Gershon

Gershon (also Gershom; meaning: his banishment; the change of pilgrimage) was the firstborn son of Levi and ancestor of one of the three great Levitical divisions that served the tabernacle and later the temple. His brothers were Kohath and Merari (Genesis 46:11; Exodus 6:16). The Gershonites, descendants of Gershon's sons Libni and Shimei, were assigned specific duties in the transportation and care of the tabernacle — responsible for the curtains, coverings, hangings, and cords of the sanctuary and its courts (Numbers 3:21–26; 4:21–28).

In the wilderness camp the Gershonites were stationed on the west side of the tabernacle. They were given two wagons and four oxen to carry the heavy curtains and coverings under the supervision of Ithamar son of Aaron. Their work was distinct from the Kohathites (who bore the sacred furniture on poles) and the Merarites (who transported the structural framework). After the conquest, thirteen cities in Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh were assigned to the Gershonite Levites as their dwelling places (Joshua 21:6). The Gershonite division remained active through the monarchic period and the restoration after the exile.