LEVITE, the descendants of Levi, one of the 12 sons of Jacob (Gen. xxix: 34). Moses and Aaron were of Levite extrac tion (Exod. 1-10, iv: 14), and when th descendants of Aaron were formally set apart to perpetuate the priesthood, the other Levites were designated as a sacred caste to assist in the work of the sanctuary (Num. iii: xvii: 2-8). The chief branches of the Levites were the Kohathites, the Gershonites, and the Merarites (Num. iii: iv.). To these, separate functions were assigned, the more important being intrusted to the Kohathites, among whom were Moses and Aaron (I Chron. vi: 1-3). The Levites took office at 25 years old (Num. viii: 24, 25), or at 30, and had to re sign at 50 (Num. iv: 3, 23, 30-39, 43-47). They were consecrated to their office (Num. viii: 5-26). They were to have no tribal territory; Jehovah was to be their inheritance (Num. xviii: 20; xxvi: 62; Deut. x: 9; xviii: 2; Josh: xviii: 7). But special cities were to be assigned to them, so scattered over the country as to enable them to render ec clesiastical and spiritual service to all the tribes (Josh. xxi.). The six cities of refuge were all Levitical cities (Num.
xxxv: 1-8). They were to be supported by tithes, but themselves were to pay tithes to the priesthood (Num. xviii: 21-24, 26-32; Neh. x: 37). The Levites obtained much respect under Moses and Joshua. At the times of the judges their social position greatly declined (Judges xviii.). They revived under Samuel, but declined under Saul; David reorganized them, assigning 24,000 to assist the priests, 4,000 to be musicians, 4,000 to be gate-keepers, and 6,000 for other duties (I Chron. xxiii-xxvi.). The religious schism which followed on the revolt of the 10 tribes superseded the Levites over the whole kingdom of Israel, on which multitudes of them re moved to Judah (II Chron. xi: 13, 14; xiii. 9), exerting a great influence, spirit ual, social, and political, through every subsequent change, till the destruction of Jerusalem under Titus. The office of the Levites made them the intellectual as well as the spiritual caste. The only mention of Levites in the New Testa ment is in tbe Parable of the Good Sa maritan (Luke x: 32).