고대 이스라엘의 레위인은 누구였는가? = Who were the Levites in Ancient Israel?

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Since the work of Wellhausen, scholarly inquiries into the origins of the Levites in Ancient Israel have, to a large extent, sidestepped the issue of Levite tribalization. This oversight can be attributed to the prevailing assumption that the Levites and the tribe of Levi were interchangeable concepts. Although a majority of scholars, with a few exceptions among European researchers, have concurred that Josiah's reform significantly heightened the role of the Levites, this essay presents a distinct perspective while remaining in agreement.
At the core of this essay lies the proposition that the Levites functioned as cultic functionaries—comprising both priests and aides—since the earliest epochs of Ancient Israel's history. This assertion draws support from three indirect lines of evidence. First, the consistent utilization of cultic facilities from Late Bronze Age city-states within Iron Age sites implies an enduring tradition of worship. Second, the intertwined veneration of El and Yahweh suggests the participation of discrete priestly groups at diverse sacred locations during the monarchy. Third, the presence of abecedaries serves as a testament to scribal activities spanning from the Late Bronze Age to Iron I.
R. B. Coote underscores the intricate connection between the concept of a tribe and the existence of a state. Any tribe's nomenclature and activities would invariably find documentation within a state framework. Consequently, without the presence of a state, the notion of a tribe would remain elusive.
In light of these considerations, this essay postulates that the opportune moment to formally establish the tribe of Levi—despite its historical service as cultic functionaries—was during Josiah's transformative reform in 622 BCE. The triumph of this reform pivoted on the active collaboration and involvement of the Levites within local sanctuaries. Thus, the implementation of this reform emerges as a pivotal juncture, embodying the seminal inception of the tribe of Levi within the annals of ancient Israel's rich history.