What Are the 12 Tribes of Israel?
Tribes of Israel Map
Question: What Are the 12 Tribes of Israel?
Answer: The land of ancient Israel was divided into 11 sections corresponding with 11 of the 12 tribes, which are based on the 12 sons of Jacob. There is an inconsistency, though, since one of the sons/tribes was not assigned land, yet there are still 12 tribes.
Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, had two wives and two concubines by whom he had 12 sons and a daughter. Jacob's favorite wife was Rachel who bore him Joseph. Jacob was quite open about his preference for Joseph, the prophetic dreamer, above all others. Joseph's brothers were jealous, sold Joseph into slavery, covered his coat of many colors with animal blood, which they then showed to Jacob, and ultimately led to the movement of the Hebrews into Egypt.
Just before Jacob died, he pronounced benedictions and maledictions with predictions on the future to each of his sons. Judah was assigned the role of leader. Jacob predicted Zebulun would live by the coast. Three of the sons, Reuben (the first-born), Simeon and Levi were scolded; the last two for their massacre of the people of Shechem. Their sister Dinah had been raped by a man of Shechem and Simeon and Levi had exacted what they considered appropriate revenge. Reuben was criticized for sleeping with one of his father's concubines. As punishment, Levi was not assigned a territory, but each of the other brothers was. This should mean 11 tribes, but Joseph received two portions (which should have been the right of the eldest son), one in the name of each of his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.
The "sons" and tribe names are:
Eastern
Southern
Western
The Family of Abraham
by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.
Various biblical passages describe the complex inter-relationships in the family of Abraham (originally named Abram). Contrary to modern Western customs, it was acceptable in ancient times to marry close family relatives, including cousins and nieces. It was evidently also common for men to have more than one wife, and even to have children with women who were not their wives (slaves or concubines). For example, Abraham's first son was the child of his wife's slave-girl; and one biblical tradition even says that his wife, Sarah, was actually his half-sister. Similarly, the twelve sons of Jacob have four different mothers: the two wives of Jacob (who are his first cousins) and two other women (slave-girls of his wives).
A prominent feature of the biblical texts is also the explanation of tribal origins through various genealogies. Thus, the Israelites (the twelve tribes of Israel) see themselves as the descendents of the twelve sons of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham. In contrast, groups like the Ishmaelites and Edomites (to the south and southeast of the Israelites) are said to be descendents of Abraham's other children and grandchildren, while the neighboring Moabites and Ammonites (west of Israel) are described as descendents of Lot, Abraham's nephew.
Another important aspect of the biblical stories is what could be called family rivalries and disputes, esp. when younger sons usurp the inheritance rights of their older brothers. Thus, Abraham's inheritance is passed on to Isaac (not the first-born Ishmael), and then to Jacob (not his elder brother Esau).
Combining all the above points helps to explain both the close relationships and the bitter rivalries between the ancient Israelites and the neighboring Semitic peoples. The Israelites (and modern Jews!) believe that the promises God made to Abraham (esp. that his descendants shall possess the Promised Land forever) were legitimately handed on to them through Isaac and Jacob (as described in the Bible), while the descendents of the other tribes (and modern Arabs!) believe that the land should belong to them, since they are descendents of the elder sons (and thus the rightful heirs) of Abraham.
The following charts can help us visualize some of these complex relationships:
NOTES: (unless otherwise noted, all biblical references are from the Book of Genesis)
- Terah: from Ur of the Chaldeans; has 3 sons; wife not named (11:26-32; cf. Luke 3:34).
- Haran: dies in Ur before his father dies; wife not named; son Lot, daughters Milcah & Iscah (11:27-28).
- Nahor: marries Milcah, daughter of his brother Haran (11:29); have 8 sons, incl. Bethuel (22:20-24).
- Abram: main character of Gen 12-25; recipient of God's promises; name changed to ABRAHAM (17:5); sons Ishmael (by Hagar) and Isaac (by Sarah); after Sarah's death, takes another wife, Keturah, who has 6 sons (25:1-4), including Midian, ancestor of the Midianites (37:28-36).
- Lot: son of Haran, thus nephew of Abram, who takes care of him (11:27-14:16; 18:17-19:29); wife and two daughters never named; widowed daughters sleep with their father and bear sons, who become ancestors of the Moabites and Ammonites (19:30-38).
- Sarai: Abram's wife, thus Terah's daughter-in-law (11:29-31); Abram also calls her his "sister," which seems deceptive in one story (12:10-20); but in another story Abram insists she really is his half-sister (his father's daughter by another wife; 20:1-18); originally childless, but in old age has a son, Isaac (16:1-21:7); name changed to SARAH (17:15); dies and is buried in Hebron (23:1-20).
