The 12 tribes of Israel, descended from the sons of Jacob (also known as Israel), represent the foundational families of the Israelite nation. Each tribe served a unique role in the spiritual and social structure of ancient Israel, playing a key part in God’s covenant with His people as described in the Hebrew Bible.
Scripture
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”
33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.
34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.
1 When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister.
2 Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”
3 Then she said, “Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.”
4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob went in to her.
5 And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son.
6 Then Rachel said, “God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan.
7 And Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.
8 Then Rachel said, “With mighty wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister and have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali.
9 When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
10 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son.
11 Then Leah said, “Good fortune has come!” So she called his name Gad.
12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son.
13 And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.
14 In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” So Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”
16 When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night.
17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son.
18 So Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.
19 Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son.
20 Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun.
21 Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.
22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
23 She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”
24 And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the Lord add to me another son!”
Meaning of the 12 Tribes in the Bible
The 12 tribes of Israel, each descending from one of Jacob’s sons, symbolize not only the historical lineage of the Israelites but also a divine schema for community and identity within the covenantal relationship that God established with His chosen people. In Genesis 49, Jacob’s blessings to his sons serve as a prophetic framework, revealing attributes and destinies that would characterize each tribe and their geographical allocations in the Promised Land. For instance, Judah, from whom the Davidic line and ultimately Jesus emerge, is blessed with leadership. This variety among the tribes underscores the biblical theme that God values diversity and distinct roles within His overarching plan, as articulated in Romans 12:4-6, where the Apostle Paul likens the Church to a body with many members, each with unique functions serving the greater whole.
Moreover, the tribes also reflect aspects of God’s covenant fidelity, fulfilling His promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Deuteronomy 7:7-8 emphasizes that God chose Israel not because of their size or strength but out of love, reinforcing the idea that the tribes are a manifestation of grace and divine purpose. The establishment of the tribes as distinct entities led to the formulation of a communal identity, where each tribe carried its own heritage, land, and responsibilities, contributing to the collective worship and practices central to Israelite life (Exodus 19:6). Thus, the 12 tribes are emblematic of God’s design for His people, illustrating how a diverse community can harmonize under shared values, leading towards the fulfillment of God’s promises through history.
The narrative of the 12 tribes extends beyond mere historical genealogy; it presents a complex portrait of spiritual stewardship and God’s covenantal integrity. Each tribe’s unique characteristics and ancestral blessings not only influence their territorial inheritance but also reflect a broader theological principle regarding the varying roles believers play within God’s plan. The blessings conferred upon the tribes by Jacob in Genesis highlight their specific attributes—such as the warrior spirit of Simeon, the wisdom and leadership attributed to Issachar, and the fierce devotion seen in the tribe of Levi. This diversity emphasizes that every individual’s strengths contribute uniquely to the health of the community, mirroring the multifaceted nature of God’s creation.
Additionally, the 12 tribes serve as a constant reminder of the importance of obedience and faithfulness in relationships with God. The historical narrative reveals cycles of fidelity and disobedience, illustrating how the tribes’ faithfulness or failure to adhere to covenant mandates directly influences their standing and blessings. The narratives in the books of Joshua and Judges further explore the consequences of these choices, indicating that the prosperity and trials of the tribes are interconnected with their adherence to God’s laws and their communal bonds. Ultimately, the tribes encapsulate a collective witness to God’s justice, mercy, and the foundational role that faith plays in undergirding the identity of a people who have committed themselves to serving the Lord. Through their narratives, the importance of unity in diversity is underscored, revealing that God’s vision for humanity encompasses varied gifts and callings, ultimately striving for a cohesive whole that glorifies His name.
Symbolism of Unity and Diversity
The 12 tribes of Israel represent a microcosm of the larger community of believers, illustrating how diverse backgrounds and gifts can come together to form a unified body. Each tribe, with its unique characteristics and roles, signifies that while individuals may differ in talents and perspectives, they are all integral parts of a greater whole. This diversity is essential for the strength and functionality of the community, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and mutual support among believers.
Historical and Spiritual Heritage
The tribes serve as a reminder of the historical journey of the Israelites, encapsulating their struggles, triumphs, and covenant relationship with God. Each tribe carries its own narrative, contributing to the collective memory and identity of the people of Israel. This heritage is not only significant for understanding the past but also for shaping the spiritual identity of contemporary believers, who can draw lessons from the experiences of the tribes in their own faith journeys.
