Levi is one of the most interesting biblical characters, though he is not always immediately recognizable by name alone. Levi was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, who was also known as Israel (Genesis 29:34). Levi’s mother was Leah, Jacob’s first wife. Levi had three full brothers: Reuben, Simeon, and Judah. He also had several half brothers, including Joseph, Benjamin, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Levi is an important biblical character for several reasons. First, it was through Levi’s lineage that the priesthood descended. God chose men from the tribe of Levi to stand before Him and offer sacrifices on behalf of the people (Exodus 28:1). Aaron, the first high priest, was from the tribe of Levi. Aaron’s sons and their descendants filled the priestly role for centuries. The Levites were set apart by God to assist the priests with tabernacle and, later, Temple service (Numbers 3:5-13).
Levi is also significant because his tribe did not receive a specific allotment of land when the Israelites entered Canaan. Instead of an inheritance of land, God decreed that the Levites would live among the other tribes and that those tribes would provide cities and land for the Levites to live on (Joshua 13:14, 33). God commanded this so that the Levites could focus on “the service of the Lord” rather than farming and raising livestock (Joshua 13:14).
Finally, Levi stands out because of his violent anger displayed in Genesis 34. Jacob’s only daughter, Dinah, went out to visit some Canaanite women and was raped by Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite. Shechem wanted to marry Dinah, so he and his father approached Jacob and offered a generous bride price. Jacob’s sons answered them deceitfully, saying they could marry into Shechem’s family only if all the men in the city agreed to be circumcised. Hamor and Shechem agreed to this condition. They told their fellow citizens about the deal, and all the men were circumcised.
Three days later, while the men were still in pain from the procedure, Levi and his brother Simeon attacked the city in revenge. They killed every male, including Hamor and Shechem, looted the city, and took all the women and children captive. Jacob rebuked Simeon and Levi for this excessive vengeance, saying they had brought trouble on him and his household (Genesis 34:30). Levi’s descendants, the Levites, would be “scattered” instead of receiving their own land inheritance, possibly as a consequence of this violent episode.
Beyond this narrative in Genesis, the Bible does not provide many details about Levi’s life. However, we can piece together some information:
- Levi was likely born in Haran while Jacob was working for Laban (Genesis 29:34).
- He traveled with Jacob back to Canaan along with his brothers and the rest of their household.
- When Dinah was raped, Levi was probably a young man in his late teens or early 20s.
- Levi had at least three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (Genesis 46:11). His descendants became the clans of the Levites.
- Levi likely went down to Egypt with Jacob because of the famine. He was one of the 70 who traveled there (Genesis 46:11; Exodus 1:1-5).
- Levi died in Egypt like his brothers (Genesis 49:29-33).
Beyond these few details, the Bible says little else specifically about Levi’s life. However, by examining the role of the Levites in the Law of Moses, we can learn more about Levi’s legacy.
God set apart the Levites for special religious service. Some key facts about the Levites:
- The Levites assisted the priests with the service and ceremonies of the tabernacle during the wilderness wanderings (Numbers 1:47-54).
- They helped transport, assemble, and disassemble the tabernacle when Israel traveled (Numbers 1:50-53).
- They guarded the tabernacle from unlawful approach (Numbers 1:53).
- They served as temple assistants when the permanent Temple was built in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 23:28-32).
- The Levites slaughtered animals for sacrifice (2 Chronicles 29:34-35).
- They sang and played music during Temple worship (1 Chronicles 6:31-32).
- They taught the Law of Moses to the people (2 Chronicles 17:8-9).
- They assisted the priests with administrative tasks (2 Chronicles 34:9-13).
Because the Levites received no land inheritance, the remaining tribes provided cities and pastures for them to live on (Joshua 21). The Levites lived throughout Israel in order to teach and serve the nation.
The Levites were supported through the tithes and offerings brought by the people (Numbers 18:21-24). However, the Levites themselves also had to tithe from what they received and give those tithes to the priests (Numbers 18:25-29).
The Levites were held to a high standard of holiness in their service to God. The high priest was always chosen from among the Levites. The Levites purified themselves through washings and sacrifice when they began temple service (Numbers 8:5-22). They were cleansed of sin through sacrifice just like the priests (Leviticus 4:1-3).
