The Twelve Tribes of Israel

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The land of Canaan distributed to the twelve tribes of Israel

The twelve tribes represent the twelve families of Israel, originating from the twelve sons of Jacob.[1][2] Jacob earned the name “Israel” which means “to struggle with God and overcome,” by wrestling with God at the Jabbok River. He fathered twelve sons through his two wives, Leah and Rachel, and his two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah. The descendants of these sons flourished, each forming a tribe. A tribe served as a fundamental unit of the Israelite community.[3]

God had promised Abraham that Canaan would be an eternal inheritance for his descendants.[4] In fulfillment of this promise, God allocated the land of Canaan to the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua, based on their tribal divisions.[5] Among them, the tribes of Judah and Ephraim emerged as central tribes in the southern Kingdom of Judah and the northern Kingdom of Israel, respectively, during the era of divided kingdoms.

The Origin of the Twelve Tribes

For details, refer to: Jacob

Jacob received the name “Israel” after wrestling with God. God promised Jacob that He would make a great nation out of his descendants. As promised, Jacob had twelve sons from his wives Leah and Rachel and their maidservants Bilhah and Zilpah. The descendants of these twelve sons prospered greatly and constituted all the tribes of Israel, collectively known as the “twelve tribes.”

  • Jacob’s Twelve Sons, the Foundation of the Twelve Tribes
1 2 3 4 5 6
Reuben (רְאוּבֵן)[6] Simeon (שִׁמְעוֹן)[7] Levi (לֵוִי)[8] Judah (יְהוּדָה)[9] Dan (דָּן)[10] Naphtali (נַפְתָּלִי)[11]
Leah Bilhah (Rachel’s Maidservant)
7 8 9 10 11 12
Gad (גָּד)[12] Asher (אָשֵׁר)[13] Issachar (יִשָּׂשׂכָר)[14] Zebulun (זְבוּלוּן)[15] Joseph (יְהוֹסֵף)[16] Benjamin (בִּנְיָמִין)[17]
Zilpah (Leah’s Maidservant) Leah Rachel

The twelve tribes originally consisted of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin, all descendants of Jacob’s twelve sons. These names were engraved on twelve stones mounted on the breastpiece of the high priest,[18] representing the tribes.

Before his death, Jacob left his will and blessing upon his twelve sons, and Moses also blessed each tribe of Israel before his passing.[1][19] These blessings served as prophecies regarding the future of each tribe, all of which were fulfilled throughout Israel’s history.

Names of the Tribes of Israel

The term “twelve tribes,” originating from Jacob’s twelve sons, symbolizes the Israelites. However, in the Bible, there are a total of fourteen tribes of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin.

The addition of the two tribes occurred because Jacob adopted Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own before his death, and their descendants later formed the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.[20][21]

God set apart the tribe of Levi as His possession and appointed them to take care of the Tabernacle. Therefore, the tribe of Levi was not included in the census of men twenty years old or older who were fit for military service. Unlike the other tribes, when the land of Canaan was divided, the tribe of Levi received only towns to live in and pasturelands.[22]

  • Tribes of Israel
Tribe Name Mother’s Name Meaning

of the Name

Distribution of Canaan (Based on the Jordan River) Biblical Figures
1 Reuben Leah Behold a son Southern region on the east side
2 Simeon Leah (God) heard Southern region on the west side
3 Levi Leah Adhesion, joined to Excluded from land distribution Moses, John the Baptist
4 Judah Leah Praised Southern region on the west side Caleb, David, Jesus
5 Dan Bilhah (Rachel’s maid) He vindicated or Jehovah judged Central region on the west side Samson
6 Naphtali Bilhah (Rachel’s maid) My strife or wrestling Galilee hills on the west side
7 Gad Zilpah (Leah’s maid) Fortune or luck Central region on the east side Jephthah
8 Asher Zilpah (Leah’s maid) Happy, blessed Northwest on the west side, Mediterranean coast
9 Issachar Leah His reward will come Northern region on the west side Tola, Baasha
10 Zebulun Leah Dwelling Galilee on the west side Elon, Jonah
11 Joseph Rachel God will increase None
12 Ephraim Asenath Fruitful or double fruitfulness Central region on the west side Joshua, Deborah
13 Manasseh Asenath Making to forget Northern region of Gilead on the east side, North central region on the west side Gideon
14 Benjamin Rachel Son of the right hand South central region on the west side

