Exodus 6:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their generations.

NIV: The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi according to their records.

NASB: And the sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations.

CSB: The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their family records.

NLT: The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, as listed in their family records.

KJV: And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.

NKJV: The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their generations.

Merari was the third son of Levi (Exodus 6:16). His two sons, Mahli and Mushi, complete the brief description of the clans of Levi (Exodus 6:16–18). Merari was among the descendants who entered Egypt with Jacob and his family (Genesis 46:8, 11). In the first census after the exodus, 6,200 Merarites were listed among the males one month old and upward (Numbers 3:34). They helped to maintain the tabernacle (Numbers 3:36–37). Their full list of duties in the tabernacle is found in Numbers 4:29–33.

The descendants of Merari would later inherit twelve cities beyond the Jordan (Joshua 21:7, 34–40). The Merarites are specifically mentioned as taking part of the cleansing of the Jewish temple in the time of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:12) and the reign of young King Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:12). According to a non-canonical book, Merari also had one daughter named Judith.

Exodus 6:14–30 records the genealogies of Moses and his brother, Aaron. This supports that this is part of God's continuous plan to arrive at this very point in history. It also clarifies their status as members of the tribe of Levi. Along the way, God reiterates and re-establishes Moses' commission as His messenger. Moses is still wracked with self-doubt.

God responds to Moses, who struggles to understand recent events (Exodus 5:22–23). Pharaoh has retaliated against the Lord's message about Israel's freedom (Exodus 5:1–9). Here, the Lord repeats His predic-tion that Israel will be freed (Exodus 3:14–22). God's specific identity and relationship to Israel are key to this response. The Lord will fulfill His promises and take the Hebrews from Egypt into the Promised Land. The passage then rec-ords the genealogies of Moses and Aaron. Moses' commission from God is also repeated.

After centuries of enslavement (Exodus 1:11–14), God commissions Moses to be His representative in freeing Israel (Exodus 3:4–10). But when Moses delivers the Lord's message (Exodus 5:1–3), Pharaoh retaliates (Exodus 5:6–9). This leads to infighting (Exodus 5:20–21) and causes Moses to doubt (Exodus 5:22–23). After the Lord offers reassurances in this chapter, He will repeat an account of how the story will play out. Then God begins to bring plagues of judgment against Egypt (Exodus 7).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 6/15/2025 10:54:09 PM