Levite

A Levite was a member of the tribe of Levi assigned to assist the Aaronic priests in the service of the tabernacle and temple. Levites were consecrated to God in place of the firstborn of all Israel (Num. 3:12–13) and received no territorial inheritance in Canaan, being supported instead by the tithes of the other tribes (Num. 18:21–24). Their duties included carrying the tabernacle furnishings through the wilderness, serving as gatekeepers, musicians, and teachers of the law, and assisting in sacrificial preparations. Post-exilic Judaism codified the distinction between Aaronic priests and the broader Levitical order. The Good Samaritan parable specifically identifies a Levite as one who passed by the wounded man without helping (Luke 10:32), using priestly and Levitical status as a foil for true neighborly compassion.