Shift of the Twelve Tribes

In the Bible, while a total of 14 tribes are mentioned, the tribes of Israel are consistently upheld as twelve tribes. The tribe of Joseph, who received the birthright, was divided into the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and they were included among the twelve tribes. Therefore, in the Old Testament, when the tribe of Joseph is mentioned, Ephraim and Manasseh are not typically listed separately, and vice versa. However, in Revelation 7, which prophesies about the saints to be saved rather than the physical descendants of Israel, both the tribe of Joseph and the tribe of Manasseh are mentioned together. The list of the twelve tribes mentioned in the Old and New Testaments is as follows:

  • Shift of the Twelve Tribes
Tribe Name Jacob’s Blessing

(Ge 49)

Census in the Desert

(Nu 1, 26)

Ezekiel’s Prophecy (Eze 48) John’s Prophecy (Rev 7)
Reuben Yes Yes Yes Yes
Simeon Yes Yes Yes Yes
Levi Yes Yes Yes Yes
Judah Yes Yes Yes Yes
Dan Yes Yes Yes No
Naphtali Yes Yes Yes Yes
Gad Yes Yes Yes Yes
Asher Yes Yes Yes Yes
Issachar Yes Yes Yes Yes
Zebulun Yes Yes Yes Yes
Joseph Yes No Yes Yes
Ephraim No Yes No No
Manasseh No Yes No Yes
Benjamin Yes Yes Yes Yes

The Twelve Tribes and Desert Life

Population Change

According to God’s command, the Israelites conducted two censuses in the desert. The first census took place in the desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites left Egypt. Its purpose was to count the number of men twenty years old or older who were fit for military service. The total count from all tribes was 603,550.[23] The tribe of Levi was excluded from this census as they were tasked with the responsibilities of the Tabernacle as commanded by God.[24]

The second census occurred on the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan, just before the Israelites entered Canaan. Its purpose was to determine the allocation of land to each tribe upon entering Canaan. God distributed the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel by lot, granting larger portions to tribes with greater numbers and smaller portions to those with fewer numbers.[25] Excluding the Levites, who were exempted from the census due to God’s special instructions, the total count of men twenty years old or older was 601,730.[26] While slightly smaller than the first census, the difference was not significant.

  • Two Censuses
Tribe First Census (Ranking) Second Census (Ranking) Increase/Decrease
Reuben 46,500 (7) 43,730 (9) 2,770↓
Simeon 59,300 (3) 22,200 (12) 37,100↓
Levi 22,000 23,000 1,000↑
Judah 74,600 (1) 76,500 (1) 1,900↑
Dan 62,700 (2) 64,400 (2) 1,700↑
Naphtali 53,400 (6) 45,400 (8) 8,000↓
Gad 45,650 (8) 40,500 (10) 5,150↓
Asher 41,500 (9) 53,400 (5) 11,900↑
Issachar 54,400 (5) 64,300 (3) 9,900↑
Zebulun 57,400 (4) 60,500 (4) 3,100↑
Ephraim 40,500 (10) 32,500 (11) 8,000↓
Manasseh 32,200 (12) 52,700 (6) 20,500↑
Benjamin 35,400 (11) 45,600 (7) 10,200↑
Sum 603,550 601,730 1,820↓

Compared to the significant population growth of the twelve tribes during their time in Egypt, their numbers decreased during their 40-year journey in the desert. This decline occurred as those who engaged in idol worship, adultery, testing God, and grumbling were all subject to God’s punishment and perished.


Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. . . . Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

1 Corinthians 10:5–11

For details, refer to: Life in Desert

Arrangements of the Tribal Camps and the Order of Setting Out

Arrangements of the Tribal Camps

When the Israelites journeyed in the desert, they arranged their camps around the Tabernacle in groups of three tribes each.[27] As the tribe of Levi was entrusted with the care of the Tabernacle, they pitched their tents in the middle of the encampment. On the east, the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun encamped. On the south were the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. On the west were the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin. And on the north were the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali.

