This topic traces the ancient Israelites – starting with Jacob’s relocation from the Land of Canáan to Egypt, their population growth…into the exodus & wilderness with the mixed multitude. My focus here is on the growth of the Levites and, in detail, the descendants of Levi’s son Koháth, the Kohathites.
The Bible characters in this topic lived far back in history. Dating for their births & deaths is inexact. The dates used are approximate, to place the Levite lineage in historical perspective. The chronological framework is taken from Dr. Martin Anstey The Romance of Bible Chronology, v.2.
The patriarch Jacob, whose name God changed to Israel (Ge.32:28), had 12 sons (Ge.35:23-26). Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, etc…Joseph, Benjamin. The descendants of those 12 became the 12 tribes of Israel. (also see the topics “Chronology: Abraham to the Exodus” and “Israelites Identification”.)
Jacob’s 3rd son was Levi. Levi himself had 3 sons. Ge.46:11 “The sons of Levi: Gershón, Kohath and Merarí.” These 3 sons and their descendants became the Levites, descended from Levi.
Moses and his brother Aaron descended from Levi & Kohath. They were Kohathites. Moses was a priest (Ex.24:6, 29:26, Nu.7:1, Ps.99:6). Later, only Aaron and his descendants among the Levites were priests. Not all Levites or Kohathites became priests (Nu.4:17-20, 16:1-3); only the clan of Aaron did.
Ge.41:41 Jacob’s 11th son Joseph became ruler of Egypt under Pharaoh. Ge.46:5-27 Jacob, his sons and their families, went to join Joseph in Egypt circa (c) 1827 BC. Ge.41:27 Septúagint/LXX “The sons of Joseph, born to him in Egypt, were 9; all the souls of the house of Jacob who came with Joseph into Egypt, were 75.” Ac.7:14 has “75 souls”. (Males, not counting wives.) Ge.47:9 Jacob was 130 years old then. His son Joseph was 39 or 40 (cf. Ge.41:46-47 with Ge.45:6), having been born c 1867 BC.
Ge.46:8, 11 Levi’s young 2nd son Kohath and his two brothers (Gershon & Merari) went to Egypt with their father Levi & grandfather Jacob. Joseph, age 40, would live on for 70 more years, until age 110 (Ge.50:26), until c 1757 BC. Kohath was in Egypt during those 70 years that Joseph was still alive.
Nu.26:57-59 “Kohath became the father of Amrám…Jochébed bore to Amram: Aaron and Moses and their sister Miriám.” Kohath was Moses’ grandfather! Kohath wasn’t a distant ancestor. So Moses wasn’t born all that long after Joseph’s death.
Ex.2:1 “A man [Amram] from the house of Levi married a daughter of Levi.” This may reflect the line of Levi as ancestral, not Levi as her immediate father. Ellicott Commentary “A descendant of Levi, not a daughter in the literal sense.” However, cf. Zec.1:1 “Zecharíah, the prophet, the son of Berechíah, the son of Iddó”, versus Ezr.5:1 “Zechariah the son of Iddo”. Ezra’s account skipped one generation. Moses’ Exodus account could’ve skipped generations, but it seems unlikely (as we’ll see below).
In scripture, Moses & Aaron were the great-great grandsons of Jacob. Josephus Antiquities of the Jews 2:9:6 “Moses….Abraham was his ancestor, of the 7th generation.” Philo On the Life of Moses 1:2:7 “Moses is the 7th generation from the original settler in the country [Abraham].”
Abraham–Isaac–Jacob–Levi/Joseph–Kohath–Amram–Moses/Aaron…the 7 generations. No skips.
1Ch.23:15 Moses had 2 sons, Gershóm (not Gershon) and Eliézer. Ex.6:23 Moses’ brother Aaron had 4 sons: Nadáb, Abihú, Eleazár, Ithamár. When Aaron later died in the wilderness, Eleazar replaced him as the high priest (Nu.20:28). Eleazar’s son was Phinehás (Ex.6:25).
(Kohath)–Amram–Aaron/Moses–Eleazar–Phinehas…that’s only 4 generations of Kohathites, born after Jacob or Israel moved to Egypt. Ex.18:1-6 soon after the exodus, Moses’ Midianite wife Zipporáh and their 2 sons rejoined Moses in the wilderness. Moses’ sons Gershom & Eliezer were half-Midianite.