- Hagar: Sarah's Egyptian slave-girl; mother of Abram's first son, Ishmael; much conflict with Sarah after his birth; even more after the birth of Sarah's son, Isaac (16:1-21:21).
- Ishmael: first-born son of Abraham, by Hagar (16:1-17:27); wife or wives never named, but has 12 sons (25:12-16), the ancestors of 12 tribes of Ishmaelites (37:25-28).
- Isaac: second son of Abraham, by wife Sarah, despite her old age (17:15-21; 21:1-35:29); marries Rebekah, who has twin sons, Esau & Jacob.
- Betheul: youngest son of Nahor & Milcah; wife unnamed; father of Rebekah (22:23) and Laban (24:29).
- Rebekah: daughter of Bethuel (22:23); becomes wife of Isaac (24:15-25:20); favors their younger son.
- Laban:son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah; has extensive interactions with Jacob (24:29-31:55).
- Esau: elder twin son of Isaac & Rebekah (25:25); names of wives differ in two traditions (26:34 & 28:9 vs. 36:2-3); one is a daughter of Ishmael; his sons are ancestors of the Edomites (36:1-43).
- Jacob: younger twin son of Isaac & Rebekah (25:26); conflicts with Esau (25:27-27:46); marries Leah and Rachel, daughters of his uncle Laban (27:43-29:30); name changed to ISRAEL (32:28); has 12 sons (with 2 wives + 2 slave-girls), ancestors of the Israelites or "12 Tribes of Israel" (29:31-49:33).
The Hebrew Bible describes the "Twelve Tribes of Israel" as descendents of the twelve sons of Jacob (also named Israel), with four different mothers. The births of the twelve sons (and the significance of their names) are described in chronological order in the book of Genesis (29:31–30:24 & 35:16-20). The Bible contains several different listings of the twelve tribes. Each tribe has its own characteristics and eventually obtains its own territory:
- Reuben is the first-born son, and thus sometimes exercises a leadership role among this brothers; but he later loses favor and prominence.
- The tribe of Joseph (through his sons Manasseh and Ephraim) becomes the largest and most prominent by the time the Israelites enter the Promised Land and divide it among themselves.
- The tribe of Levi is uniquely important, not only because of Moses and Aaron, but since they become the priestly tribe (all the sons of Levi are priests, while members of any other tribe cannot be priests). The Levites do not receive a separate territory of their own, but rather live scattered among all the other tribes, where they serve as priests for the whole people.
- Although the first king of Israel (Saul) is from the tribe of Benjamin, the tribe of Judah becomes known as the royal tribe, due to the promise God makes to King David that his descendents will rule over Israel forever (2 Sam 7).
Notes:
- Jacob's twelve sons are first mentioned in the order of their births, in Genesis 29:31–30:24 & 35:16-20.
- Leah (elder wife): 1) Reuben, 2) Simeon, 3) Levi, 4) Judah; later also 9) Issachar, 10) Zebulun
- Bilhah (Rachel's slave): 5) Dan, 6) Naphtali
- Zilpah (Leah's slave): 7) Gad,
Asher
- Rachel (younger wife): 11) Joseph, 12) Benjamin
- Manasseh & Ephraim – sons of Joseph, whose descendents figure prominently in the later history of Israel
- Moses and Aaron – leaders of the Israelites at the time of their migration out of Egypt and wandering in the Sinai desert
- Kings David & Solomon – the two greatest rulers of the united Kingdom of Israel, from about 1100 to 930 BCE
- Tribe of Levi – becomes known as the “priestly tribe,” since all cultic & temple officials had to belong to this tribe
- Tribe of Judah – becomes known as the “royal tribe,” since all later Kings of Judah were descendents of King David
- Ephraim
- Manesseh
- Benjamin
Northern
Although Levi was dishonored by being denied territory, the tribe of Levi became the highly honored priestly tribe of Israel. It won this honor because of its reverence for Yahweh during the Exodus.
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Old Testament Timeline
Kings of Ancient Israel and Judah
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Date
(B.C.)
