Levi

Levi (lē`vī), in the Bible.

1 Son of Jacob and Leah and eponymous ancestor of the Levites. His name appears infrequently—at his birth, when he and Simeon massacred the Shechemites out of revenge, when Jacob migrated to Egypt, and finally when he is named in the prophecy of his father.

2 See Matthew, Saint.

3,

4 Names in the Gospel genealogy.

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Levi

In ancient Israel, the third son of the patriarch Jacob. Levi became head of the clans of religious functionaries known as Levites. Unlike the 12 tribes of Israel, the Levites were given no allotment of land when Canaan was conquered. They are thought to have performed subordinate services associated with public worship, serving as musicians, guardians, Temple officials, judges, and craftsmen.

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Levi¹

1. Carlo. 1902--75, Italian physician, painter, and writer. Best known for his novel Christ Stopped at Eboli (1947), his other works include The Watch (1952) and Words are Stones (1958)

2. Primo . 1919--87, Italian novelist. His book If This is a Man (1947) relates his experiences in Auschwitz. Other books include The Periodic Table (1956) and The Drowned and the Saved (1988), published after his suicide

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Levi²

1. Old Testament

a. the third son of Jacob and Leah and the ancestor of the tribe of Levi (Genesis 29:34)

b. the priestly tribe descended from this patriarch (Numbers 18:21--24)

2. New Testament another name for Matthew (the apostle)