Fulfillment of Divine Promises
The existence of the 12 tribes underscores the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Each tribe’s establishment and subsequent history reflect God’s faithfulness in guiding and protecting His chosen people. This theme of divine promise and fulfillment serves as a foundation for understanding God’s ongoing relationship with humanity, illustrating that His plans are ultimately for the good of His people, even amidst challenges and trials.
How to Embrace Your Divine Inheritance in Community
Embracing your divine inheritance in community is a beautiful journey that invites you to recognize the unique gifts God has bestowed upon you and to share them with others. As you engage with fellow believers, remember that each person is a vital part of the body of Christ, contributing to a greater purpose. Start by actively listening to those around you, understanding their struggles and joys, and offering your support and encouragement. This creates a nurturing environment where everyone can flourish. Don’t hesitate to share your own experiences and insights, as vulnerability fosters deeper connections. By participating in communal worship, service projects, or small groups, you not only grow in your faith but also help others discover their own divine inheritance. Remember, it’s in the act of loving and serving one another that we truly embody the essence of Christ’s teachings, reflecting His light in a world that desperately needs it.
Bible References to the 12 Tribes:
Genesis 35:22-26: 22 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it.
23 The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
24 the sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant, were Dan and Naphtali.
26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant: Gad and Asher.
Genesis 49:1-28: 2 “Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob,
listen to Israel your father.
2 “Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob,
listen to Israel your father.
3 Reuben, you are my firstborn,
my might, and the firstfruits of my strength,
preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence,
because you went up to your father’s bed;
then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!
5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords.
6 Let my soul come not into their council; O my glory, be not joined to their company. For in their anger they killed men, and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce,
and their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
and scatter them in Israel.
8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons shall bow down before you.
9 Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
11 Binding his foal to the vine
and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
he has washed his garments in wine
and his vesture in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth whiter than milk.
13 “Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon.
14 “Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the sheepfolds.
15 He saw that a resting place was good, and that the land was pleasant, so he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant at forced labor.
16 “Dan shall judge his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that his rider falls backward.
18 I wait for your salvation, O Lord.
19 “Raiders shall raid Gad,
but he shall raid at their heels.
20 “Asher’s food shall be rich,
and he shall yield royal delicacies.
21 Naphtali is a doe let loose that bears beautiful fawns.
22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; his branches run over the wall.”
23 The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely,
24 yet his bow remained unmoved;
his arms were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob
(from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
25 by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that crouches beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills. May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.
27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,
in the morning devouring the prey
and at evening dividing the spoil.”
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him.
Exodus 1:1-7: 1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt.
6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.
7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
Numbers 1:1-54: 1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying:
2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head.”
3 from twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.
4 And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers.
5 These are the names of the men who shall assist you: from Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
6 from Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;
7 from Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar;
8 from Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar;
9 from Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon;
10 from the sons of Joseph, from Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur;
11 those listed of the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.
12 from Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai;
13 Of Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran.
14 those listed of the tribe of Gad were 45,650.
15 from Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.”
16 These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the chiefs of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.
17 Then Moses and Aaron took these men who had been named,
18 and they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their ancestry by their clans and their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, head by head,
19 as the Lord had commanded Moses.
20 The people of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
21 those listed of the tribe of Reuben were 46,500.
22 Of the people of Simeon, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, those of them who were listed, according to the number of names, head by head, every male from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
23 those listed of the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.
24 Of the sons of Gad, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go to war:
25 those listed of the tribe of Gad were 45,650.
26 Of the people of Judah, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war:
27 those listed of the tribe of Judah were 74,600.
28 Those listed of the sons of Issachar, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war:
29 “those listed of the tribe of Naphtali were 53,400.”
30 from the sons of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael,
31 Those listed of the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.
32 Of the people of Joseph, namely, of the people of Ephraim, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war:
33 those listed of the tribe of Ephraim were 40,500.
34 from twenty years old and upward, all who can go to war in Israel, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company.
35 those listed of the tribe of the sons of Dan were 62,700.
36 Of the people of Benjamin, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war:
37 those who were listed of the tribe of Benjamin were 35,400.
38 those listed of the sons of Dan were 62,700.
39 those listed of the tribe of Dan were 62,700.
40 Of the sons of Asher, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war:
41 Those mustered of the tribe of Asher were 41,500.
42 Of the people of Naphtali, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war:
43 Those are the clans of the sons of Naphtali, 80,500.
44 These are those who were listed, whom Moses and Aaron listed with the help of the chiefs of Israel, twelve men, each representing his fathers’ house.