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King of
Israel
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Years
Reigned
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Good
or Bad?
|
|
Date
(B.C.)
|
King of
Judah
|
Years
Reigned
|
Good
or Bad?
|
|
928 - 906
|
Jeroboam I
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22
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Bad
|
|
928 - 911
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Rehoboam
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17
|
Bad mostly
|
|
907 - 905
|
Nadab
|
2
|
Bad
|
|
911 - 908
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Abijam
(Abijah)
|
3
|
Bad mostly
|
|
906 - 882
|
Baasha
|
24
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Bad
|
|
908 - 867
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Asa
|
41
|
Good
|
|
883 - 881
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Elah
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2
|
Bad
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
881
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Zimri
|
7 days
|
Bad
|
|
|
|
|
|
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881 - 876
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Tibni
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5
|
Bad
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
882 - 870
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Omri
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5
|
Extra Bad
|
|
|
|
|
|
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871 - 851
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Ahab
|
22
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The Worst
|
|
870 - 845
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Jehoshaphat
|
25
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Good
|
|
851 - 850
|
Ahaziah
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2
|
Bad
|
|
851 - 840
|
Jehoram
(Joram)
|
8
|
Bad
|
|
850 - 839
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Joram
(Jehoram)
|
12
|
Bad mostly
|
|
840
|
Ahaziah
(Azariah)
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8
|
Bad
|
|
839 - 811
|
Jehu
|
28
|
Bad mostly
|
|
839 - 833
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Athaliah
(Queen)
|
6
|
Devilish
|
|
812 - 795
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Jehoahaz
|
17
|
Bad
|
|
833 - 794
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Joash
(Jehoash)
|
40
|
Good mostly
|
|
Date
(B.C.)
|
King of
Israel
|
Years
Reigned
|
Good
or Bad?
|
|
Date
(B.C.)
|
King of
Judah
|
Years
Reigned
|
Good
or Bad?
|
|
797 - 781
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Joash
(Jehoash)
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16
|
Bad
|
|
795 - 764
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Amaziah
|
29
|
Good mostly
|
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792 - 751
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Jeroboam II *
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41
|
Bad
|
|
787 - 735
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Uzziah
(Azariah)
|
52
|
Good
|
|
750 - 749
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Zechariah
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6 months
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Bad
|
|
794 - 733
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Jotham *
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16
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Good
|
|
749
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Shallum
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1 month
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Bad
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|
|
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|
|
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749 - 739
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Menahem
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10
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Bad
|
|
|
|
|
|
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738 - 736
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Pekahiah
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2
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Bad
|
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732 - 716
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Ahaz *
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16
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Wicked
|
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736 - 730
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Pekah *
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20
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Bad
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|
|
|
|
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731 - 722
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Hoshea
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9
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Bad
|
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715 - 686
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Hezekiah *
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29
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The Best
|
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722 - 721
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Fall of SAMARIA
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697 - 642
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Manasseh *
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55
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The Worst
|
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718
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Fall of ISRAEL
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642 - 640
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Amon
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2
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The Worst
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|
|
|
|
|
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640 - 609
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Josiah
|
31
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The Best
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
609
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Jehoahaz
(Shallum)
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3 months
|
Bad
|
|
|
|
|
|
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608 - 597
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Jehoiakim
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11
|
Wicked
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
597
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Jehoiachin
(Jeconiah)
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3 months
|
Bad
|
|
|
|
|
|
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597 - 587
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Zedekiah
(Mattariah)
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11
|
Bad
|
|
|
|
|
|
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587
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Fall of JERUSALEM
Fall of JUDAH
|
|
|
|
|
|
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582
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Assassination of Gedaliah
(Jeremiah 41)
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An Introduction to the Book of Hosea
I. AUTHOR: Hosea
A. His name, u^v@oh, means “salvation” and should be spelled “Hoshea” but has come down in English as Hosea. This does distinguish him from the last king of Israel (Hoshea c. 732-722)
B. He is the son of Beeri
C. Unlike Amos, Hosea preached to his own people in Israel
D. He may have been among the priests in his station in view of his knowledge concerning religious affairs, but this is not certain
E. He had three children who played a vital part in his message to the nation of Israel :
1. Jezreel ( laurzy ) “God sows” (1:4)
2. Lo-ruhamah ( hmjr al ) “No compassion” (1:6f)
3. Lo-ammi ( ymu al ) “Not my people” (1:8ff)
[In 2:4 there is the suggestion that the second and third child may not have been Hosea’s, but from an adulterous relationship]
F. Chapters one and three provide little biographical information since they primarily teach about Israel
II. DATE :790-686 B.C.
A. The first verse of chapter one provides a historical setting:
1. During the following kings of Judah:
a. Uzziah 790-739
b. Jotham 750-731
c. Ahaz 735-715
d. Hezekiah 729-686
2. During the reign of Jeroboam II the son of Joash (793-753) in Israel
3. It seems that Hosea lived beyond the captivity of Israel in 722 since Hezekiah’s reign is mentioned
B. The Kings of Assyria which span this time are:
1. Tiglath-Pileser III (745-727)
2. Shalmaneser V (727-722)
3. Sargon II (722-705)
4. Sennacherib (705-681)
III. HISTORICAL SETTING:
A. Even though the latter part of Jeroboam’s reign brought about prosperity (see discussion in Amos outline) it ended with chaos as four kings reigned in one year (753 B.C.: Jeroboam, Zechariah, Shallum and Menahem)
B. Tiglath-Pileser forced Menahem into submission
C. Tiglath-Pileser defeated Pekah and placed Hoshea on the throne
D. Hoshea rebelled and was defeated by Shalmaneser V in his taking of Samaria and the deportation of the people in 722 B.C.
