1) one of the tribe of Levi
 2) in a narrower sense those were called Levites who, not being of
    the family of Aaron, for whom alone the priesthood was reserved,
    served as assistants to the priests. It was their duty to keep the
    sacred utensils and the temple clean, to provide the sacred
    loaves, to open and shut the gates of the temple, to sing the
    sacred hymns in the temple, and to do many other things.