Numbers 3:17

Summary

Numbers 3:17 introduces the three sons of Levi by name, establishing the list that structures the following genealogical material. The verse functions as a heading statement: it names Gershon, Kohath, and Merari as the bene Levi ("sons of Levi").

Key words

• va-yihyu ("and they were", H1961 + H9001) — qal verb with narrative vav, marking the sentence as a continuation of the preceding narrative sequence rather than an isolated statement.
• 'elleh ("these", H0428) — demonstrative particle pointing forward to the names that follow, anchoring the list.
• venei ("sons of", H1121A) — masculine plural noun in construct state, syntactically bound to Levi, forming the phrase "sons of Levi."
• bi-shmotam ("by their names", H8034 + H9028) — feminine plural noun shemot in construct with the third-person masculine plural suffix -am ("their"), specifying that what follows is a naming list.
• u-Qehat ("and Kohath", H9002 + H6955) — proper name joined by the conjunction vav, part of the coordinated series of three names.

What the text says

The Hebrew sentence opens with va-yihyu ("and they were"), a qal verb carrying the narrative vav that links this verse to the preceding material in Numbers 3, where Aaron's line and priestly duties are discussed. The subject is delayed: 'elleh ("these") functions cataphorically, announcing that a list will follow, while the predicate venei-Levi ("sons of Levi") identifies the category of persons being listed. The construct phrase venei-Levi binds "sons" tightly to "Levi," producing the fixed genealogical label "sons of Levi" rather than a free-standing possessive.

The phrase bi-shmotam ("by their names") uses the preposition bi ("by/in") attached to the construct noun shemot ("names") plus the suffix -am ("their"), signaling that the three items to follow are proper names rather than descriptive terms. The three names — Gershon (H1648), Kohath (H6955), and Merari (H4847) — are joined by the conjunction vav ("and") only before the second and third items (u-Qehat, u-Merari), a common Hebrew listing pattern where the first item stands without a conjunction and subsequent items are each introduced by vav.

Differences between versions

The LXX renders Kohath as Καὰθ (Kaath) and Gershon as Γεδσών (Gedsōn), showing minor transliteration variance from the Hebrew Gershon and Qehat. The Vulgate uses Caath for Kohath, close to the LXX form, and Gerson for Gershon, closer to the Hebrew consonants. The Vulgate's opening phrase "et inventi sunt" ("and they were found") diverges slightly from the Hebrew va-yihyu ("and they were"), introducing a nuance of discovery or being found that is not explicit in the Hebrew verb H1961, which simply expresses existence or occurrence.