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Genealogy -

All 12 tribes of Israel are descendants of Jacob. Jacob was renamed Israel by God, due to his resilience and ability to overcome his struggles with God and fellow humans (Genesis 32:28; 35:10). Jacob was the forefather of the 12 tribe leaders.

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Jacob’s children -

Jacob had 13 children in total. Their names were Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, and Levi. Dinah was his only daughter. Ten of his children went on to found tribes.

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12 tribes of Israel -

Joseph and Levi were the only two sons of Jacob who didn’t name a tribe as such. Instead, Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, did.

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Jacob named and blessed the 12 tribes of Israel -

“All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him,” (Genesis 49:28).

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Reuben -

Reuben was Jacob's eldest son. The tribe of the firstborn settled east of the Jordan River. The land was given to them by Moses. In return, they helped the western tribes in conquering Canaan (Numbers 32:28–32).

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Reubenites -

Reubenites were known for their pastoral and agricultural prowess, but also as warriors who protected the land of Israel.

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Simeon -

Simeon was a protective man who loved his family. So much so that he teamed up with his brother Levi and slayed every man in a city to avenge their sister, Dinah (Genesis 34:25–31).

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Simeon -

The tribe of Simeon settled within the territory of Judah. As a result, Simeonites and Judahites shared many customs. The two tribes even fought together against the Canaanites.

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Judah -

The most prominent tribe of Israel, Judah’s territory included Jerusalem and the holy temple.

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Judah -

King David, King Solomon (pictured), and Caleb were descendants of Judah, which became known as the Tribe of Kings. Other notable descendants include Mary, and, of course, Jesus.

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Judah -

Judah (Yehuda) means “praise” in Hebrew, and it’s symbolized by a lion, which represents strength and leadership. Judah is also where most of the Hebrew Bible’s literature was produced. Depicted is the Lion of Judah on the municipal emblem of Jerusalem.

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Dan -

Dan was the fifth son of Jacob. Jacob’s blessings for him were: “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,” (Genesis 49:17).

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Dan -

The tribe of Dan migrated north after failing to secure their original territory west of Jerusalem, and started to worship other gods (Judges 18:14–17). Samson, an important judge of Israel, is a descendant of this tribe.

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Naphtali -

Naphtali and Dan shared the same mother: Rachel’s handmaiden Bilhah.

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Naphtali -

The tribe of Naphtali was located in the north of Israel. They were eventually conquered by the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser III in 734 BCE.

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Gad -

The tribe of Gad is described in 1 Chronicles 12:8 as “brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear.” Their territory was located east of the Jordan River.

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Gadites -

The tribe was known for their strong military prowess, but not much more is known about the Gadites. They were one of the 10 northern tribes that were ruled by Jeroboam I when a separate kingdom was formed in 930 BCE.

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Asher -

Jacob prophesied that “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king,” (Genesis 49:20). His tribe went om to settle in the olive tree-rich region of eastern Galilee.

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Asher -

This is why the symbol of the tribe, founded by Jacob’s eighth son, is the olive tree. The tribe was dispersed when the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom in 722 BCE.

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Issachar -

The tribe of Issachar settled in the fertile Jezreel Valley, west of the Jordan River and southeast of the southern part of the Sea of Galilee.

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Issachar -

The tribe of Issachar is described in 1 Chronicles 12:32 as “men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.”

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Zebulun -

Zebulun was the son of Jacob and Leah. Jacob prophesied that his son would “live by the seashore and become a haven for ships,” (Genesis 49:13) but his tribe settled northeast of the Plain of Jezreel, not on the shore.

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Zebulun -

The tribe of Zebulun didn’t have the largest territory, but did have a strong military presence. The Bible tells us that they fought along King David with “an undivided heart” (1 Chronicles 12:33).

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Benjamin -

The tribe of Benjamin (Jacob’s son, pictured) is known for standing against Israel during the civil war (Judges 20:14-21:24). They went on to pledge loyalty to David’s descendants when the northern tribes withdrew (1 Kings 12:16–24).

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Benjamin -

Benjamin's was one of the smallest tribes, but his was also the tribe of Saul (pictured), Israel’s first anointed king.

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Levites -

The Levites were a tribe of the priesthood. They were responsible for the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem. They are often not considered a tribe of Israel as such because they did not hold territory.

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Levi -

While the tribe of Levi had no territory, they were dispersed among other tribes and were given allotments of land. Notable tribesmen include Moses, John the Baptist, Barnabas, and Aaron.

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Manasseh and Ephraim -

The tribe of Ephraim is descended from one of Joseph’s sons. The Northern Kingdom’s capital after the division, Samaria, was located in Ephraim’s territory. Notable tribesmen include Joshua and Samuel.

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Manasseh and Ephraim -

Manasseh is also a tribe descended from a son of Joseph, or a grandson of Jacob. Their territory was one of the largest among the 12 tribes. Ephraim and Manasseh are also known as the “two half-tribes of Joseph,” and are both considered one of the 12 tribes.

Sources: (OverviewBible) (International Fellowship of Christians and Jews) (Britannica) 

See also: Major questions the Bible leaves unanswered

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