Home People Merari (Levi's son) Merari was the youngest of Levi's three sons and became the ancestor of the Merarites, one of the three main groups of Levites. His descendants were responsible for carrying and caring for the structural elements of the tabernacle during the wilderness journey.
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Key events Merari was born the youngest of Levi's three sons, along with his brothers Gershon and Kohath.
11 the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; Heb וּבְנֵ֖י לֵוִ֑י גֵּרְשׁ֕וֹן קְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִֽי׃
Merari was among Jacob's family who went down to Egypt during the famine, and he is mentioned in the list of Jacob's descendants.
16 These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years. Heb וְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֤וֹת בְּנֵֽי־לֵוִי֙ לְתֹ֣לְדֹתָ֔ם גֵּרְשׁ֕וֹן וּקְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִ֑י וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י לֵוִ֔י שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃
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׃
Merari's sons Mahli and Mushi became the ancestors of the Merarite clans, who were given specific duties in the tabernacle service.
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׃
36 The sons of Merari were appointed to care for the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, and bases, all its equipment, and all the work connected with them, Heb וּפְקֻדַּ֣ת מִשְׁמֶרֶת֮ בְּנֵ֣י מְרָרִי֒ קַרְשֵׁי֙ הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וּבְרִיחָ֖יו וְעַמֻּדָ֣יו וַאֲדָנָ֑יו וְכָל־כֵּלָ֔יו וְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹדָתֽוֹ׃
37 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, pegs, and ropes. Heb וְעַמֻּדֵ֧י הֶחָצֵ֛ר סָבִ֖יב וְאַדְנֵיהֶ֑ם וִיתֵדֹתָ֖ם וּמֵֽיתְרֵיהֶֽם׃
Merari's descendants were responsible for the tabernacle's boards, bars, pillars, bases, and all the accessories belonging to these parts.
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׃