(טז) וְאֵ֨לֶּה שְׁמ֤וֹת בְּנֵֽי־לֵוִי֙ לְתֹ֣לְדֹתָ֔ם גֵּרְשׁ֕וֹן וּקְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִ֑י וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י לֵוִ֔י שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃ (יז) בְּנֵ֥י גֵרְשׁ֛וֹן לִבְנִ֥י וְשִׁמְעִ֖י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃ (יח) וּבְנֵ֣י קְהָ֔ת עַמְרָ֣ם וְיִצְהָ֔ר וְחֶבְר֖וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵ֑ל וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י קְהָ֔ת שָׁלֹ֧שׁ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃ (יט) וּבְנֵ֥י מְרָרִ֖י מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַלֵּוִ֖י לְתֹלְדֹתָֽם׃ (כ) וַיִּקַּ֨ח עַמְרָ֜ם אֶת־יוֹכֶ֤בֶד דֹּֽדָתוֹ֙ ל֣וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד ל֔וֹ אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֖ן וְאֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וּשְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י עַמְרָ֔ם שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֛ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָֽה׃
(16) These are the names of Levi’s sons by their lineage: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; and the span of Levi’s life was 137 years. (17) The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their families. (18) The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; and the span of Kohath’s life was 133 years. (19) The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their lineage. (20) Amram took to wife his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses; and the span of Amram’s life was 137 years.
(א) בְּנֵ֖י לֵוִ֑י גֵּרְשֹׁ֕ם קְהָ֖ת וּמְרָרִֽי׃ (ב) וְאֵ֛לֶּה שְׁמ֥וֹת בְּֽנֵי־גֵרְשׁ֖וֹם לִבְנִ֥י וְשִׁמְעִֽי׃ (ג) וּבְנֵ֖י קְהָ֑ת עַמְרָ֣ם וְיִצְהָ֔ר וְחֶבְר֖וֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵֽל׃ (ד) בְּנֵ֥י מְרָרִ֖י מַחְלִ֣י וּמֻשִׁ֑י וְאֵ֛לֶּה מִשְׁפְּח֥וֹת הַלֵּוִ֖י לַאֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ (ה) לְֽגֵרְשׁ֑וֹם לִבְנִ֥י בְנ֛וֹ יַ֥חַת בְּנ֖וֹ זִמָּ֥ה בְנֽוֹ׃ (ו) יוֹאָ֤ח בְּנוֹ֙ עִדּ֣וֹ בְנ֔וֹ זֶ֥רַח בְּנ֖וֹ יְאָתְרַ֥י בְּנֽוֹ׃ (ז) בְּנֵ֖י קְהָ֑ת עַמִּינָדָ֣ב בְּנ֔וֹ קֹ֥רַח בְּנ֖וֹ אַסִּ֥יר בְּנֽוֹ׃ (ח) אֶלְקָנָ֥ה בְנ֛וֹ וְאֶבְיָסָ֥ף בְּנ֖וֹ וְאַסִּ֥יר בְּנֽוֹ׃ (ט) תַּ֤חַת בְּנוֹ֙ אוּרִיאֵ֣ל בְּנ֔וֹ עֻזִּיָּ֥ה בְנ֖וֹ וְשָׁא֥וּל בְּנֽוֹ׃
(1) The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. (2) And these are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. (3) The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. (4) The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These were the families of the Levites according to their clans. (5) Of Gershom: his son Libni, his son Jahath, his son Zimmah, (6) his son Joah, his son Iddo, his son Zerah, his son Jeatherai. (7) The sons of Kohath: his son Amminadab, his son Korah, his son Assir, (8) his son Elkanah, his son Ebiasaph, his son Assir, (9) his son Tahath, his son Uriel, his son Uzziah, and his son Shaul.
Who is missing from the genealogy of Levi in Chronicles?
(ה) זִכְר֗וּ נִפְלְאוֹתָ֥יו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֑ה מֹ֝פְתָ֗יו וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיו׃ (ו) זֶ֭רַע אַבְרָהָ֣ם עַבְדּ֑וֹ בְּנֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב בְּחִירָֽיו׃ ...(טו) אַֽל־תִּגְּע֥וּ בִמְשִׁיחָ֑י וְ֝לִנְבִיאַי אַל־תָּרֵֽעוּ׃ (טז) וַיִּקְרָ֣א רָ֭עָב עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כָּֽל־מַטֵּה־לֶ֥חֶם שָׁבָֽר׃ (יז) שָׁלַ֣ח לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם אִ֑ישׁ לְ֝עֶ֗בֶד נִמְכַּ֥ר יוֹסֵֽף׃ (יח) עִנּ֣וּ בַכֶּ֣בֶל רגליו [רַגְל֑וֹ] בַּ֝רְזֶ֗ל בָּ֣אָה נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ (יט) עַד־עֵ֥ת בֹּֽא־דְבָר֑וֹ אִמְרַ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה צְרָפָֽתְהוּ׃ (כ) שָׁ֣לַח מֶ֭לֶךְ וַיַּתִּירֵ֑הוּ מֹשֵׁ֥ל עַ֝מִּ֗ים וַֽיְפַתְּחֵֽהוּ׃ (כא) שָׂמ֣וֹ אָד֣וֹן לְבֵית֑וֹ וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל בְּכָל־קִנְיָנֽוֹ׃ (כב) לֶאְסֹ֣ר שָׂרָ֣יו בְּנַפְשׁ֑וֹ וּזְקֵנָ֥יו יְחַכֵּֽם׃ (כג) וַיָּבֹ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מִצְרָ֑יִם וְ֝יַעֲקֹ֗ב גָּ֣ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־חָֽם׃ (כד) וַיֶּ֣פֶר אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ מְאֹ֑ד וַ֝יַּֽעֲצִמֵהוּ מִצָּרָֽיו׃ (כה) הָפַ֣ךְ לִ֭בָּם לִשְׂנֹ֣א עַמּ֑וֹ לְ֝הִתְנַכֵּ֗ל בַּעֲבָדָֽיו׃ (כו) שָׁ֭לַח מֹשֶׁ֣ה עַבְדּ֑וֹ אַ֝הֲרֹ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּֽחַר־בּֽוֹ׃ (כז) שָֽׂמוּ־בָ֭ם דִּבְרֵ֣י אֹתוֹתָ֑יו וּ֝מֹפְתִ֗ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חָֽם׃
(5) Remember the wonders He has done, His portents and the judgments He has pronounced, (6) O offspring of Abraham, His servant, O descendants of Jacob, His chosen ones... (15) “Do not touch My anointed ones; do not harm My prophets.” (16) He called down a famine on the land, destroyed every staff of bread. (17) He sent ahead of them a man, Joseph, sold into slavery. (18) His feet were subjected to fetters; an iron collar was put on his neck. (19) Until his prediction came true the decree of the LORD purged him. (20) The king sent to have him freed; the ruler of nations released him. (21) He made him the lord of his household, empowered him over all his possessions, (22) to discipline his princes at will, to teach his elders wisdom. (23) Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. (24) He made His people very fruitful, more numerous than their foes. (25) He changed their heart to hate His people, to plot against His servants. (26) He sent His servant Moses, and Aaron, whom He had chosen. (27) They performed His signs among them, His wonders, against the land of Ham.
