merarites

1 definition found

merarites - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  Merarites
  the descendants of Merari (Num. 26:57). They with the
  Gershonites and the Kohathites had charge of the tabernacle,
  which they had to carry from place to place (Num. 3:20, 33-37;
  4:29-33). In the distribution of the oxen and waggons offered by
  the princes (Num. 7), Moses gave twice as many to the Merarites
  (four waggons and eight oxen) as he gave to the Gershonites,
  because the latter had to carry only the lighter furniture of
  the tabernacle, such as the curtains, hangings, etc., while the
  former had to carry the heavier portion, as the boards, bars,
  sockets, pillars, etc., and consequently needed a greater supply
  of oxen and waggons. This is a coincidence illustrative of the
  truth of the narrative. Their place in marching and in the camp
  was on the north of the tabernacle. The Merarites afterwards
  took part with the other Levitical families in the various
  functions of their office (1 Chr. 23:6, 21-23; 2 Chr. 29:12,
  13). Twelve cities with their suburbs were assigned to them
  (Josh. 21:7, 34-40).