Shoham
The Levite Who Carried the Ark of the Covenant
Also known as: Shoham
Shoham was a Levite from the Gershonite clan, son of Jahath. He was appointed to be responsible for the tabernacle's equipment during the wilderness journey. As a Levite, he played an important role in transporting and guarding the sanctuary.
Family
Key events
Shoham Mentioned in the Genealogy of the Gershonites
Shoham is mentioned as part of the Gershonite clan among the Levites, descendants of Levi.
27the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei,
בֶּן־אֵיתָ֥ן בֶּן־זִמָּ֖ה בֶּן־שִׁמְעִֽי׃
The Service of the Gershonites at the Tabernacle
The Gershonites, to whom Shoham belonged, were given responsibility for carrying the tabernacle's curtains, coverings, and hangings during the wilderness journey.
21To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these are the Gershonite clans.
לְגֵ֣רְשׁ֔וֹן מִשְׁפַּ֙חַת֙ הַלִּבְנִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁמְעִ֑י אֵ֣לֶּה הֵ֔ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּֽי׃
22Their enrollment, counting every male a month old and older, came to 7,500.
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם֙ בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר כָּל־זָכָ֔ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה פְּקֻ֣דֵיהֶ֔ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת אֲלָפִ֖ים וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת׃
23The Gershonite clans were to camp behind the tabernacle, on the west.
מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֑י אַחֲרֵ֧י הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן יַחֲנ֖וּ יָֽמָּה׃
24The leader of the ancestral house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.
וּנְשִׂ֥יא בֵֽית־אָ֖ב לַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֑י אֶלְיָסָ֖ף בֶּן־לָאֵֽל׃
25The responsibility of the sons of Gershon at the tent of meeting was the tabernacle and the tent, its covering, the curtain at the entrance of the tent of meeting,
וּמִשְׁמֶ֤רֶת בְּנֵֽי־גֵרְשׁוֹן֙ בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד הַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן וְהָאֹ֑הֶל מִכְסֵ֕הוּ וּמָסַ֕ךְ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
26the hangings of the courtyard, which enclose the tabernacle and the altar on every side, the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard, and its ropes—together with all the work connected with them.
וְקַלְעֵ֣י הֶֽחָצֵ֗ר וְאֶת־מָסַךְ֙ פֶּ֣תַח הֶֽחָצֵ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֛ן וְעַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִ֑יב וְאֵת֙ מֵֽיתָרָ֔יו לְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹדָתֽוֹ׃
The Duties of the Levites under Moses
Moses organized the Levites into clans with specific tasks related to the sanctuary, which included Shoham's lineage.
24This is the service of the Gershonite clans, their duties and their loads:
זֹ֣את עֲבֹדַ֔ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֑י לַעֲבֹ֖ד וּלְמַשָּֽׂא׃
25They shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting with its covering and the covering of fine leather that goes over it, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting,
וְנָ֨שְׂא֜וּ אֶת־יְרִיעֹ֤ת הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ וְאֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד מִכְסֵ֕הוּ וּמִכְסֵ֛ה הַתַּ֥חַשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְאֶ֨ת־מָסַ֔ךְ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃
26the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and the altar, their ropes, and all the equipment for their service. They shall do everything that needs to be done with these things.
וְאֵת֩ קַלְעֵ֨י הֶֽחָצֵ֜ר וְאֶת־מָסַ֣ךְ ׀ פֶּ֣תַח ׀ שַׁ֣עַר הֶחָצֵ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֤ן וְעַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ סָבִ֔יב וְאֵת֙ מֵֽיתְרֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֶֽת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֖י עֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵעָשֶׂ֛ה לָהֶ֖ם וְעָבָֽדוּ׃
27All the service of the Gershonites shall be under the direction of Aaron and his sons, both what they carry and all their other work. You shall assign to them the responsibility for everything they carry.
עַל־פִּי֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן וּבָנָ֜יו תִּהְיֶ֗ה כָּל־עֲבֹדַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֔י לְכָל־מַשָּׂאָ֔ם וּלְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וּפְקַדְתֶּ֤ם עֲלֵהֶם֙ בְּמִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת אֵ֖ת כָּל־מַשָּׂאָֽם׃
28This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting, and their duties shall be under the oversight of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
זֹ֣את עֲבֹדַ֗ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּמִ֨שְׁמַרְתָּ֔ם בְּיַד֙ אִֽיתָמָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ פ
The Genealogical Records of the Levites in Chronicles
Shoham is recorded in the detailed genealogies of 1 Chronicles, which trace the lineage of the Levites from Levi downward.
7Of the Gershonites: Ladan and Shimei.
לַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י לַעְדָּ֥ן וְשִׁמְעִֽי׃ ס
8The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, then Zetham and Joel—three in all.
בְּנֵ֣י לַעְדָּ֗ן הָרֹ֧אשׁ יְחִיאֵ֛ל וְזֵתָ֥ם וְיוֹאֵ֖ל שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ס
9The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran—three in all. These were the heads of the families of Ladan.
בְּנֵ֣י שִׁמְעִ֗י *שלמות **שְׁלוֹמִ֧ית וַחֲזִיאֵ֛ל וְהָרָ֖ן שְׁלֹשָׁ֑ה אֵ֛לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֥י הָאָב֖וֹת לְלַעְדָּֽן׃ ס
10The sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei.
וּבְנֵ֣י שִׁמְעִ֔י יַ֣חַת זִינָ֔א וִיע֖וּשׁ וּבְרִיעָ֑ה אֵ֥לֶּה בְנֵי־שִׁמְעִ֖י אַרְבָּעָֽה׃
11Jahath was the chief and Zizah the second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were counted as one family with one assignment. [footnote: Zizah is called Zina in the preceding verse; both spellings occur in the Hebrew text.]
וַֽיְהִי־יַ֣חַת הָרֹ֔אשׁ וְזִיזָ֖ה הַשֵּׁנִ֑י וִיע֤וּשׁ וּבְרִיעָה֙ לֹֽא־הִרְבּ֣וּ בָנִ֔ים וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ לְבֵ֣ית אָ֔ב לִפְקֻדָּ֖ה אֶחָֽת׃ ס