Thematic Bible: The tribes of israel


Thematic Bible



The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Succoth, about 600,000 soldiers on foot, besides their families.

These are the men Moses and Aaron registered, with [the assistance of] the 12 leaders of Israel; each represented his ancestral house. So all the Israelites 20 years old or more, everyone who could serve in Israel's army, were registered by their ancestral houses. All those registered numbered 603,550.

These are the Israelites registered by their ancestral houses. The total number in the camps by their military divisions is 603,550.


“Take a census of the entire Israelite community by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of every male one by one.

In the morning you must present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord selects is to come forward clan by clan. The clan the Lord selects is to come forward family by family. The family the Lord selects is to come forward man by man.

Reuben was the firstborn of Israel. Reuben's descendants: the Hanochite clan [from] Hanoch; the Palluite clan from Pallu; the Hezronite clan from Hezron; the Carmite clan from Carmi. These were the Reubenite clans, and their registered men numbered 43,730. read more.
The son of Pallu was Eliab. The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. (It was Dathan and Abiram, chosen by the community, who fought against Moses and Aaron; they and Korah's followers fought against the Lord. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them with Korah, when his followers died and the fire consumed 250 men. They [serve as] a warning sign. The sons of Korah, however, did not die.) Simeon's descendants by their clans: the Nemuelite clan from Nemuel; the Jaminite clan from Jamin; the Jachinite clan from Jachin; the Zerahite clan from Zerah; the Shaulite clan from Shaul. These were the Simeonite clans, numbering 22,200 men. Gad's descendants by their clans: the Zephonite clan from Zephon; the Haggite clan from Haggi; the Shunite clan from Shuni; the Oznite clan from Ozni; the Erite clan from Eri; the Arodite clan from Arod; the Arelite clan from Areli. These were the Gadite clans [numbered] by their registered men: 40,500. Judah's sons included Er and Onan, but they died in the land of Canaan. Judah's descendants by their clans: the Shelanite clan from Shelah; the Perezite clan from Perez; the Zerahite clan from Zerah. The descendants of Perez: the Hezronite clan from Hezron; the Hamulite clan from Hamul. These were Judah's clans [numbered] by their registered men: 76,500. Issachar's descendants by their clans: the Tolaite clan from Tola; the Punite clan from Puvah; the Jashubite clan from Jashub; the Shimronite clan from Shimron. These were Issachar's clans [numbered] by their registered men: 64,300. Zebulun's descendants by their clans: the Seredite clan from Sered; the Elonite clan from Elon; the Jahleelite clan from Jahleel. These were the Zebulunite clans [numbered] by their registered men: 60,500. Joseph's descendants by their clans [from] Manasseh and Ephraim: Manasseh's descendants: the Machirite clan from Machir. Machir fathered Gilead; the Gileadite clan from Gilead. These were Gilead's descendants: the Iezerite clan [from] Iezer; the Helekite clan from Helek; The Asrielite clan [from] Asriel; the Shechemite clan [from] Shechem; the Shemidaite clan [from] Shemida; the Hepherite clan [from] Hepher; Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons-only daughters. The names of Zelophehad's daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. These were Manasseh's clans, numbered by their registered men: 52,700. These were Ephraim's descendants by their clans: the Shuthelahite clan from Shuthelah; the Becherite clan from Becher; the Tahanite clan from Tahan. These were Shuthelah's descendants: the Eranite clan from Eran. These were the Ephraimite clans [numbered] by their registered men: 32,500. These were Joseph's descendants by their clans. Benjamin's descendants by their clans: the Belaite clan from Bela; the Ashbelite clan from Ashbel; the Ahiramite clan from Ahiram; the Shuphamite clan from Shupham; the Huphamite clan from Hupham. Bela's descendants [from] Ard and Naaman: the Ardite clan [from] Ard; the Naamite clan from Naaman. These were the Benjaminite clans numbered by their registered men: 45,600. These were Dan's descendants by their clans: the Shuhamite clan from Shuham. These were the clans of Dan by their clans. All the Shuhamite clans [numbered] by their registered men were 64,400. Asher's descendants by their clans: the Imnite clan from Imnah; the Ishvite clan from Ishvi; the Beriite clan from Beriah. From Beriah's descendants: the Heberite clan from Heber; the Malchielite clan from Malchiel. And the name of Asher's daughter was Serah. These were the Asherite clans [numbered] by their registered men: 53,400. Naphtali's descendants by their clans: the Jahzeelite clan from Jahzeel; the Gunite clan from Guni; the Jezerite clan from Jezer; the Shillemite clan from Shillem. These were the Naphtali clans numbered by their registered men: 45,400.


"I commanded you at that time: The Lord your God has given you this land to possess. All your fighting men will cross over in battle formation ahead of your brothers the Israelites. But your wives, young children, and livestock-I know that you have a lot of livestock-will remain in the cities I have given you until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as He has to you, and they also take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them across the Jordan. Then each of you may return to his possession that I have given you.