45 So all those listed of the people of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war in Israel—
46 All those listed were 603,550.
47 But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe.
48 For the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not list, and you shall not take a census of them among the people of Israel.”
50 but appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall camp around the tabernacle.
51 When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.
52 The people of Israel shall pitch their tents by their companies, each man in his own camp and each man by his own standard.
53 But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.”
54 Thus the people of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, each one in his clan, according to his father’s house.
Numbers 2:1-34: 1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
2 The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.
3 Those to camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the chief of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab,
4 And his division, the tribe of Gad, and the chief of the people of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel.
5 Those who camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the chief of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab,
6 Those who will camp on the east side toward the sunrise shall be of the standard of the camp of Judah by their companies, the chief of the people of Judah being Nahshon the son of Amminadab,
7 Then the tribe of Zebulun, the chief of the people of Zebulun being Eliab the son of Helon,
8 And his company as listed were 57,400.
9 All those listed of the camp of Judah, by their companies, were 186,400. They shall set out first on the march.
10 “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their companies, the chief of the people of Reuben being Elizur the son of Shedeur,
11 and his army as listed were 46,500.
12 Those listed of the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.
13 and his army as listed were 59,300.
14 Then the tribe of Gad, the people of Gad, by their fathers’ houses, and the number of their men of war, who could draw the sword, was 45,650.
15 “The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.”
16 All those listed of the camp of Reuben, by their companies, were 151,450.
17 Then the tent of meeting shall set out, with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camps; as they camp, so shall they set out, each in position, standard by standard.
18 On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim by their companies, the chief of the people of Ephraim being Elishama the son of Ammihud,
19 Then the tribe of Manasseh, the chief of the people of Manasseh being Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur,
20 “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their companies, the chief of the people of Reuben being Elizur the son of Shedeur,
21 Then the tribe of Naphtali, the chief of the people of Naphtali being Ahira the son of Enan,
22 Then the tribe of Benjamin, the chief of the people of Benjamin, being counted, their generations, by their clans, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war,
23 Those listed of the tribe of Simeon were 59,300.
24 All those listed of the camp of Ephraim, by their companies, were 108,100.
25 On the north side shall be the standard of the camp of Dan by their companies, the chief of the people of Dan being Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
26 and his army as listed by their companies, the chief of all the people of Gad being Eliasaph the son of Reuel,
27 and those who camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher, the chief of the people of Asher being Pagiel the son of Ochran.
28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out.
29 Then the tribe of Naphtali, the chief of the people of Naphtali being Ahira the son of Enan, – Numbers 2:29
30 On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben by their companies, the chief of the people of Reuben being Elizur the son of Shedeur,
31 All those listed of the camp of Dan were 157,600. They shall set out last, standard by standard.”
32 These are the people of Israel as listed by their fathers’ houses. All those listed in the camps by their companies were 603,550.
33 but the Levites were not listed among the people of Israel, as the Lord commanded Moses.
34 So the people of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, each one in his clan, according to his father’s house.
Numbers 7:1-89: 1 On the day when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle and had anointed and consecrated it with all its furnishings and had anointed and consecrated the altar,
2 the chiefs of Israel, heads of their fathers’ houses, who were the chiefs of the tribes, who were over those who were listed, offered
3 and they brought their offering before the Lord, six wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the chiefs, and for each one an ox. They brought them before the tabernacle.
4 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
5 the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
6 So Moses took the wagons and the oxen and gave them to the Levites.
7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service,
8 And he gave the two carts and the four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to their service.
9 But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because they were charged with the service of the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulder.
10 And the chiefs offered offerings for the dedication of the altar on the day it was anointed; and the chiefs offered their offering before the altar.
11 And the Lord said to Moses, “Let them bring their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.”
12 And the one who offered his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah.
13 and his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
14 one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
15 one silver plate weighing 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
16 one male goat for a sin offering;
17 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
18 On the second day Nethanel the son of Zuar, the chief of Issachar, presented an offering.
19 one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
20 his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
21 one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
22 One bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering
23 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, the chief of the people of Zebulun:
25 his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
26 one silver plate weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
27 one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering
28 and one male goat for a sin offering;
29 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
30 one male goat for a sin offering;
31 one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
32 one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
33 and one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering
34 and two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old, to be sacrificed as a peace offering, were brought by Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
35 one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
36 one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
37 his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
38 and one bull from the herd, one ram, and one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering.
39 one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
40 one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
41 one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering
42 The golden pans full of incense, weighed 10 shekels apiece, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the pans being 240 shekels.