E. Hosea may have begun his ministry during the end of Jeroboam II’s reign and on through that of Zechariah, Shallum, Menanhem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea:
1. In 1:4 the assumption is that Hosea began his ministry while Jeroboam was alive (cf. 1:1 with 1:4)
2. The list of the kings of Judah implies that his ministry continued through (past) the times of the kings of Israel (1:1)
3. If the time of Amos was one of inner crumbling for Israel, the time of Hosea was characterized by a steady decline as the stability of the kingly line fell and Assyria increased her grip and ultimate defeat of the nation
IV. AUDIENCE: Primarily to the people of the northern kingdom, Israel, but also to the southern kingdom of Judah (southern Kings in 1:1)
V. PURPOSES FOR THE BOOK:
A. To call Israel and Judah to repentance in Yahweh, the God of loyal love
B. To reveal the faithlessness of the nation toward their covenant with Yahweh
C. To indict the nation of its lack of knowledge, loyal love, and faithfulness
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Old Testament Timeline:
Minor Prophets of the Old Testament
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Date (B.C.)
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Prophet
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Meaning of Prophet's Name
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Theme of Book in the Bible
|
Gave Prophecies To/About
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Major Sins Addressed
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840 - 830
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Obadiah
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Worshipper of YHVH
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Day of the Lord; Destruction of Edom; Israel's restoration
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Against Edom
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Edom had continual violence toward Jacob. Edom cheered when Judah taken captive.
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830 - 750
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Joel
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YHVH is God
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The Day of the Lord
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Israel, Northern Kingdom
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Adultery, drunkenness, idolatry, licentiousness.
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780 - 740
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Jonah
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Dove
|
Sign of Commitment; Type of Jesus Christ; God's mercy to repentant
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Nineveh, with implications to all peoples
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Cruelty of the Assyrians
|
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765 - 725
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Hosea
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Salvation
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Salvation
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Israel, Northern Kingdom
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Adultery, drunkenness, idolatry, licentiousness.
|
|
760
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Amos
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Burden Bearer
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The Day of the Lord; The Eternal will roar
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Israel, Judah and Benjamin.
All Nations.
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Oppression of the poor; Sexual Immorality; Wanton Luxury; Corruption of law & men
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|
Date (B.C.)
|
Prophet
|
Meaning of
Prophet's Name
|
Theme of Book
in the Bible
|
Gave Prophecies
To and About
|
Major Sins Addressed
|
|
740 - 700
|
Micah
|
Who is like YHVH?
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The Eternal is just Judge
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Samaria, Jerusalem and then the whole earth
|
Lack of justice in the land, injustice, oppression
|
|
640 - 620
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Nahum
|
Consolation
|
Judgement on Nineveh; Comfort to Israel
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Assyrians, primarily the city of Nineveh
|
Cruelty of the Assyrians, overstepped boundaries
|
|
640 - 609
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Zephaniah
|
Hidden by YHVH
|
God's indignation on the earth; Who may be hidden?; Israel repents, God saves them
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Judah, Jerusalem, all Israel and all peoples, warning them of the Day of the Lord
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Spiritual fornication
|
|
608 - 605
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Habakkuk
|
Embrace
|
God Embraces Judah through destroying the Chaldeans
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Babylon with implications for all peoples
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Aggression/plunder; Greed/self-assertion; Graft/violence in building; Inhumanity; Idolatry
|
|
520
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Haggai
|
Festival
|
The restoration Temple points to the Church
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Zerubbabel, Joshua and the returned remnant
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Neglect in building God's House. Procastrination.
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520 - 480
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Zechariah
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Remembered by YHVH
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The coming of God's Kingdom preceded by building of Temple
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Zerubbabel, Joshua and the returned remnant
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Joshua had filthy garments. Lack of Judgment, mercy & peace. Living in evil ways.
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420 - 400
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Malachi
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My Messenger
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Be prepared for the messenger that is to come. (Elijah)
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Israel (12 tribes) and Israel of God today (Church)
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Priests neglecting duties. People chided for divorce, adultery, robbing God and criticizing.
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Finding the Minor Prophets in the Bible
Order of Books in the Old Testament
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges,
Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles,
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,
Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel,
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum,
Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
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Asher