God intended the Levites to model dedication and faithfulness to Him for all Israel. As Moses blessed the tribe, he said: “They shall teach Jacob your rules and Israel your law; they shall put incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar” (Deuteronomy 33:10). The Levites occupied a special mediating position between God and the people.
Several important individuals descended from Levi, including:
- Aaron – First high priest
- Miriam – Prophetess and sister of Aaron and Moses
- Moses – The great prophet who led Israel from Egypt
- Samuel – Judge and anointer of Israel’s first two kings
- Ezra – Priest and scribe who reestablished temple worship after the Babylonian exile
- John the Baptist – Prophet who prepared the way for Jesus
While the role of the Levites changed after the time of Christ, the legacy of Levi continues. Jesus is our great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). And all believers are part of a “royal priesthood” with the privilege of approaching God’s throne through Christ’s sacrifice (1 Peter 2:9).
In summary, Levi was one of Jacob’s twelve sons who became the head of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. God selected the Levites for special religious service, including assisting the priests, serving in the tabernacle/temple, and teaching the Law. The Levites received no land inheritance but were provided for by the other tribes. Levi’s legacy continues through the many important biblical figures descended from him and through the privilege of priestly access all believers now have to God.
Levi’s Birth and Early Life
The Bible first introduces Levi in the book of Genesis as one of the twelve sons born to Jacob, also named Israel (Genesis 29:34). Jacob’s wives Leah and Rachel were locked in a bitter rivalry to produce heirs, with Leah bearing four sons in quick succession – Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah (Genesis 29:32-35). Levi’s birth brought Leah the hope that being able to provide her husband with three sons would finally earn her Jacob’s love.
The circumstances surrounding Levi’s conception and birth were characterized by relational dysfunction. His mother Leah was unloved (Genesis 29:31), having been tricked into marrying Jacob, who believed he was wedding her more attractive younger sister Rachel. Levi was born in Paddan Aram in Mesopotamia, where his grandfather Laban had tricked Jacob into marrying Leah and then made him work an additional seven years to marry Rachel (Genesis 29:15-30).
Levi was probably born sometime in the latter part of the second millennium B.C., though exact dates are unknown. As the third son of Leah after Reuben and Simeon, he may have been born within the first four years of Leah and Jacob’s marriage. His name means “attached” in Hebrew, reflecting Leah’s hope that giving birth to three sons would cause her husband to become attached to her (Genesis 29:34).
Little else is known about Levi’s childhood and adolescence. He was likely raised under the same turbulent conditions as his older brothers, in a household filled with marital dysfunction and sibling rivalries. However, the text mentions no specific incidents from Levi’s youth. The next time he emerges in the biblical narrative is as a grown man.
The Revenge Against Shechem
The most infamous episode involving Levi comes in Genesis 34. His full sister Dinah went out from home to visit some Canaanite women and was raped by Shechem, son of the local ruler Hamor (Genesis 34:1-2). Even though Shechem expressed regret and offered Jacob whatever bride price he requested if he could marry Dinah, Levi and his brother Simeon were enraged (Genesis 34:3-12).
They deceitfully told Hamor that his people could intermarry with theirs only if all his men agreed to be circumcised. Hamor and Shechem convinced their fellow citizens this was worthwhile to gain access to Jacob’s wealth through marriage. However, three days later while the men were still in pain, Levi and Simeon attacked the unsuspecting city, killing all the males including Hamor and Shechem (Genesis 34:13-26). They also looted the city and took captive all the women and children (Genesis 34:27-29).
Jacob was dismayed by their actions, telling Simeon and Levi they had brought trouble on him and his household by acting so rashly (Genesis 34:30). This incident revealed Levi’s hot temper and proclivity for violence. However, as the wronged party seeking justice for their raped sister, Levi likely saw himself as righteous in his retaliation. The deception involved was culturally acceptable means to an end in that time and place.