43 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
44 one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
45 one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering
46 and one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
47 …one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering,
48 On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, the chief of the people of Ephraim:
49 his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
50 the one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
51 one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
52 one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, filled with incense;
53 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
54 This was the dedication offering for the altar on the day when it was anointed, from the chiefs of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes,
55 and for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
56 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
57 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
58 one male goat for a sin offering;
59 one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, the chief of the people of Benjamin:
61 one male goat for a sin offering;
62 one golden dish of 10 shekels, full of incense;
63 one male goat for a sin offering;
64 one male goat for a sin offering;
65 one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old for a burnt offering;
66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, the chief of the people of Dan, offered sacrifice.
67 one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
68 one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
69 one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, filled with incense;
70 one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
71 one male goat for a sin offering,
72 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ochran, the chief of the people of Asher:
73 and for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
74 one golden dish weighing 10 shekels, full of incense;
75 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
76 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
77 the one male goat for a sin offering,
78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, the chief of the people of Naphtali, offered.
79 his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
80 his offering was one silver plate whose weight was 130 shekels, one silver basin of 70 shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
81 one bull from the herd, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt offering;
82 one golden dish of ten shekels, full of incense;
83 and the dedication for the altar was twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, and twelve golden dishes.
84 This was the dedication offering for the altar on the day when it was anointed, from the chiefs of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes,
85 Each silver plate weighing a hundred and thirty shekels and each basin seventy, all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary,
86 The golden dishes weighed 130 shekels, and the silver dishes 70, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering;
87 All the livestock for the burnt offering were twelve bulls, the rams twelve, the male lambs a year old twelve, with their grain offering.
88 all the bulls of the sacrifice of peace offerings were twelve rams, the rams twelve, the male lambs a year old twelve, with their grain offering.
89 And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.
Numbers 10:11-28: 11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony,
12 And the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.
14 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony,
14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.
16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
17 Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who were carrying the tabernacle, set out.
18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elizur the son of Shedeur.
19 And the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.
20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
21 So the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.
22 And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud.
23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar.
24 This was the order of march of the camp of the people of Judah as they set out.
25 Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
26 and over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
27 And over the shoulder of the camp of the sons of Issachar was the standard of the camp of the sons of Zebulun.
28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies when they set out.
Numbers 13:1-16: 1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.”
3 So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the Lord, all of them men who were heads of the people of Israel.
4 These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua.
5 from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
6 from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh;
7 from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
8 from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun;
9 from the tribe of Benjamin, Gaddi the son of Susi;
10 and bring some of the fruit of the land.
11 from the tribe of Joseph, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi;
12 From the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
13 from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael;
14 from the tribe of Naphtali, Gaddiel the son of Sodi,
15 from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
16 These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua.
Numbers 26:1-65: 1 After the plague, the Lord said to Moses and to Eleazar the son of Aaron, the priest,
2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ houses, all in Israel who are able to go to war.”
3 Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, saying,
4 And as the Lord said to Moses, “List all the men of Israel, twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ houses, all in Israel who are able to go to war.”
5 Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the clan of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the clan of the Palluites;
6 Of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the clan of the Carmites.
7 These are the clans of the Reubenites, and those listed were 43,730.
8 And the sons of Pallu: Eliab.
9 The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the Lord,
10 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men, and they became a warning.
11 But the sons of Korah did not die.
12 The sons of Simeon according to their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites;
13 among these the clans of the people of Reuben: the clan of the Hanochites, the clan of the Palluites, the clan of the Hezronites, and the clan of the Carmites.
14 These are the clans of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand five hundred.
15 The sons of Gad according to their clans: of Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the clan of the Haggites; of Shuni, the clan of the Shunites;
16 These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the chiefs of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the clans of Israel.
17 These are the clans of Reuben, and those listed were 43,730.
18 These are the clans of the people of Gad, as they were listed, 40,500.
19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.
20 The sons of Judah according to their clans were: of Shelah, the clan of the Shelanites; of Perez, the clan of the Perezites; and of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites.
21 The sons of Perez: Hezron, and Hamul.
22 These are the clans of Judah as they were listed, 76,500.
23 The sons of Issachar according to their clans: of Tola, the clan of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the clan of the Punites;
24 These are the clans of Naphtali, and those listed were 45,400.
25 These are the clans of Issachar as they were listed, 64,300.
26 The sons of Zebulun according to their clans: of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites.
27 The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
28 The sons of Joseph according to their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim.
29 The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the clan of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites.
30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites;
31 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord.