According to God’s instructions, the Israelites camped under their respective standard and set out in a predetermined order, each bearing the banners of their families and clans.[28] The camp of Judah was the first to set out, led by the tribe of Judah under its standard, followed by Issachar and Zebulun in the east. The total number of men assigned to the camp of Judah was 186,400.[29] The camp of Reuben was next to set out, led by the tribe of Reuben under its banner, followed by Simeon and Gad in the south. The total number of men assigned to the camp of Reuben was 151,450.[30]

The tribe of Levi, responsible for the care of the Tabernacle, was in the middle of the camps. The Levites took down the Tabernacle when the Israelites moved, and set it up again when they stayed. The Levites set out in the same order as they encamped, each in their own place under their standard.[31] Next, the camp of Ephraim set out. The tribe of Ephraim organized their division under their standard. The tribes of Manasseh and Benjamin, who camped together in the west, followed. All the men assigned to the camp of Ephraim numbered 188,100.[32] Lastly, the camp of Dan set out. The tribe of Dan, who camped in the north, set out with the standard, followed by the tribes of Asher and Naphtali. The total number of men assigned to the camp of Dan was 157,600.[33]

The Meaning of the Twelve Tribes in the Bible

The twelve tribes of Israel in the Bible represent all of the Israelites who received God’s blessing. Throughout the Old Testament, many instances occurred where twelve stones were arranged to signify the continuity of God’s blessings, starting from Abraham and passing through Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s twelve sons. For instance, when Moses had the ceremony of making a covenant with God on Mount Sinai, he set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.[34] Similarly, when the Israelites, under Joshua’s leadership, crossed the Jordan River, they brought twelve stones, corresponding to the twelve tribes, and placed them at both the riverbed and Gilgal.[35] Even in times of strife, such as when the prophet Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, twelve stones symbolizing Jacob’s descendants were used to restore God’s altar.[36]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Genesis 49:1–28".
  2. ↑ Tribes and Families in the Bible, King James Bible Dictionary
  3. ↑ TRIBES OF ISRAEL, Dictionary of Bible Themes
  4. ↑ "Genesis 17:7–8".
  5. ↑ "Joshua 13:8–19:51".
  6. ↑ "Strong's #7205 - רְאוּבֵן". Study Light.
  7. ↑ "Strong's #8095 - שִׁמְעוֹן". Study Light.
  8. ↑ "Strong's #3878 - לֵוִי". Study Light.
  9. ↑ "Strong's #3063 - יְהוּדָה". Study Light.
  10. ↑ "Strong's #1835 - דָּן". Study Light.
  11. ↑ "Strong's #5321 - נַפְתָּלִי". Study Light.
  12. ↑ "Strong's #1410 - גָּד". Study Light.
  13. ↑ "Strong's #836 - אָשֵׁר". Study Light.
  14. ↑ "Strong's #3485 - יִשָּׂשׂכָר". Study Light.
  15. ↑ "Strong's #2074 - זְבוּלֻן". Study Light.
  16. ↑ "Strong's #3084 - יְהוֹסֵף". Study Light.
  17. ↑ "Strong's #1144 - בִּנְיָמִין". Study Light.
  18. ↑ "Exodus 28:21".
  19. ↑ "Deuteronomy 33:1".
  20. ↑ "Joshua 14:4".
  21. ↑ "Genesis 48:5–6".
  22. ↑ "Numbers 3:6–12".
  23. ↑ "Numbers 1:1–46".
  24. ↑ "Numbers 1:49–51".
  25. ↑ "Numbers 26:52–55".
  26. ↑ "Numbers 26:51".
  27. ↑ "Numbers 2:2".
  28. ↑ "Numbers 2:34".
  29. ↑ "Numbers 2:9".
  30. ↑ "Numbers 2:16".
  31. ↑ "Numbers 2:17".
  32. ↑ "Numbers 2:24".
  33. ↑ "Numbers 2:31".
  34. ↑ "Exodus 24:4–8".
  35. ↑ "Joshua 4:8–9".
  36. ↑ "1 Kings 18:30–31".
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