(יב) זִכְר֗וּ נִפְלְאֹתָיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה מֹפְתָ֖יו וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיהוּ׃ (יג) זֶ֚רַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עַבְדּ֔וֹ בְּנֵ֥י יַעֲקֹ֖ב בְּחִירָֽיו׃ (יד) ה֚וּא יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ בְּכָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ מִשְׁפָּטָֽיו׃ (טו) זִכְר֤וּ לְעוֹלָם֙ בְּרִית֔וֹ דָּבָ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה לְאֶ֥לֶף דּֽוֹר׃ (טז) אֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּרַת֙ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֔ם וּשְׁבוּעָת֖וֹ לְיִצְחָֽק׃ (יז) וַיַּעֲמִידֶ֤הָ לְיַעֲקֹב֙ לְחֹ֔ק לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם׃ (יח) לֵאמֹ֗ר לְךָ֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֔עַן חֶ֖בֶל נַחֲלַתְכֶֽם׃ (יט) בִּֽהְיֽוֹתְכֶם֙ מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֔ר כִּמְעַ֖ט וְגָרִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃ (כ) וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙ מִגּ֣וֹי אֶל־גּ֔וֹי וּמִמַּמְלָכָ֖ה אֶל־עַ֥ם אַחֵֽר׃ (כא) לֹא־הִנִּ֤יחַ לְאִישׁ֙ לְעָשְׁקָ֔ם וַיּ֥וֹכַח עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מְלָכִֽים׃ (כב) אַֽל־תִּגְּעוּ֙ בִּמְשִׁיחָ֔י וּבִנְבִיאַ֖י אַל־תָּרֵֽעוּ׃ (פ) (כג) שִׁ֤ירוּ לַֽיהוָה֙ כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ בַּשְּׂר֥וּ מִיּֽוֹם־אֶל־י֖וֹם יְשׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃
(12) Remember the wonders He has done; His portents and the judgments He has pronounced, (13) O offspring of Israel, His servant, O descendants of Jacob, His chosen ones. (14) He is the LORD our God; His judgments are throughout the earth. (15) Be ever mindful of His covenant, the promise He gave for a thousand generations, (16) that He made with Abraham, swore to Isaac, (17) and confirmed in a decree for Jacob, for Israel, as an eternal covenant, (18) saying,‘To you I will give the land of Canaan as your allotted heritage.’ (19) You were then few in number, a handful, merely sojourning there, (20) wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. (21) He allowed no one to oppress them; He reproved kings on their account, (22) ‘Do not touch My anointed ones; do not harm My prophets.’ (23) “Sing to the LORD, all the earth. proclaim His victory day after day.
These selections from Psalm and Chronicles are closely parallel. What is not found in Chronicles?
Focusing on the Jews in particular, it is impossible to trace all the ramifications of the development of their culture. Maybe they would have a scripture, but it would not include the Five Books of Moses. All that would have been left of the Jewish Bible, aside from Chronicles, are the few texts that do not depend on the Exodus story: a few minor prophets, Esther, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, Lamentations. Maybe Jews would still celebrate Passover but not by reading the Haggadah or recounting the four sons or singing “Dayenu.” Eventually perhaps, a modern secularized Jewish culture would have abandoned these traditions – assuming such a culture could have ever developed in the absence of an authoritative biblical tradition to define itself against – but these secularized Jews would not have the Exodus story to help them to adapt their culture to the values of a new epoch. No Exodus, and no tradition of Miriam's cup at the Passover Seder, for example; neither would there be any other feminist expansions of the Exodus story that aim to adapt Jewish tradition to an age of emancipation,gender equality and self-empowerment.Without the Exodus story, could Jews have even survived? If Jews had had to rely on Chronicles as their sacred story, there is little in this story that would have prepared them for how to weather the challenges of the historical experience awaiting them in future periods. --From Steven Weitzman, "What If the Exodus Had Never Happened?" in Gavriel D. Rosenfeld, Ed., What Ifs of Jewish History, Cambridge University Press, 2016