32 Now the sons of Jokshan were Sheba and Dedan.
33 Now Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters. And the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
34 These are the clans of Manasseh, and those listed were 52,700.
35 These are the sons of Ephraim according to their clans: of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites. Of Becher, the clan of the Becherites. Of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites.
36 These are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the clan of the Eranites.
37 These are the clans of the sons of Ephraim as they were listed, 32,500.
38 The sons of Benjamin according to their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites;
39 The sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the clan of the Eranites.
40 The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the clan of the Ardites; of Naaman, the clan of the Naamites.
41 These are the sons of Benjamin according to their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites;
42 These are the sons of Dan by their clans: of Shuham, the clan of the Shuhamites. These are the clans of Dan by their clans.
43 All the families of the Shuthelahites, the families of the Shuthelahites, were listed at 64,400.
44 The sons of Asher according to their clans: of Imnah, the clan of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the clan of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the clan of the Beriites.
45 The sons of Beriah: Heber, and Malchiel, the father of Birzaith.
46 The name of the daughter of Asher was Serah.
47 The sons of Jahdai: Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph.
48 The sons of Naphtali by their clans: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
49 The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the clan of the Ardites; of Naaman, the clan of the Namites.
50 These are the clans of Naphtali according to their clans. And those listed were 45,400.
51 These were the registered men of the people of Israel: 601,730.
52 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
53 “Among these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names.”
54 To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance according to its numbers.
55 But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
56 According to the lot shall their inheritance be divided between the larger and the smaller.
57 This was the list of the Levites according to their clans: the clan of Gershon, the clan of Kohath, and the clan of Merari.
58 These were the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. And Kohath fathered Amram.
59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam their sister.
60 And to Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord.
62 Those listed were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward, for they were not listed among the people of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the people of Israel.
63 These were those listed by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who listed the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
64 But among these there was not one of those listed by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had listed the people of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.
65 For the Lord had said of them, “They shall die in the wilderness.” Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.
Deuteronomy 27:11-13: 11 That day Moses charged the people, saying,
12 “When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
13 And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
Deuteronomy 33:1-29: 5 Thus the Lord became king in Jeshurun,
when the heads of the people were gathered,
all the tribes of Israel together.
2 He said, “The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand.
3 Yes, he loved his people, all his holy ones were in his hand; so they followed in your steps, receiving direction from you,
4 Moses commanded us a law, as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5 Thus the Lord became king in Jeshurun,
when the heads of the people were gathered,
all the tribes of Israel together.
6 “Let Reuben live, and not die,
but let his men be few.”
7 And this he said of Judah: “Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him in to his people. With your hands contend for him, and be a help against his adversaries.”
8 And of Levi he said, “Give to Levi your Thummim, and your Urim to your godly one, whom you tested at Massah, with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah,
9 who said of his father and mother, ‘I regard them not’; he disowned his brothers and ignored his children. For they observed your word and kept your covenant.
10 They shall teach Jacob your rules and Israel your law; they shall put incense before you and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Bless, O Lord, his substance,
and accept the work of his hands;
crush the loins of his adversaries,
of those who hate him, that they rise not again.”
12 Of Benjamin he said, “The beloved of the Lord dwells in safety. The High God surrounds him all day long, and dwells between his shoulders.”
13 And of Joseph he said, “Blessed by the Lord be his land, with the choicest gifts of heaven above, and of the deep that crouches beneath,
14 with the choicest fruits of the sun and the rich yield of the months,
15 with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness and the favor of him who dwells in the bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph, on the pate of him who is prince among his brothers.
16 with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness and the favor of him who dwells in the bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph, on the pate of him who is prince among his brothers.
17 A firstborn bull—he has majesty,
and his horns are the horns of a wild ox;
with them he shall gore the peoples,
all of them, to the ends of the earth;
they are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
18 And of Zebulun he said, “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
and Issachar, in your tents.
19 They shall call peoples to the mountain; there they offer right sacrifices; for they draw from the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand.”
20 And of Gad he said, “Blessed be he who enlarges Gad! Gad crouches like a lion; he tears off arm and scalp.
21 And he provided the first part for himself,
for there a ruler’s portion was reserved;
yet he carried out the command of the LORD,
the statutes of Israel.
22 And of Dan he said, “Dan is a lion’s cub that leaps from Bashan.”
23 And of Naphtali he said, “O Naphtali, sated with favor, and full of the blessing of the Lord, possess the lake and the south.”
24 And of Asher he said, “Most blessed of sons be Asher; let him be the favorite of his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil.
