Levites (Catholic Encyclopedia article)
James F Driscoll · 1913
Read Levites (Catholic Encyclopedia article) by James F Driscoll (1913) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/catholic-encyclopedia-1913-levites.txt.
Description
The Levites were the subordinate ministers of the Mosaic Law for Tabernacle and Temple service. Levi, whose name is read as joined to, was Jacob's third son by Lia. With Simeon he avenged their sister Dinah by slaughtering Shechem and his people. That deed was reproved at the time and in prophecy.
Leaving debate aside, the next point is Levi's link with the priesthood. By the Biblical account, all Levi's male descendants were set apart by Moses for sanctuary work. That mark may owe to the tribe's zeal at the golden calf worship. As Moses's own tribe, it could be trusted to uphold his institutions. Numbers describes the tribe standing before Aaron to minister to him. Numbers 18:23 calls the tribe's mission mediation between the Lord and his people. The Levite of Judges 17 and 18 acts as priest. Many hold that early on priests and Levites grew distinct.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | James F Driscoll |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 1913 |
| COLLECTION | REFERENCE |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 7 KB |
| LICENSE | PUBLIC_DOMAIN |
| RIGHTS | PUBLIC DOMAIN |
| SOURCE | New Advent — Catholic Encyclopedia (1913) |