And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.
These are the Levites who were counted, organized by their family groups: from Gershon came the Gershonite family, from Kohath came the Kohathite family, and from Merari came the Merarite family.
This verse begins the census count of the Levite tribe, listing the three main family divisions that came from Levi's three sons.
📚 Historical Context
This census took place near the end of Israel's 40-year wilderness journey, as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. The Levites were set apart as the priestly tribe, responsible for caring for the tabernacle and leading worship, so they were counted separately from the other tribes. The three family lines mentioned here trace back to Levi's sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, each with specific duties in maintaining and transporting the tabernacle.
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