25 Your bars shall be iron and bronze,
and as your days, so shall your strength be.
26 “There is none like God, O Jeshurun,
who rides through the heavens to your help,
through the skies in his majesty.
27 The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, Destroy.
28 So Israel lived in safety, Jacob lived alone, in a land of grain and wine, whose heavens drop down dew.
29 Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the shield of your help, and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs.”
Joshua 13:1-33: 1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess.
2 This is the land that yet remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all those of the Geshurites
3 from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, and those of the Avvim,
4 From the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, and those of the Avvim,
5 and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath,
6 all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, even all the Sidonians.
7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.”
8 With the other half of the tribe of Manasseh the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond the Jordan eastward, as Moses the servant of the Lord gave them:
9 from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the tableland of Medeba;
10 and all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the boundary of the Ammonites,
11 and Gilead, and the region of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah;
12 all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (he alone was left of the remnant of the Rephaim); these Moses had struck and driven out.
13 Yet the people of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites, but Geshur and Maacath dwell in the midst of Israel to this day.
14 Only to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance. The offerings by fire to the Lord God of Israel are their inheritance, as he said to him.
15 Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of the people of Reuben according to their clans.
16 So their territory was from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the middle of the valley, and all the tableland by Medeba;
17 Heshbon, and all its cities that are in the tableland; Dibon, and Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon,
18 but to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance. The offerings by fire to the Lord God of Israel are their inheritance, as he said to him.
19 and Kiriathaim, and Sibmah, and Zereth-shahar on the hill of the valley,
20 and Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth,
21 all the cities of the tableland and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses defeated with the leaders of Midian, Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the princes of Sihon, who lived in the land.
22 Balaam also, the son of Beor, the one who practiced divination, was killed with the sword by the people of Israel among the rest of their slain.
23 And the border of the people of Reuben was the Jordan as a boundary. This was the inheritance of the people of Reuben, according to their clans with their cities and villages.
24 Moses gave an inheritance also to the tribe of Gad, to the people of Gad, according to their clans.
25 Their territory was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites, to Aroer, which is east of Rabbah,
26 and from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir,
27 and in the valley Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, having the Jordan as a boundary, to the lower end of the Sea of Chinnereth, eastward beyond the Jordan.
28 This is the inheritance of the people of Gad according to their clans, with their cities and villages.
29 and Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was allotted to the half-tribe of the people of Manasseh according to their clans.
30 With the other half of the tribe of Manasseh the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond the Jordan eastward, as Moses the servant of the Lord gave them:
31 and in the half-tribe of Manasseh,
32 These are the inheritances that Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan east of Jericho.
33 But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance; the Lord God of Israel is their inheritance, just as he said to them.
Joshua 14:1-5: 1 These are the inheritances that the people of Israel received in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the people of Israel gave them to inherit.
2 Their inheritance was by lot, just as the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses for the nine and one-half tribes.
3 For Moses had given an inheritance to the two and one-half tribes beyond the Jordan, but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them.
4 For the people of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion was given to the Levites in the land, but only cities to dwell in, with their pasturelands for their livestock and their substance.
5 As the Lord had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel did. And they divided the land.
Joshua 18:1-10: 1 Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.
2 There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned.
3 So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?
4 Appoint three men from each tribe, and I will send them out that they may set out and go up and down the land. They shall write a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then come to me.
5 And they shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall continue in his territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall continue in their territory on the north.
6 You shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God.
7 The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their heritage. And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.”
8 So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.”
9 The men went and passed up and down in the land and set in writing a description of it in seven divisions. Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh.
10 Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. So there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.
Joshua 19:1-51: 1 The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the people of Simeon, according to their clans. And their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the people of Judah.
2 And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah,
3 Then it goes down westward to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the territory of Lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer, and it ends at the sea.
4 Elath, Esion Geber,
5 Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali
6 Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen—thirteen cities with their villages.
7 Ain, Remmon, Ether, and Ashan—four cities with their villages—
8 The inheritance of the people of Israel passed beyond the Jordan to the east of Jericho, in the direction of the sunrise.
9 The inheritance of the people of Simeon formed part of the territory of the people of Judah. Because the portion of the people of Judah was too large for them, the people of Simeon obtained an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.
10 The third lot came up for the people of Zebulun, according to their clans. And the territory of their inheritance reached as far as Sarid.
11 Then their boundary goes up westward and on to Mareal and touches Dabbesheth, then the brook that is east of Jokneam.
12 Yet their boundary on the north side was from the Jordan.
13 And from there it passes along on the east toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin, and goes to Rimmon, stretching to Neah.