After the exodus, Nu.3:27-28 is early in the wilderness. “Of Kohath…the number of all the males from one month old and upwards, was 8,600.” What!? That’s an astounding increase in so few generations!
Here’s a question: How could the branch of Kohath (Levi’s son), reckoned from that 1 man, increase to 8,600 male descendants…after only 4 generations?! Continuing with the Levite Kohathites….
Ex.6:18, 20 “The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhár, Hebrón, Uzziél. The years of Kohath’s life were 133 years….Amram married Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses.” Moses’ mother Jochebed was a relative (LXX 1st cousin) of her husband Amram. “The years of Amram’s life were 137 years [LXX NETS 136].” Levi/Joseph–Kohath–Amram–Moses…that’s 4 generations. 1Ch.6:1-3 confirms those 4.
Humans were longer-lived in those days than now. Of Kohath’s 133 years, again, 70 of them were spent with Joseph in Egypt (c 1827–1757 BC). The traditional (supposed) Book of Jasher 68:29 indicates that elderly Kohath was still alive in the 1690s BC (when Moses was named)! So perhaps Kohath was born c 1830 BC. If so, he would’ve been age 3 when they went from Canaan to Egypt c 1827 BC. That would make Kohath age 73 when his uncle Joseph died c 1757 BC.
Kohath’s firstborn son Amram (Moses’ father) may have been born c 1811 BC, when Kohath was 19. If so, Amram’s death at age 136 or 137 was c 1675 BC (still decades prior to the exodus). Amram would’ve been age 54 when Joseph died c 1757 BC. Pulpit Commentary Ex.6:18 “Amram would have been contemporary with Joseph for above 50 years.”
Dead Sea Scrolls 4Q545 “The writing of the words of the vision of Amram, son of Qahat [Kohath], son of Levi, all that he has explained to his sons…on the day of his death in the year 136 – the year of his death [Amram’s]. In the year 152 of the exile of Israel in Egypt. Also it came to him to call Uzziel, his younger brother, and gave him Miriam his 30-year-old daughter for wife. He sent to call Aaron his 20-year-old son [3 years older than Moses]…I will explain to you your names that he wrote for Moses.” Accordingly, 152 years after the 1827 BC relocation from Canaan to Egypt was 1675 BC.
The birth of Moses, Amram’s youngest child, c 1692 BC, was only 65 years after Joseph died (c 1757 BC)! Philip Mauro The Wonders of Bible Chronology, p.40 “The interval between the death of Joseph and the birth of Moses was 64 years.” Calculating the above 4Q545 elapsed time, Amram would’ve been age 106 when Miriam was born, 116 at Aaron’s birth, 119 at Moses’ birth! Miriam was around 13 when she spoke with Pharaoh’s daughter at the Nile River regarding baby Moses, Ex.2:1-10.
For those ancient Levites to father children at such advanced ages seems too old by today’s standards. But people lived longer in those days, and could maintain their life force. Jacob died at age 147, Levi at age 137 (Ex.6:16), Kohath at age 133, Amram at 136 or 137, Aaron at 123 (Nu.33:39). De.34:7 “Moses was 120 years old when he died; his eye was not dim nor his vigor abated.” Even at age 120, Moses didn’t experience the infirmities of age that are prevalent today. He maintained his vigor! For that matter, Isaac was 60 when his twins Jacob & Esau were born (Ge.25:26). Jacob was 90 when he fathered Joseph, and near 100 when he fathered Benjamin! (ref Ge.47:9 Joseph was near 40 when his father Jacob, at age 130, came to Egypt.)
Ex.12:40 LXX “The children of Israel, while they sojourned in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan, was 430 years.” The Masoretic text omits “and the land of Canaan”. But the accounts in the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Talmud and Josephus all agree with the LXX. Josephus op. cit. 2:15:2 “They left Egypt 430 years after Abraham came into Canaan, but 215 years only after Jacob removed into Egypt. It [the exodus] was the 80th year of Moses.” They stayed 215 years in Canaan and 215 years in Egypt.
Gill Exposition “Certain it is, that Israel did not dwell in Egypt 430 years.” JFB Commentary “The period of sojourn in Egypt did not exceed 215 years.” Mauro op. cit., p.34 “The 430 years began with God’s promise to Abram, made at the time he entered into Canaan at the age of 75 (Gen.12:1-4).”
