Who was Gershon in the Bible?
Levite, during the years in Egypt and the wilderness
Gershon was the firstborn son of Levi, the third son of Israel (or 'Jacob') (Gen.46.11; Exo.6.16). Gershon appears in 9 verses across 5 books of the Bible.
What does the Bible say about Gershon?
Gershon was the firstborn son of Levi, the third son of Israel (or 'Jacob') (Gen.46.11; Exo.6.16). He had two sons, Libni and Shimei, who became the heads of the Gershonite Levite clans (Exo.6.17; Num.3.18, 21; 1Ch.6.17, 20). The Gershonites were one of the three main divisions of the Levites, along with the Kohathites and Merarites (Num.3.17; 1Ch.6.1, 16). During the wilderness wanderings, the Gershonites were responsible for the tabernacle curtains, coverings, screens, and related duties (Num.3.25-26; 4.24-28). They were counted in the census of the Levites (Num.3.22; 4.38-41) and were given wagons and oxen to transport their assigned parts of the tabernacle (Num.7.7). In the division of the Promised Land, the Gershonites were allocated thirteen cities across the territories of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and eastern Manasseh (Jos.21.6, 27-33; 1Ch.6.62, 71-76). Notable Gershonites include Asaph, a prominent musician and psalmist in King David's court (1Ch.6.39-43), and Jahath, a Levite leader during the reign of King Hezekiah (2Ch.29.12). The Gershonites played a significant role in the transportation, setup, and maintenance of the tabernacle, and later in the music and worship of the temple. Their dedicated service, along with that of the other Levite clans, was essential to the proper functioning of Israel's religious life.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Where does Gershon appear in the Bible?
Gershon is referenced in 9 verses across 5 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Chronicles 6:1
- Exodus 6:16
- Exodus 6:17
- Genesis 46:11
- Joshua 21:6
- Numbers 3:17
- Numbers 3:18
- Numbers 3:21
- Numbers 26:57
What else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Gershon.
Common questions
How many times does the Bible mention Gershon?
Gershon appears in 9 verses across 5 books, most often in Numbers, which accounts for 4 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Gershon?
Numbers, Exodus, 1 Chronicles, Genesis, Joshua.
Where can I read every verse about Gershon?
This page lists 9 of them. Protos carries all 9, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
