Levite, member of a group of clans of religious functionaries in ancient Israel who apparently were given a special religious status, conjecturally for slaughtering idolaters of the golden calf during the time of Moses (Ex. 32:25–29). They thus replaced the firstborn sons of Israel who were “dedicated to the service of the Lord” for having been preserved from death at the time of the first Passover (Ex. 12).
Inconclusive evidence has been presented to show that the Levites originally constituted a secular tribe that was named (some say only symbolically) after Levi, the third son born to Jacob and his first wife, Leah. If the Levites were a secular tribe, scholars generally believe it no longer existed when the Israelites took possession of the Promised Land; for the Levites, unlike the 12 tribes of Israel, were not assigned a specific territory of their own but rather 48 cities scattered throughout the entire country (Numbers 35:1–8). Other scholars, however, argue that it would have been improper for the Levites to possess land, even if they were a secular tribe, for as priestly officials “the offerings by fire to the Lord God of Israel are their inheritance” (Joshua 13:14). The history of the Levites is further obscured by the possibility that their ranks may have included representatives of all the tribes.
Because the priestly functions of the Levites evidently changed during the course of centuries, historians are still unable to explain satisfactorily such problems as the relationship that existed between the Levites and the members of the priesthood, who were descendants of Aaron, himself a descendant of Levi. The priests of Aaron clearly acquired sole right to the Jewish priesthood. Those who performed subordinate services associated with public worship were known as Levites. In this capacity, the Levites were musicians, gate keepers, guardians, Temple officials, judges, and craftsmen.
In modern synagogue practice, a Levite is called upon to bless the reading of the second portion of the Law during a service.