Since lives were longer back then, producing 4 generations over 215 years may be believable. But producing only 4 generations over 430 years is unbelievable!
If Abrám was born c 2117 BC, he arrived in Canaan in 2042 BC at age 75 (Ge.12:4-5). At age 100, Abraham fathered Isaac (Ge.21:5), c 2017 BC. At age 60, Isaac fathered Jacob & Esau (Ge.25:26), c 1957 BC. When Jacob was 130 (Ge.47:9), he and his moved from Canaan to Egypt, c 1827 BC.
Abram’s arrival in Canaan (c 2042 BC) until Jacob’s departure from Canaan (c 1827 BC) = 215 years in Canaan. And Jacob/Israel’s arrival in Egypt (c 1827 BC) until the exodus (c 1612 BC) = 215 years in Egypt. The total of both = 430 years…2042–1612 BC. (see “Chronology: Abraham to the Exodus”.)
Also, 4 generations of Kohathites lived during the 215 years in Egypt. Kohath–Amram–Aaron/Moses–Eleazar (and into the wilderness). Returning to the Levite/Kohathites….
Nu.3:19 “The sons of Kohath: Amram and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.” Besides Amram (the father of Moses & Aaron), Kohath had 3 other sons. Kohath’s 2nd son was Izhar (uncle to Moses & Aaron).
Nu.16:1-4 also confirms 4 generations. (No skips.) “Now Kórah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi…incited rebellion against Moses and Aaron, and said, ‘Why do you exalt yourselves?” Izhar’s son Korah was Moses’ 1st cousin! Korah, being a near relative, thought he should have more input or authority. But because of his insurrection, Korah died in an earthquake or sinkhole (Nu.16:32).
Nu.3:27-29 “Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites and the family of the Uzzielites.” To repeat, Kohath’s 4 sons (born in Egypt) were: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, Uzziel. Kohath’s grandsons, which include Moses & Aaron, were also born in Egypt. Kohath’s great-grandsons, which include the 6 sons of Moses/Aaron, also were born before the exodus.
Again, the (priestly) line in 1Ch.6:1-3 confirms the generations of descent from Levi & Kohath. “The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath and Merari. The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. The children of Amram were Aaron, Moses and Miriam. And the sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.” The Kohathite Aaron and his descendants became the priests in Israel.
So these genealogies in Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, 1Chronicles agree. It appears that no generations were skipped in those scriptural accounts.
Early in the wilderness, the Kohathites from the ages of 30 to 50 totaled 2,750 men (Nu.4:34-37). And Kohathites from the age of one month and up totaled 8,600 men (Nu.3:27-28). Again, Kohath’s branch (which included Aaron & the priests) had increased from 1 to 8,600 males after only 4 generations!
Tracing further the Levite Kohath’s descendants…Ex.6:20-21 Moses/Aaron’s uncle Izhar had 3 sons; Korah (Nu.16:1), Népheg, Zichrí. Ex.6:22 & Le.10:4 Moses/Aaron’s uncle Uzziel had 3 sons; Mishaél or Micháh, Elzaphán, Sithrí. Perhaps a 4th son of Uzziel was Issiáh (1Ch.23:20)? I’ll include him in the count. 1Ch.23:19 Moses/Aaron’s uncle Hebron had 4 sons; Jeriáh, Amariáh, Jahaziél, Jekámeam.
So Moses & Aaron had 11 male paternal first cousins, most or all of whom lived into the exodus.
Including Moses & Aaron, this would result in only 13 male Kohathites in Moses/Aaron’s generation! Kohath was their grandfather. The 13 male first cousins were: Moses, Aaron, Korah, Nepheg, Zichri, Mishael or Michah, Elzaphan, Sithri, Issiah (possibly), Jeriah, Amariah, Jahaziel, Jekameam.
Female paternal cousins, daughters of one’s father’s siblings, would become part of whatever clan they married into (unless she married her own cousin, a grandson of Kohath). Female maternal cousins, daughters of one’s mother’s siblings, wouldn’t be Kohathites (unless an aunt married one of Kohath’s four sons).
