I am re-reading The Old Testament, and it’s very interesting how God hand picks the Levites tribe specifically, according to the Numbers Chapter, to be excluded from the Census (count of Israelite men) because they were to do something special. So here’s a few interesting things about the Levites:

1. Levi is the third son of Jacob (aka Israel) and is the ancestor of the Levites

If we go back to the Genesis chapter, Leah fell pregnant with three sons by Jacob, even though Jacob loved Rachel. Levi was the third son that Leah bore to which she thought Jacob may finally feel attached to her. For this, she named him Levi, meaning “joined” or attached.

“Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.”

Genesis 29:34 NIV

2. There were 22,000 Levites who are male and at least a month old.

In the Numbers book of the Old Testament, the first chapter starts with a Census, which happened two years after they left Egypt. God orders Moses and Aaron to take stock of all the Israelites, counting all men twenty years and older who can serve in the army.

“These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. All the Israelites twenty years old or more who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families. The total number was 603,550.”

Numbers 1:44-46 NIV

‭Excluding the Levites, there were 603,550 men, twenty years and older. THIS IS A HUGE NUMBER when you think about it. I’ve always known Moses and Aaron led the Israelites out of Egypt to camp around the desert of Mount Sinai, but I’ve imagined maybe 2K men tops around the mountain. But 600K?! Bear in mind these are just the men, 20 years and older. If you multiply that by 1.5, assuming there’s a woman for every two men, and perhaps another 20% to represent the males under twenty, we’re talking about a MILLION people around the desert of Mount Sinai. That’s like a fifth of the population of New Zealand today. What on Earth? And all crossed the ocean?!

Anyways, they also counted the Levites, this time including males who are a month old and older, and there were 22,000 of them.

“The total number of Levites counted at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.”

Numbers 3:39 NIV

3. God selects the Levites to be his, in place of the firstborn of Israelites

This is interesting. I don’t think the Bible ever explains why God chose the Levites as opposed to the other tribes or descendants of Jacob (Israel) but God chooses them, in place of the firstborn of Israel.

“The Lord also said to Moses, “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.””

Numbers 3:11-13 NIV

The Levites are NOT all firstborn, yet they have been chosen in place of the all firstborn of Israel. In total, there were 22,273 firstborn, and 22,000 Levites.

4. God selects the Levites to do the holy work – and to protect the rest of the Israelites from plague

They were ordered by God to camp near the Tabernacle, tent of the covenant law, to protect the Israelites from plague.

“From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites and to make atonement for them so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.””

Numbers‬ ‭8‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Interesting facts about Levites. Perhaps when I have a son, I will name him Levi?

Happy Tuesday!