Levi

After leaving Egypt the children of Israel camped at Mount Sinai for almost a year, an event unique in human history occurred there. Following the unanimous acceptance of His conditions, God became King of that nation.

Subsequently, God presented Moses with detailed plans of a portable palace - the tabernacle - in which He would dwell among His subjects and there communicate with them. The Lord then chose five men of the tribe of Levi to be His representatives.

These were Aaron (Moses' brother) and his four sons. Only these men, by offering up specified sacrifices, could make reconciliation between God and an erring nation or individual; and only they were allowed to enter the tabernacle and so come into the Lord's presence. The priests of Israel were mediators between God and the nation.

The Lord also ordained that the other members of this tribe of Levi were to serve the priests as required, to carry the disassembled tabernacle complex and its holy furniture through the wilderness, and to teach and administer the laws and judgements of God among the people. Of a truth, Levi's descendants were chosen by God to be His servant tribe - the nation's public service.

The tribe of Levi camped between the tabernacle and the four brigades of Israel thereby demonstrating that approaches to God could be made only through His chosen representatives. The Levites were not required to undertake military service; they received no tribal territory in Canaan, and were supported by a uniform tax of 10% on gross income (i.e. the tithe) of all other Israelites.

The Urim and Thummim were mysterious articles that were stored in the high priest's "breastplate of judgement". This breastplate was made "with cunning work ... of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen" and was about eleven inches square. Mounted on the breastplate were twelve jewels, each engraved with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. It was worn by the high priest as a "memorial before the Lord continually" and was supported over his chest by two gold chains hooked on to two gold rings fixed to its upper corners (Exodus 28). Ancient tradition reveals that this breastplate became the heraldic device of the tribe of Levi.

Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah and, although Jacob linked Simeon and Levi together in his final discourse, only Simeon included the sword in its heraldry.

In contrast with the common occurrence of the heraldic emblems of Reuben and Simeon throughout the British Isles and parts of Europe, as shown previously, those of Levi are rare. Nevertheless, this insignia is to be found in the Arms of Westminster which is the centre of the British public service in London. It is also included on the badges of the Canadian and British Customs Services.