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'Tribes of Israel') are, according to Hebrew scriptures, the descendants of the biblical patriarch Jacob (also known as Israel), who collectively form the Israelite nation. The tribes were through his twelve sons through his wives, Leah and Rachel, and his concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah.
May 9, 2024 · Twelve Tribes of Israel, in the Bible, the Hebrew people who, after the death of Moses, took possession of the Promised Land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. The tribes were named after the sons or grandsons of Jacob (Israel). Learn more about the Twelve Tribes of Israel in this article.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Judah. The tribe of kings, and the most preeminent of the 12 tribes in the biblical narrative. Judah “prevailed over his brothers,” (1 Chronicles 5:2), and the tribe’s territory included the city of Jerusalem and the holy temple.
- Reuben. Descended from Jacob’s firstborn, whom Jacob said was as “uncontrolled as water” (Genesis 49:4). The tribe chose not to settle in the Promised Land, and instead asked Moses for some of the territory that they conquered east of the Jordan River.
- Simeon. The man Simeon (with his brother Levi) slaughtered the men of an entire city to avenge his sister (Genesis 34:25–31). The tribe’s portion of land was within the midst of Judah’s territory (Joshua 19:1); however, Simeon did not grow as rapidly as Judah and seems to have dispersed across multiple territories (1 Chronicles 4:38–43; 2 Chronicles 15:8–9).
- Levi. The tribe of the priesthood. The tribe of Levi stood by Moses (a Levite) during the golden calf incident at Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:25–29), and later took their place as ministers to the tabernacle, and later the Temple.
Apr 18, 2022 · It was Jacob that eventually gave birth to 12 sons who were the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel. Those sons were: Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, Benjamin. Here is what Genesis 49 tells us.
Jacob, Hebrew patriarch who was the grandson of Abraham, the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the traditional ancestor of the people of Israel. Stories about Jacob in the Bible begin at Genesis 25:19.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
May 18, 2024 · Bart D. Ehrman. Israel’s identity has been intimately tied to the 12 tribes of Israel for millennia. The tribes are explicitly named in the Bible which traces their roots back to the ancient Jewish patriarchs. But were the tribes real or are they merely part of a foundational myth?
Sep 6, 2021 · Jacob. Jacob received a new name: "Israel" or "one that struggled with the divine angel or with God & lived". Hence, all his descendants became Israelites. Jacob was the younger son of Isaac and Rebecca. Isaac was the child of the promise given by the God of Israel, to Abraham, the traditional founder of the nation.
