Levite
Jewish male descended patrilineally from the Hebrew tribe of Levi From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jewish male descended patrilineally from the Hebrew tribe of Levi From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Levite or Levi[2] (Hebrew language: לֵוִי) is a Jewish male descended from the Tribe of Levi on the father's side.[3]
Total population | |
---|---|
~500,000–600,000 worldwide[a] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
![]() | 240,000 |
![]() | 200,000 |
![]() | 16,000 |
![]() | 12,000 |
Languages | |
Vernacular: Hebrew, English Historical: Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic | |
Religion | |
Judaism, Samaritanism | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Jews, Samaritans | |
Levites are the descendants of the Tribe of Levi, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Levites are integrated in Jewish and Samaritan communities, but keep a distinct status. There are estimated 300,000 Levites among Ashkenazi Jewish communities.[1] Total percentage of Levites among Jews is about 4%. |
The Levites of the Book of Leviticus were priests. In that book and the Book of Numbers they help Moses make prayers to God in the tabernacle (a holy tent).