Definition: And these [are] the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi [were] an hundred thirty and seven years.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Exodus 6:16. It's a really important and surprising part of the story of how the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt. Here’s what it means in simple terms: The Basic Story: God wanted to establish a covenant with Israel. God decided that He would choose a specific group of people – the Israelites – to be his chosen people. Levi was the leader of this group. Levi was a tribe within Israel, and they were responsible for carrying the Ark of the Covenant, which held God’s presence. The story goes that God created twelve sons of Levi. These twelve sons were given specific names – Gershon, Kohath, Merari – and their lineage traced back all the way to Levi himself. Their life span was incredibly long: The verse says their lifetime was "an hundred thirty and seven years." What it’s saying is that the original group of twelve sons of Levi had lived for a very long time. It emphasizes how important this lineage was to God's plan. Important Note: This story is part of an ancient text where God used symbolic language to show His plan. It's not meant to be a literal history of the Israelites as they knew them. --- In short, this verse tells us that the twelve sons of Levi were the original leaders and custodians of the Ark of the Covenant for a very long time – a significant period in Israel’s history. Do you have any other questions about this passage or would you like to explore a specific aspect of it further? For example, are you curious about: The significance of the Ark of the Covenant? Why this story is considered important in Jewish tradition?