(Hebrews Merari', מְרָרַי, sad; Sept. Μεραρί), the youngest son of Levi, probably born in Canaan (Genesis 46:11; Exodus 6:16; Numbers 3:17; 1 Chronicles 6:1). BC. 1874. Of Merari's personal history, beyond the fact of his birth before the descent of Jacob into Egypt, and of his being one of the seventy who accompanied Jacob thither, we know nothing whatever (Genesis 46:8; Genesis 46:11). He became the head of the third great division (מַשְׁפָּחָה ) of the Levites, whose designation in Hebrew is the same as that of their progenitor, only with the article prefixed, viz. הִמְּרָרַי, i.e. the Merarites (Exodus 6:19), who during the march through the desert had charge of the materials of the Tabernacle (Numbers 3:36; Numbers 4:30 sq.), for the transportation of which they were provided with four carts, each drawn by a yoke of oxen (Numbers 7:8). In Palestine they were assigned twelve trans-Jordanic cities for a residence (Joshua 21:7; Joshua 21:34 sq.). (See MERARITE).