In the foundational history of the Levites, the tribe set apart for the service of the Tabernacle and the preservation of the “Ancient Paths,” we find the name of Kohath. He was the second son of Levi and the grandson of Jacob. His life and lineage were of such critical importance that his descendants formed one of the three primary divisions of the Levites, bearing a responsibility that was both physically demanding and spiritually perilous. As the scripture records: “And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari” (Genesis 46:11).
Kohath lived for one hundred and thirty-three years, a span of time in which he saw the family of Israel grow into a great nation while in the land of Egypt. His physical obedience was found in his role as a patriarch, fathering Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Most notably, Kohath was the grandfather of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam through his son Amram. Thus, from the house of Kohath came the deliverer of Israel and the first High Priest, establishing the Kohathites as the royal line of the priesthood.
The “Defence of the Truth” was entrusted to the sons of Kohath in a unique and fearsome way. When the camp of Israel moved through the wilderness, the Kohathites were responsible for the most holy things within the Tabernacle—the Ark of the Covenant, the table of shewbread, the candlestick, and the altars. Unlike the other Levites who used wagons, the Kohathites were required to carry these sacred vessels upon their shoulders. The scripture warns of the gravity of their station: “But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die” (Numbers 4:18-20).
The legacy of Kohath is one of proximity to the Presence of the King. To be a Kohathite was to live and work at the very center of the camp, closest to the Glory of God. They remind us that those who handle the things of God must do so with theological precision and a heart of reverence. We look upon Kohath with an admiring eye, for he was the root of a branch that produced the leaders who brought the Law of God to the world. His life proves that the most burdensome tasks, when performed in service to the Almighty, are the highest honors a man can receive.