LETUSHIN (le-tUrshim), (Heb. 1:41.-71?, let-oo sheem', have ground, sharpened).
The second son of Dedan ; grandson of Abra ham and Keturali (Gen. xxv :3), and progenitor of an Arabian tribe, which has not been traced out. (B. C. after 2°2.4.) (le-iim'mim), Web. leh-oom mem', peoples).
Otte of the descendants of Dedan • grandson of Abraham and Keturah (Gen. xxv :3;,and founder of an Arabian tribe, which Fresnel (Journal Asia:.
serie, vi, 2r7) identifies with the UmnIciyinr, a very ancient tribe. (B. C. after 202,0 LEVI (le'vi), (Heb.t bry-vee, a joining; Sept. Aevel, Levi).
1. The third son of Jacob and Leah, bom in Mesopotamia B. C. 175o (Gen. xx ix :34)• (1) Avenges Dinah. No circumstance is re corded of him save the part which he and his full brother Simeon took in the massacre of the Shechemites, to avenge the wrong done to their sister Dinah (Gen. xxxiv :25, 26). This transac tion was to his last hour regarded by Jacob with abhorrence, and Ile failed not to allude to it in his dying declaration.
(2) Simeon and Levi. As Simeon and Levi were united in that act, so the patriarch couples them in his prophecy: 'Accursed be their anger, for it was fierce: and their wrath, for it was cruel ! 1 will divide them in Jacob, and disperse them in Israel.' And, accordingly, their descend
ants were afterwards, in different ways, dispersed among the other tribes; although, in the case of Levi, this curse was eventually turned into a benefit and blessing.
(3) Children. He had three sons, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, and a daughter called Joche bed ; and his three sons produced three different families.
(4) Goes into Egypt. With these three sons he went down into Egypt (Gen. xlvi :1 ) where he was probably presented to Pharaoh ( Gen. xlvii :2).
(5) Blessing and Death. By the zeal of his descendants on occasion of the golden calf (Exod. xxxii :26-29), the curse pronounced by Jacob was transformed into a blessing. He died in Egypt 137 years old (Exod. vi :t6). (See LEVITES.) 2. Son of Simeon and father of Matthat. in the genealogy of Christ between David and Zerubbabel (Luke iii :29). (B. C. after 876.) 3. Son of Melchi, and father of another Matthat (Luke iii :24.) (B. C. before 22.) 4. Son of Alpheus, an apostle•elsewhere called Alatthew (Mark ii:t4; Luke v:27, 29). (See MATTHEW.)