Bible Figure
Merari
biblical character (Genesis 46)
Merari was a son of Levi and ancestor of the Merarite division of Levites.
Biography
Genesis 46 and Exodus 6 list Merari with Gershon and Kohath as Levi's sons. In the wilderness, Merari's descendants were responsible for the structural components of the tabernacle, including frames, bars, pillars, bases, and related equipment, under Ithamar's supervision. Merarite families later received Levitical towns and continued in organized worship service.
Biblical Significance
Merari is one of the three principal ancestral heads of the Levites. The Merarites' practical responsibility for the sanctuary's heavy structural components was essential to Israel's mobile worship.