Numbers 3:17

The Summary of Families

3:17 These were the sons ¹  of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Numbers 3:20

3:20 The sons of Merari by their families were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their clans.

Numbers 3:33

The Numbering of Merari

3:33 From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were ²  the families of Merari.

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¹ tn The word “sons of” does at the outset refer to the sons of Levi. But as the listing continues the expression refers more to the family groups of the various descendants.

² tn The Hebrew text has “these they the families of Merari.” The independent personal pronoun has an anaphoric use, somewhat equivalent to the copula “and” (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 23, §115).