ii). The Descendants of Levi (Numbers 3:17-20).
For the purpose of the numbering further details were given of who were involved. This brings out who were qualified to be Levites. It was those who were directly descended from Levi or his household.
‘And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.'
First named were naturally Levi's own sons, Gershon, Kohath and Merari. From these the Levites were outwardly descended. Of course they were not necessarily naturally so. They could have been born to others in the household of Levi thus becoming a part of the tribe of Levi. But they would be seen as ‘adopted' sons of Levi.
It would appear from this that Gershon was the first-born (compare 1 Chronicles 6:1). It is therefore significant that it was the sons of Kohath who obtained the highest position, that of bearing the Ark and the Sanctuary furniture. This would seem to confirm that the reason for their selection, and therefore also for the selection of the Levites as a whole, was more to do with their relationship with Moses and Aaron. All that the molten calf incident did was demonstrate that they were not to be excluded because of unbelief. But in the end they were chosen because of their connections with the chosen ones.
‘And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei. And the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, and Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.'
Descent from the three sons of Levi was then described. If these were the grandsons, as they seemingly were (Numbers 3:27), then Amram was not the direct father of Moses, but his famous ancestor (see also 1 Chronicles 6:1-3). But it was quite common in those days for an ancestor to be described as a person's ‘father'.