CAATH (Hebr. Qéháth). - Second son of Levi (Ex. 6, 16; Num. 3, 17; I Par. 5, 27-29 [6, 1-3]), born in Canaan (Gen. 46, 11) and died at the age of 133 (Ex. 6, 18). Among the clans of his four sons Amram, Isaar, Hebron, and Oziel, that of the first (Amram) remained famous, Aronne (v.), progenitor of the high priests and priests (Ex. 6, 20).
Since the priests, superior to the Levites, were called “sons of Aronne,” the term “Caathites,” or descendants of Caath, came to be restricted (except in Ios. 21, 4) to designating that group of Levites entrusted with transporting the sacred vessels after they had been wrapped in cloths by the priests. They were not permitted, under penalty of death, to see or touch these sacred furnishings while they were still uncovered (Num. 4, 15-20). They had to prepare the loaves of proposition for every Sabbath (I Par. 9, 32) and carry the ark upon their shoulders (Num. 7, 1-9; I Par. 15, 2-15). Gerson (v.) Merari (v.) instead held lesser offices, such as singers or gatekeepers. Nevertheless Heman, director of sacred chant in the time of Davide, was a Caathite (I Par. 6, 18-32 [33-38]), as were also certain gatekeepers descended from Isaar through the line of Core (I Par. 9, 19).