Kehat (Levi's son)

Ancestor of the Levites

Les patriarchesPatriarchc. 1900–1767 BC

Kehat was the second son of Levi and became the ancestor of the Kohathites, one of the three main branches of the tribe of Levi. Through his descendants came both Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, making him a key figure in Israel's priesthood and salvation history.

Famille

Événements clés

Born in Canaan

Kehath was born as Levi's son, likely in the land of Canaan before the family moved to Egypt.

11the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari;
וּבְנֵ֖י לֵוִ֑י גֵּרְשׁ֕וֹן קְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִֽי׃ ‬

Traveled to Egypt

Kehath was among Jacob's descendants who went down to Egypt during the famine and was counted among the seventy who arrived there.

16These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.
וְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֤וֹת בְּנֵֽי־לֵוִי֙ לְתֹ֣לְדֹתָ֔ם גֵּרְשׁ֕וֹן וּקְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִ֑י וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י לֵוִ֔י שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃ ‬
18The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.
וּבְנֵ֣י קְהָ֔ת עַמְרָ֣ם וְיִצְהָ֔ר וְחֶבְר֖וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵ֑ל וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י קְהָ֔ת שָׁלֹ֧שׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃ ‬

His lifespan

Kehath lived 133 years, a long life that testifies to God's blessing upon the tribe of Levi.

18The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.
וּבְנֵ֣י קְהָ֔ת עַמְרָ֣ם וְיִצְהָ֔ר וְחֶבְר֖וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵ֑ל וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י קְהָ֔ת שָׁלֹ֧שׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃ ‬

Ancestor of the Kohathites

Kehath's descendants were given the honorable task of carrying the most holy items in the tabernacle, including the ark of the covenant.

27To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these are the Kohathite clans.
וְלִקְהָ֗ת מִשְׁפַּ֤חַת הֽ͏ַעַמְרָמִי֙ וּמִשְׁפַּ֣חַת הַיִּצְהָרִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֙חַת֙ הֽ͏ַחֶבְרֹנִ֔י וּמִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הָֽעָזִּיאֵלִ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֖ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַקְּהָתִֽי׃ ‬
28Counting every male a month old and older, they numbered 8,600, charged with the care of the sanctuary.
בְּמִסְפַּר֙ כָּל־זָכָ֔ר מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה שְׁמֹנַ֤ת אֲלָפִים֙ וְשֵׁ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת שֹׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ ‬
30The leader of the ancestral house of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
וּנְשִׂ֥יא בֵֽית־אָ֖ב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֑י אֶלִיצָפָ֖ן בֶּן־עֻזִּיאֵֽל׃ ‬
31Their responsibility was the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain, and all the work connected with them.
וּמִשְׁמַרְתָּ֗ם הָאָרֹ֤ן וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ וְהַמְּנֹרָ֣ה וְהַֽמִּזְבְּחֹ֔ת וּכְלֵ֣י הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשָׁרְת֖וּ בָּהֶ֑ם וְהַ֨מָּסָ֔ךְ וְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹדָתֽוֹ׃ ‬

Genealogy of Moses and Aaron

Through his son Amram, Kehath became the ancestor of Moses and Aaron, who would lead Israel out of Egypt and establish the priesthood.

18The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.
וּבְנֵ֣י קְהָ֔ת עַמְרָ֣ם וְיִצְהָ֔ר וְחֶבְר֖וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵ֑ל וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י קְהָ֔ת שָׁלֹ֧שׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃ ‬
20Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
וַיִּקַּ֨ח עַמְרָ֜ם אֶת־יוֹכֶ֤בֶד דֹּֽדָתוֹ֙ ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד ל֔וֹ אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֖ן וְאֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י עַמְרָ֔ם שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃ ‬

Mentionné dans la Bible (24)