These are those numbered from the families of the Merarites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the authority of Moses.

and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites, as their service required, under the authority ¹  of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

They assigned to the Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) the following cities: from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah,

The Merarite clans (the remaining Levites) were allotted twelve cities.

Serving beside them were their fellow Levites, the descendants of Merari, led by ¹  Ethan, son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch,

The clans of Merari’s descendants were allotted twelve cities within the territory of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. ¹ 

The following belonged to the rest of Merari’s descendants: ¹  Within the territory of the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono ²  and its pasturelands, and Tabor and its pasturelands.

So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; one of his relatives, Asaph son of Berechiah; one of the descendants of Merari, ¹  Ethan son of Kushaiah;

Hosah, one of the descendants of Merari, had sons: The firstborn Shimri (he was not actually the firstborn, but his father gave him that status),

The following Levites prepared to carry out the king’s orders: ¹  From the Kohathites: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah; from the Merarites: Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel; from the Gershonites: Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah;

The men worked faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah (Levites descended from Merari), as well as Zechariah and Meshullam (descendants of Kohath). The Levites, all of whom were skilled musicians,