Merari was one of the three sons of Levi (son of Jacob) and the progenitor of a family that later formed a pillar of the tribe of Levi.
Genesis 46:11The sons of Judah: Er, Onan), Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
모세가 출애굽 한 이후 시내 산에서 율법을 세울 때 고핫의 후손이 대제사장을 맡도록 했으며(대제사장의 시조가 되는 아론이 고핫의 손자이다.) 나머지 자손들은 성막에서 수종드는 일을 했다.
므라리 자손들은 성막의 널판과 띠와 기둥과 받침, 기구 등을 맡았고, 이동할 때에는 성막을 메고 이동하는 일을 맡았다.
Numbers 3:36the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords.Numbers 3:37Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moses, and Aaron) and his sons, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death.
Numbers 10:17The standard of the camp of Reuben) went forward according to their armies. Elizur the son of Shedeur was over his army.
여호수아(눈의 아들)과 함께 가나안에 들어간 뒤 각 지파들은 땅을 배분받았고, 레위 지파는 그 가문별로 각 지파의 일부 땅을 다시 배분받았는데, 므라리 자손들은 르우벤 지파와, 갓 지파, 스불론 지파 중에서 받았다.
Joshua 21:7The children of Israel gave these cities with their pasture lands by lot to the Levites, as Yahweh commanded by Moses.
1 Chronicles 6:77and beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, were given them, out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with its pasture lands, and Jahzah with its pasture lands,
후에 유다 왕국의 왕 요시야시절에 성전을 정비하는 공사를 벌였는데, 이때도 므라리 자손들이 일부 일을 맡았다.
2 Chronicles 34:8They came to Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the money that was brought into God’s house, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had gathered from the hands of Manasseh, Ephraim, of all the remnant of Israel, of all Judah and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.2 Chronicles 34:9They delivered it into the hands of the workmen who had the oversight of Yahweh’s house; and the workmen who labored in Yahweh’s house gave it to mend and repair the house.2 Chronicles 34:10They gave it to the carpenters and to the builders, to buy cut stone and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.2 Chronicles 34:11The men did the work faithfully. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to give direction; and others of the Levites, who were all skillful with musical instruments.2 Chronicles 34:12Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and directed all who did the work in every kind of service. Of the Levites, there were scribes, officials, and gatekeepers.
이후에 에스라(학자)가 예루살렘으로 돌아와 성전을 세울 때에, 성전을 맡을 레위인이 없어 찾았는데, 마침 이 므라리의 후손이 있어 이들에게 성전 일을 맡겼다.
Ezra 8:15Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, for Elnathan, for Jarib, for Elnathan, for Nathan, for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib and for Elnathan, who were teachers.Ezra 8:16I sent them out to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia); and I told them what they should tell Iddo, and his brothers the temple servants, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.Ezra 8:17According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen;Ezra 8:18and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty;Ezra 8:19and of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred twenty temple servants. All of them were mentioned by name.Ezra 8:20Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our possessions.