14 Then the boundary turns it on the north to Hannathon, and it ends at the Valley of Iphtahel;
15 Included also were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
16 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Zebulun according to their clans—these cities with their villages.
17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar, for the people of Issachar, according to their clans.
18 Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,
19 The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the people of Simeon, according to their clans. And their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the people of Judah.
20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans.
21 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to its clans, boundary by boundary all around.
22 The boundary also touches Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and its boundary ends at the Jordan—sixteen cities with their villages.
23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Issachar according to their clans—the cities with their villages.
24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher according to its clans.
25 Their boundary was Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,
26 Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west it touches Carmel and Shihor-libnath,
27 And it turned westward to Aznoth-tabor and went from there to Hukkok, touching Zebulun at the south and Asher on the west and Judah on the east at the Jordan.
28 Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, as far as Sidon the Great.
29 And then the boundary turns to Ramah, reaching to the fortified city of Tyre. Then the boundary turns to Hosah, and it ends at the sea; Mahalab, Achzib,
30 Ummah also, and Aphek and Rehob—twenty-two cities with their villages.
31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Asher according to their clans—these cities with their villages.
32 The sixth lot came out for the people of Naphtali, for the people of Naphtali, according to their clans.
33 Their boundary was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and it ended at the Jordan.
34 Then the boundary turns westward to Aznoth-tabor and goes from there to Hukkok, touching Zebulun at the south and Asher on the west and Judah on the east at the Jordan.
35 The fortified cities are Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth
36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
37 Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor,
38 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Dan, according to their clans, these cities with their villages.
39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Naphtali, according to their clans—the cities with their villages.
40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the people of Dan, according to their clans.
41 The territory of their inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh,
42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,
43 When the boundary of the people of Dan was lost to them, the people of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and after capturing it and striking it with the sword they took possession of it and settled in it, calling Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor.
44 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Asher according to their clans—these cities with their villages.
45 When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun.
46 Me-jarkon and Rakkon with the territory over against Joppa.
47 When the territory of the people of Dan was lost to them, the people of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and after capturing it and striking it with the sword they took possession of it and settled in it, calling Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor.
48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Dan, according to their clans, these cities with their villages.
49 When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun.
50 According to the commandment of the Lord they gave him the city that he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he rebuilt the city and settled in it.
51 These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the people of Israel distributed by lot at Shiloh before the Lord, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.
Judges 5:14-18: 14 From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley, following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen; from Machir marched down the commanders, and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant’s staff;
15 the princes of Issachar came with Deborah, and Issachar faithful to Barak; into the valley they rushed at his heels.
16 “Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds, to hear the whistling for the flocks? Among the clans of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.”
17 Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan; and Dan, why did he stay with the ships? Asher sat still at the coast of the sea, staying by his landings.
18 Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.
1 Chronicles 2:1-2: 1 These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,
2 Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
1 Chronicles 12:23-40: 23 These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the Lord.
24 The men of Judah bearing shield and spear were 6,800 armed troops.
25 From Simeon, mighty men of valor for war, 7,100.
26 Of the Simeonites, mighty men of valor for war, 26,000.
27 Jehoiada, the leader of the house of Aaron, and with him 3,700,
28 and Zadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two commanders from his own fathers’ house.
29 And from the Benjaminites, the kinsmen of Saul, 3,000, of whom the majority had to that point kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.
30 From Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.
31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were expressly named to come and make David king.
32 Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.
33 Of Zebulun 50,000 seasoned troops, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David with singleness of purpose.
34 Of Naphtali 1,000 commanders with 37,000 men armed with shield and spear.
35 From the Danites who could draw up an army, there were 28,600 men.
36 From Naphtali 1,000 commanders with 37,000 men armed with shield and spear.
37 From the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh with all kinds of instruments of war for the battle, 120,000.
38 All these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king.
39 They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had made preparation for them.
40 Moreover those who were near to them, even as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, abundant provisions of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.
1 Chronicles 27:16-22: 16 Over the tribes of Israel, for the Reubenites, Eliezer the son of Zichri was chief officer; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah;
17 Over the tribes of Israel, for the Reubenites, Eliezer the son of Zichri was chief officer; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah;
18 for Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers; for Issachar, Omri the son of Michael;
19 Over Ephraim was Hoshea the son of Azaziah.
20 Over the tribes of Israel: the chief of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri. Of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maacah.
