The 13 Tribes of Israel

They were all sons or grandsons of Jacob, and their names were Asher, Dan, Ephraim, Gad, Issachar, Manasseh, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, and Zebulun. In 930 BC, the ten tribes of Israel founded an independent kingdom in the north, while Judah and Benjamin established the Kingdom of Judah in the south.

The Bible refers to Israel’s 13 tribes in different orders. Reuben, for instance, is generally listed first because he was the firstborn. Still, later Israel reassigned his birthright to Joseph, one of his favorite sons. The tribes are not named “13” tribes, though; the 13 tribes are listed alphabetically. Here are some facts about the tribes:

They were gathered from distant lands

The biblical passage “They were gathered from distant lands” refers to a large group of people who God sent to spread His Word throughout the world. It begins at nine o’clock in the morning on Pentecost day.

First, God equips the “church,” which is at least the twelve apostles but most likely includes a much larger group of disciples. According to tradition, the “church” consisted of around 120 people. As a result, the first church was established on Pentecost day in Jerusalem.

They were to become mighty warriors

The first war between the Israelites and the Benjamites was fought in the wilderness of Canaan. The Israelites were led by Judah, who led the charge against 26,000 Benjamite warriors. On the first day of the battle, the Benjamites killed 22,000 Israelites, and the Gibeonites killed 18,000. Israelites went to Bethel to mourn the loss of their comrades and fasted and offered sacrifices to the Lord.

David gathered an army of mighty men, but some Menasseh defectors joined him. They had been trained for battle and had faces like lions. They were also swift as gazelles on the mountains. They included Ezer, Obadiah, Eliab, Mishmannah, and Johanan. They were armed with bows and used their right hand to hurl stones and their left hand to shoot arrows.

When choosing a chief, the 13 tribes were divided into two groups. The Gibeathite tribe had Ahiezer, Joash, and Ahijah. In contrast, the Anathothite tribe had Ahiezer, Joash, and Abishai. Each of these tribes had its chiefs and leaders. In this way, each tribe was represented by one chief.

Benjamin’s sons, whose comrades were disaffected and possessed no other place to go, formed the first king of Israel. Despite their disparity, the sons of Issachar stood by King Saul until the right time came and then supported King David. Their undivided loyalty and heart helped David win the battle. This group of mighty warriors is known as the army of God.

The period of the Judges is characterized by intermittent warfare. As part of a partial conquest, the tribes of Israel were oppressed by various tribal groups. While there was no standing army, they rallied under a charismatic leader and defeated their oppressor. During the period of the Judges, Israel fought the Philistines, Ammon, and Aram Naharaim.

In the book of Judges, the Israelites were forced to fight the Amorites, the original inhabitants of Palestine. They had migrated from the hill country when Israel came to the “Promised Land.” The Amorites worshipped both Baal, the male fertility god, and the female fertility goddess Asherah, the female goddess of the land. The Israelites eventually defeated the Midianites and eventually defeated them.

They were to inherit the GREATEST PLACES on the earth

The first tribe of Israel to be given land was Ephraim, also known as the tribe of Joseph. It was a very old tribe and lived near the Jordan River. God had promised to drive out all the peoples in the land before the Israelites. In addition, God had divided the promised land between the thirteen tribes, dividing it among them according to their respective families, cities, and villages.

The land of Israel was divided after a land survey was done, and lots were cast to divide it up. God knew that nothing happens by chance, and Joshua acknowledged that God had made the decision. In addition to Benjamin, the other tribes were given land in cities with pasturelands. The Levites were to get a land that contained all of the great places on the earth and an inheritance from the Lord.

God also promised to give the 13 tribes of Israel the greatest places on the earth, which is why they had a single god and king. However, Ephraim and Manasseh defied God and defected to Judah. Assyria later conquered Israel, deporting the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribes of Manasseh to their respective countries. However, their descendants reclaimed their territories in the second half of the ninth century BCE.

Judah is the largest of the tribes in terms of population and received the largest land tract. Its northern border runs from the north end of the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean coast. The Mediterranean Sea and the Wilderness of Sin are its eastern and western borders. The southern border is the Brook of Egypt, which flows into the southeastern corner of the Mediterranean.

Moses’ law determined the original boundaries of the nation of Israel. The covenant God made with Abraham and Moses secured the initial boundaries of the nation. God told Moses in Deuteronomy 20:16, 17 that Canaan belonged to Israel as a “property” for them. Transjordan is another land referred to as Israel’s inheritance.

They fought each other

There is a legend that the ten northern tribes of Israel were lost to history and were assimilated into other peoples. However, this story is based on assumption and inference rather than biblical teaching. The ten tribes were not exterminated but rather became assimilated into other peoples. The story may also be a result of the Jewish people intermarrying with people from the neighboring tribes of Ava and Hamath and the Israelites renaming their nation Israel.

The nation of Israel was split into several kingdoms under the rule of King Solomon. Though some tribes remained loyal to David’s bloodline, most rebelled and formed their nation. The first example of the kingdom’s division is the story of Ahijah, who ripped his cloak into twelve pieces. Ten of them went to Jeroboam, who would rule the Northern Kingdom, and one-piece went to Solomon’s son, David. However, Levi remained aligned with the Southern Kingdom and migrated to Judah.

When Assyria conquered Israel’s northern kingdom, Joshua called all of the leaders of the tribes of Israel to Shechem. There, the elders requested that Samuel appoint a king. The thirteen tribes fought each other in the aftermath, destroying the Northern Kingdom. In the seventh century BCE, Assyria ruled over Israel. Tiglath-Pileser III deported the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh. Finally, in the second half of the 9th century BCE, the Moabites reclaimed many of Israel’s territories.

Various studies have suggested that God had formed the twelve tribes of Israel through His word. Though some were smaller, these tribes had fought each other in their respective conflicts, with only a few tribes involved. As time progressed, more tribes would form nations and empires. The identification of these nations would aid in interpreting the prophecies leading up to Christ’s return.

The tribe of Dan, which had settled outside the Promised Land, was an important part of the nation. It was one of the sons of Jacob and slept with his concubine Bilhah. The Dan tribe became the largest tribe and eventually the name of the southern kingdom of Israel when the nation of Israel split up. Joseph was the favorite son of Israel, and his brave leadership made him a prominent leader of the new nation.

13 Tribes of Israel — Not 12

1. Reuben
2. Simeon
3. Levi
4. Judah
5. Issachar
6. Zebulon
7. Gad (son of Leah) 8. Asher (son of Leah) 9. Naphtali (son of Leah) 10.
2. Dan
3. Judah
4. Gad
5. Asher
6. Naphtali
7. Issachar
8. Zebulun
9, Joseph – Ephraim and Manasseh (Joseph had two sons)
10, Manasseh
11. Simeon
12. Levi
13. Benjamin

The thirteen tribes of ancient Israel are the twelve sons of Jacob, who became the patriarchs of the twelve tribes, along with their households. The tribes formed a powerful confederation, and were important in subsequent conflicts with other communities over land in Canaan (Canaan was an area that is now covered by modern-day Israel). From before 1200 BC onwards they became part of international alliances with other Near Eastern and Mediterranean groups which were subject to similar geopolitical pressures from empires around them as well as from each other. They therefore had shared cultural characteristics more than defining ones such as language or religion”.