Uzziel

Biblical Record

Uzziel was the youngest of the four sons of Kohath of the tribe of Levi. His brothers were Amram, Izhar, and Hebron (Exodus 6:18; Numbers 3:19; 1 Chronicles 6:2). Because his eldest brother, Amram, was the father of Moses and Aaron, Uzziel was their uncle. Leviticus 10:4 calls him "the uncle of Aaron." His Hebrew name is interpreted as meaning "God is my strength."

His sons were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Zithri (Exodus 6:22). Elzaphan appears as "Elizaphan" in Numbers. No deeds of Uzziel himself are recorded; Scripture preserves only genealogies and accounts of his descendants.

• Leviticus 10:4: When Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, died, Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, to carry the bodies out of the camp.
• Numbers 3:27-31: The Uzzielites were one of the four families of the Kohathite branch. Elizaphan was appointed chief of all the Kohathite families. The Kohathites were charged with the holy furnishings of the tabernacle, including the ark, the table, the candlestick, and the altars.
• 1 Chronicles 15:8, 10: When David brought up the ark of the covenant, Amminadab, chief of the sons of Uzziel, took part along with 112 of his brethren. Two hundred descendants of Elizaphan are also listed separately.
• 1 Chronicles 23:20; 24:24-25: Micah and Isshiah, descendants of Uzziel, appear among the divisions of the Levites in David's time.

The men named Uzziel in 1 Chronicles 4:42 (a descendant of Simeon), 7:7 (a descendant of Benjamin), and 25:4 (a son of Heman) are different individuals who share the same name.

Significance in Scripture

Among the Levites, Uzziel was one of the closest relatives of Aaron's priestly house. His name appears chiefly in genealogies that set out the order of the Levitical families assigned to tabernacle service. He is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretations and Debates

• The removal of the bodies in Leviticus 10: Because Aaron and his sons, as priests, had the anointing oil upon them, they could not take part in the burial (Leviticus 10:6-7). Many interpreters therefore conclude that their non-priestly cousins carried the bodies out.
• Connection with Korah's rebellion: Some commentaries in the rabbinic tradition explain the rebellion of Korah (Numbers 16) as follows: Korah, the son of Izhar, Kohath's second son, resented that Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel, the youngest, had been made chief. The biblical text does not state this motive.
• The number of generations in the genealogy: The genealogy in Exodus 6 records four generations from Levi to Moses. Scholars differ on whether this genealogy omits intervening generations.
• Mishael the son of Uzziel is a different person from Mishael (Meshach), the friend of Daniel.

In the Korean Church

Uzziel is rarely treated as a topic in his own right in sermons or Sunday school lessons. Readers usually encounter him in the genealogies of Exodus, Numbers, and 1 Chronicles while reading through the Bible. Beyond this, his sons are typically mentioned only in sermons on the deaths of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10.