21 the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah;
22 Adah’s son was Shamhuth. Shimei’s son was Jahath.
Ezekiel 48:1-35: 1 These are the names of the tribes: Beginning at the northern extreme, beside the way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enan (which is on the northern border of Damascus over against Hamath), and extending from the east side to the west, Dan, one portion.
2 And by the border of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher, one portion.
3 “On the east side, the boundary shall run between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar. This is the east side.”
4 And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, Manasseh, one portion.
5 “Adjoining the territory of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, Ephraim, one portion.
6 “And alongside the portion set apart as the holy district, you shall assign for the property of the city an area five thousand cubits broad and twenty-five thousand cubits long. It shall belong to the whole house of Israel.
7 And alongside the territory of the priests, the Levites shall have an allotment 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in breadth. The whole length shall be 25,000 cubits and the breadth 20,000.
8 “Adjoining the territory of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the portion which you shall set apart, 25,000 cubits in breadth, and in length equal to one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the midst of it.
9 “The offering that you shall give to the Lord shall be 25,000 cubits in length, and 10,000 in breadth.
10 And these shall be the measurements of the altar by cubits (the cubit being a cubit and a handbreadth): its base shall be one cubit high and one cubit broad, with a rim of one span around its edge. And this shall be the height of the altar:
11 It shall be for the priests who are sanctified of the sons of Zadok, who kept my charge, who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray, as the Levites did.
12 These shall be its measurements: the north side four thousand five hundred cubits, the south side four thousand five hundred, the east side four thousand five hundred, and the west side four thousand five hundred.
13 And alongside the territory of the priests, the Levites shall have an allotment 25,000 cubits in length and 10,000 in breadth. The whole length shall be 25,000 cubits and the breadth 20,000.
14 They shall not sell or exchange any of it.
15 The remainder, 5,000 cubits in breadth and 25,000 in length, shall be for common use for the city, for dwellings and for open country. In the midst of it shall be the city,
16 These shall be its measurements: the north side four thousand five hundred cubits, the south side four thousand five hundred, the east side four thousand five hundred, and the west side four thousand five hundred.
17 And the city shall have open land: on the north side 2500 cubits, on the south side 2500 cubits, on the east side 2500 cubits, and on the west side 2500 cubits.
18 And the remainder of the length alongside the holy portion shall be 10,000 cubits to the east, and 10,000 to the west, and it shall be alongside the holy portion. Its produce shall be food for the workers of the city.
19 And those who serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel.
20 “All the offering shall be 25,000 by 25,000 cubits; you shall set apart the holy portion, the land belonging to the city, for its property.
21 “The rest shall be for the prince, on one side and on the other of the holy district and of the property of the city, in front of the twenty-five thousand cubits of the property as far as the eastern border, and westward in front of the twenty-five thousand, the western border, parallel to the tribal portions. It shall belong to the prince. The holy district and the sanctuary of the temple shall be in the midst of it.
22 The remainder of the length alongside the holy portion shall be 10,000 cubits to the east, and 10,000 to the west, and it shall be alongside the holy portion. Its produce shall be food for the workers of the city.
23 As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west, Benjamin, one portion.
24 “Beside the portion for the prince, the land allotted for the sanctuary, and the land allotted for the city shall be on the west side and on the east side parallel to the tribal portions. It shall be for the whole house of Israel, with the city in the midst of it.
25 “The gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel, three gates to the north: the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi.
26 On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This is the west side.
27 “And on the east side, 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, the gate of Dan.”
28 And by the border of Gad, at the south side, the boundary shall run from Tamar to the waters of Meribah-kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea.
29 This is the land that you shall allot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, declares the Lord God.
30 These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure,
31 The gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel, three gates to the north: the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi.
32 And on the east side, four thousand five hundred cubits, and three gates, and the same measurements for the north side.
33 “And the south side shall be five thousand cubits by measure.”
34 The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.”
35 The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.”
Revelation 7:4-8: 4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed,
12,000 from the tribe of Reuben,
12,000 from the tribe of Gad,
6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000 were sealed,
7 The tribe of Simeon 12,000
8 the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, the tribe of Joseph 12,000, the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
Reverend Ogunlade is a seasoned Church Minister with over three decades of experience in guiding and nurturing congregations. With profound wisdom and a serene approach, Reverend Ogunlade has carried out various pastoral duties, including delivering uplifting sermons, conducting religious ceremonies, and offering sage counsel to individuals seeking spiritual guidance. Their commitment to fostering harmony and righteousness within their community is exemplified through their compassionate nature, making them a beloved and trusted figure among the congregation.