֹנִי֙ מִשְׁפַּ֤חַת הַמַּחְלִי֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַמּוּשִׁ֔י מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַקָּרְחִ֑י וּקְהָ֖ת הוֹלִ֥ד אֶת־עַמְרָֽם׃
First Chronicles gives a detailed genealogy of Mahlis descendants, including his sons Eleazar and Kish, and their role in temple service.
19 the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, Heb בֶּן־אֶלְקָנָה֙ בֶּן־יְרֹחָ֔ם בֶּן־אֱלִיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־תּֽוֹחַ׃
29 On the left stood their kinsmen, the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, Heb וּבְנֵ֧י מְרָרִ֛י אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם עַֽל־הַשְּׂמֹ֑אול אֵיתָן֙ בֶּן־קִישִׁ֔י בֶּן־עַבְדִּ֖י בֶּן־מַלּֽוּךְ׃
21 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish. Heb בְּנֵ֤י מְרָרִי֙ מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֔י בְּנֵ֥י מַחְלִ֖י אֶלְעָזָ֥ר וְקִֽישׁ׃
22 Eleazar died leaving no sons, only daughters; their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them. Heb וַיָּ֙מָת֙ אֶלְעָזָ֔ר וְלֹא־הָ֥יוּ ל֛וֹ בָּנִ֖ים כִּ֣י אִם־בָּנ֑וֹת וַיִּשָּׂא֥וּם בְּנֵי־קִ֖ישׁ אֲחֵיהֶֽם׃
23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth—three in all. Heb בְּנֵ֣י מוּשִׁ֗י מַחְלִ֥י וְעֵ֛דֶר וִירֵמ֖וֹת שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃
During King Davids organization of temple service, Mahlis descendants were assigned specific roles in worship and service in the temple.
26 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi, and the sons of Jaaziah his son. [^fn]
[^fn]: Or "The sons of Jaaziah: Beno"; the Hebrew word beno can be read either as a personal name or as "his son." Heb בְּנֵ֤י מְרָרִי֙ מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֔י בְּנֵ֖י יַעֲזִיָּ֥הֽוּ בְנֽוֹ׃
27 The sons of Merari through Jaaziah his son: Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. Heb בְּנֵ֖י מְרָרִ֑י לְיַֽעֲזִיָּ֣הֽוּ בְנ֔וֹ וְשֹׁ֥הַם וְזַכּ֖וּר וְעִבְרִֽי׃
28 From Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. Heb לְמַחְלִי֙ אֶלְעָזָ֔ר וְלֹא־הָ֥יָה ל֖וֹ בָּנִֽים׃
Mentioned in the Bible (12)