The Bible uses patrilineal reckoning from the fathers (not the traditional Jewish matrilineal reckoning from mothers). Nu.1:18 “They registered by ancestry in their families, by their father’s households, according to the number of names.” Not according to the mothers.
Again, the Kohathite generation previous to Moses/Aaron consisted of Amram, Izhar, Uzziel, Hebron. Those 4 brothers most likely died in Egypt; none of them living into the exodus & wilderness.
The 13 male Kohathites in Moses & Aaron’s generation had sons. 1Ch.23:15 Moses had 2 sons; Gershom, Eliezer. Ex.6:23 Aaron had 4 sons; Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, Ithamar. Ex.6:24 cousin Korah had 3 sons; Assír, Elkanáh, Abiasáph.
The cousins Moses, Aaron, Korah had 9 sons between them. Scripture doesn’t tell us the number of sons had by the other 10 first cousins. We can speculate or estimate that 10 other cousins had maybe 40 sons between them? If so, there were close to 50 males in the next generation of Kohathites.
Possibly the 13 males in Moses/Aaron’s generation all lived into the wilderness. (Nu.16:32 Korah died in the wilderness earthquake or sinkhole.) Add to the 13 the perhaps 50 sons they had…the males still alive from 3 generations of Kohathites then totaled only 63. Amram’s generation = 0; Aaron/Moses’ generation = 13; Eleazar/Gershom’s generation = est. 50. Total = est. 63.
We don’t know how many grandsons Moses, Aaron and the other 11 first cousins had. Ex.6:25 Aaron’s son Eleazar had a son named Phinehas. Nu.25:7 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest.” Only a few grandsons of the 13 Kohathite cousins are identified in scripture.
Even if the 13 first cousins had 50 sons who had 350 sons of their own (7 sons each!)…that’s only 413 total Kohathites. 413 = 8,187 less than the 8,600 male Kohathites of Nu.3:28, early in the wilderness!
Let’s now look at the other two Levite branches, besides the Kohathites. Again, Ge.46:11 Kohath had two brothers…Gershon (not Gershom) and Merari, sons of Levi. There were 3 branches of Levites.
{Sidelight: The 3 branches of Levites later had specific duties in the wilderness. The Gershonites were on the west side of the tabernacle and carried its tapestry (Nu.3:23-26). The Merarites camped on the north side and transported the tabernacle frames & support system (Nu.3:35-37). The Kohathites were on the south side and transported the holy furnishings (Nu.3:29-31). Moses and the priests (Aaron and his sons) camped to the east and served the sanctuary (Nu.3:38).}
Nu.3:18 “These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans, Libní and Shiméi.” Gershon had 2 sons. Nu.3:20 “The sons of Merari by their clans, Mahlí and Mushí.” Merari also had only 2 sons. Nu.3:19 again, Kohath had 4 sons. All the Levites named here in Nu.3:17-20 died prior to the exodus.
I won’t trace the lesser lineages of Gershon and Merari. (ref e.g. 1Ch.23:6-24.) Yet early in the wilderness the total male Gershonites were 7,500 (Nu.3:21-22). And the total male Merarites were 6,200 (Nu.3:33-34). Adding in the 8,600 Kohathite males…there were 22,000 (or 22,300) total Levite males. Nu.3:39 “All the numbered men of the Levites…from a month old and upward, were 22,000.”
Another question: How did the tribe of Levi, tracking from his 3 sons, become 22,000 or 22,300 males from age one month and up, during that same period (215 years)?! What an increase from only 3 men!
Furthermore, during the same period of time, the 75-85 males (Ge.46:27 LXX) who were in Egypt with Jacob/Joseph increased to 603,550 non-Levite warriors age 20 and up, early in the wilderness (Nu.1:45-47)! Josephus op. cit. 2:15:1 “The entire multitude of those who went out [from Egypt], including the women and children, that were of a fit age for war, were 600,000.” Philo On the Life of Moses 1:27:147 “The men of age to bear arms were more than 600,000 men.”
So a related third question: How could the 75-85 males increase to more than 600,000 after only 4 generations?!
Were there strong aphrodisiacs in Egypt to heighten libido?! Did each woman have dozens of children?
This topic about the Levites/Kohathites and the number of mixed multitude who comprised the exodus from Egypt is continued in “Levites and the Exodus Multitude (2)”.
Bible Topic Exposition 