Jacob’s rebuke of Levi and Simeon affected the later history of their tribes. When Jacob blessed his sons just before his death, he declared of their descendants: “Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords … I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel” (Genesis 49:5, 7). Levi’s descendants the Levites did not receive their own tribal allotment of land. This may have been the working out of Jacob’s curse due to Levi and Simeon’s excessive violence and deception in attacking Shechem.
Levi in Egypt and His Descendants
The biblical account provides no further information about Levi’s personal life and activities. However, certain key events can be pieced together:
- Levi had three sons named Gershon, Kohath and Merari who became the ancestors of the Levite clans (Genesis 46:11, Exodus 6:16). His son Kohath was the grandfather of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 6:18, 20).
- When famine struck Canaan, Levi went down to Egypt with Jacob and his other sons, where they settled in Goshen (Genesis 46:8-27). Seventy descendants of Jacob are mentioned as entering Egypt at this time, so Levi had to have been part of this group.
- Like his brothers, Levi died in Egypt during the time when the Israelites were becoming enslaved (Genesis 49:29-33, Exodus 1:1-14). He did not live to see the Exodus from Egypt.
- Moses and Aaron, Levi’s great-grandsons, led the Israelites out of Egypt and became the first high priests for the nation.
Though few personal details about Levi are given, the Bible traces in great detail the role his descendants played among the Israelites. The Levites were called by God to a special religious function, assisting the priests with the service and ceremonies of the tabernacle and later the temple. They received no allotment of land as an inheritance but were provided for by the tithes and offerings brought by the people (Numbers 18:21-24).
The Levites lived scattered among the other tribes in order to be available for service at the tabernacle and to teach the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 33:8-11). They served as guards, singers, musicians, animal slaughterers, administrators, judges, teachers, and in many other capacities assisting the priests. As Levi’s legacy, they were set apart for special service to the Lord.
Important Descendants of Levi
Many significant biblical figures descended from Levi, including:
- Moses – Led the Israelites out of Egypt, mediated the Law between God and Israel, and served as Israel’s prophet, priest, and judge until his death on the border of the Promised Land.
- Aaron – Moses’ brother who served as Israel’s first high priest. He helped Moses appeal to Pharaoh to let God’s people go.
- Miriam – Moses and Aaron’s sister. She led the women in celebrating God’s victory over the Egyptians through song and dance (Exodus 15:20-21).
- Samuel – The last judge before Israel’s kings. Samuel anointed both Saul and David as king.
- Ezra – A priest and scribe who helped reestablish temple worship in Jerusalem after the Jews returned from exile in Babylon.
- John the Baptist – Prophet who prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry. He baptized Jesus, declaring Him the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29-34).
So Moses, Aaron, Samuel, Ezra, John the Baptist and numerous other Levites left an indelible mark on biblical history. Their lives give insight into the character of their forefather Levi and the tribe named after him.
Levi and Jesus Christ
Several connections can be made between Levi and Jesus Christ in the unfolding of biblical revelation:
- John the Baptist, a descendant of Levi, prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry and declared Jesus to be the Messiah.
- Jesus is identified in Scripture as the new High Priest in the order of Melchizedek rather than Levi (Hebrews 5-7). His priesthood is superior.
- Animal sacrifices made by the Levitical priests foreshadowed Jesus’ final, perfect sacrifice of Himself on the cross.
- All believers now have direct access to God’s presence through Christ’s sacrifice, whereas in the Old Testament only the Levitical priests could enter the Holy of Holies.
- The church is now God’s temple, with believers forming a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5,9) in a way Levi’s descendants never could.
So while the Levitical priesthood was set aside when Jesus made the final atoning sacrifice, Levi’s legacy finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. As High Priest and once-for-all substitutionary sacrifice, Jesus accomplished what the Law and Levitical priesthood never could. He tore the veil that separated people from God’s presence (Matthew 27:51), so that all who trust in His finished work now boldly approach God’s throne by grace through faith.
In conclusion, Levi was the son of Jacob chosen by God to begin a priestly order that would stand between Himself and the children of Israel. Levi’s descendants the Levites played a crucial mediating role for centuries. Yet they were but a shadow of the substance that was to come in Christ (Colossians 2:17). Through faith in Jesus, all of God’s people now have access to intimate fellowship with Him by grace.