Merari
“Bitter or sorrowful”
Summary
Merari was the youngest son of Levi and founder of the Merarite branch of Levites, who were assigned responsibility for transporting the structural components of the tabernacle during Israel's wilderness wanderings.
☩Family and Descendants
Merari was born before Jacob's descent to Egypt and was among the seventy who accompanied the patriarch there. His two sons, Mahli and Mushi, became heads of the two Merarite families. At the Exodus, the Merarites numbered 6,200 under their chief Zuriel, and were assigned the north side of the tabernacle as their camping position.
☩Tabernacle Duties
The Merarites were charged with caring for the boards, bars, pillars, sockets, vessels, pins, and cords of the tabernacle—the heavy structural components. Because of the weight of these materials, they were provided four wagons and eight oxen for transport, while the Kohathites who carried the sacred vessels had none. In the march through the wilderness, the Merarites followed the standard of Judah to set up the tabernacle before the Kohathites arrived with the holy things.
☩Later History
In the settlement of Canaan, the Merarites received twelve cities from Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun, including Ramoth-gilead, a city of refuge. Under David, they shared responsibility for the temple music with their Levitical brethren under Ethan or Jeduthun. They participated in cleansing the temple during the reforms of Hezekiah and Josiah, and some accompanied Ezra on the return from Babylon.
Related Verses38 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Merari," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VI (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Merari," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).