The Hebrew Bible reflects ambiguity concerning the historical existence of the Levites as a group distinguished from the priesthood. Post-exilic and late Second Temple sources also present a variety of voices concerning the extent to which Levites participated in the temple’s worship. This article argues that, while rabbinic sources appear to portray a straightforward retrospective description of the Levites as a group of temple-servants who are clearly subordinated to the priests and responsible for temple singing, a closer reading reveals differences of opinion. Disagreements concerning the exact place in the temple in which the Levites used to sing, reflect significantly different views concerning the status of the Levites in the temple and the importance of their singing. This rabbinic dispute echoes similar late Second Temple period controversies, and sources from the two periods may shed light on each other.

希伯来圣经反映了关于利未人作为一个有别于祭司的群体的历史存在的模糊性。流放后和第二圣殿晚期的资料也提出了关于利未人在多大程度上参与圣殿崇拜的各种声音。本文认为，虽然拉比资料似乎将利未人直接回顾性地描述为一群明显隶属于祭司并负责圣殿歌唱的圣殿仆人，但仔细阅读会发现不同的意见。关于利未人过去在圣殿中唱歌的确切位置的分歧，反映了关于利未人在圣殿中的地位以及他们唱歌的重要性的截然不同的看法。