But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, "Should your brothers go to war while you stay here? Why are you discouraging the Israelites from crossing into the land the Lord has given them? That's what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. read more.
After they went up as far as Eshcol Valley and saw the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them. So the Lord's anger burned that day, and He swore an oath: 'Because they did not follow Me completely, none of the men 20 years old or more who came up from Egypt will see the land I swore [to give] Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob- none except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, because they did follow the Lord completely.' The Lord's anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness 40 years until the whole generation that had done what was evil in the Lord's sight was gone. And here you, a brood of sinners, stand in your fathers' place adding even more to the Lord's burning anger against Israel. If you turn back from following Him, He will once again leave this people in the wilderness, and you will destroy all of them." Then they approached him and said, "We want to build sheepfolds here for our livestock and cities for our dependents. But we will arm ourselves and be ready [to go] ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our dependents will remain in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land. We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has taken possession of his inheritance. Yet we will not have an inheritance with them across the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance will be across the Jordan to the east." Moses replied to them, "If you do this-if you arm yourselves for battle before the Lord, and every one of your armed men crosses the Jordan before the Lord until He has driven His enemies from His presence, and the land is subdued before the Lord-afterwards you may return and be free from obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will belong to you as a possession before the Lord. But if you don't do this, you will certainly sin against the Lord; be sure your sin will catch up with you. Build cities for your dependents and folds for your flocks, but do what you have promised." The Gadites and Reubenites answered Moses, "Your servants will do just as my lord commands. Our little children, wives, livestock, and all our animals will remain here in the cities of Gilead, but your servants are equipped for war before the Lord and will go across to the battle as my lord orders." So Moses gave orders about them to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the family leaders of the Israelite tribes. Moses told them, "If the Gadites and Reubenites cross the Jordan with you, every man in battle formation before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, you are to give them the land of Gilead as a possession. But if they don't go across with you in battle formation, they must accept land in Canaan with you." The Gadites and Reubenites replied, "What the Lord has spoken to your servants is what we will do. We will cross over in battle formation before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but we will keep our hereditary possession across the Jordan."


"At that time we took possession of this land. I gave to the Reubenites and Gadites [the area extending] from Aroer by the Arnon Valley, and half the hill country of Gilead along with its cities. I gave to half the tribe of Manasseh the rest of Gilead and all Bashan, the kingdom of Og. The entire region of Argob, the whole territory of Bashan, used to be called the land of the Rephaim. Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, took over the entire region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites. He called Bashan by his own name, Jair's Villages, as it is today. read more.
I gave Gilead to Machir, and I gave to the Reubenites and Gadites [the area extending] from Gilead to the Arnon Valley (the middle of the valley was the border) and up to the Jabbok River, the border of the Ammonites. The Arabah and Jordan are also borders from Chinnereth as far as the Sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah on the east.

The border of the Reubenites was the Jordan and its plain. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites by their clans, with the cities and their villages. To the tribe of the Gadites by their clans, Moses gave this as their territory: Jazer and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites to Aroer, near Rabbah; read more.
from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir; in the valley: Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon-the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon. [Their land also included] the Jordan and its territory as far as the edge of the Sea of Chinnereth on the east side of the Jordan. This was the inheritance of the Gadites by their clans, with the cities and their villages. And to half the tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the tribe of Manasseh's descendants by their clans, Moses gave this as their territory: From Mahanaim through all Bashan-all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, including all of Jair's Villagesthat are in Bashan-60 cities. But half of Gilead, and Og's royal cities in Bashan-Ashtaroth and Edrei-are for the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, half the descendants of Machir by their clans. These were the portions Moses gave [them] on the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan east of Jericho.


Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and the firstfruits of my virility, excelling in prominence, excelling in power. Turbulent as water, you will no longer excel, because you got into your father's bed and you defiled it-he got into my bed. Simeon and Levi are brothers; their knives are vicious weapons. read more.
May I never enter their council; may I never join their assembly. For in their anger they kill men, and on a whim they hamstring oxen. Their anger is cursed, for it is strong, and their fury, for it is cruel! I will disperse them throughout Jacob and scatter them throughout Israel. Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the necks of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you. Judah is a young lion- my son, you return from the kill- he crouches; he lies down like a lion and like a lioness-who wants to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, or the staff from between his feet, until He whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to Him. He ties his donkey to a vine, and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk. Zebulun will live by the seashore and will be a harbor for ships, and his territory will be next to Sidon. Issachar is a strong donkey lying down between the saddlebags. He saw that his resting place was good and that the land was pleasant, so he leaned his shoulder to bear a load and became a forced laborer. Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. He will be a snake by the road, a viper beside the path, that bites the horses' heels so that its rider falls backwards. I wait for Your salvation, Lord. Gad will be attacked by [marauding] bands, but he will attack their heels. Asher's food will be rich, and he will produce royal delicacies. Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns. Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine beside a spring; its branches climb over the wall. The archers attacked him, shot at him, and were hostile toward him. Yet his bow remained steady, and his strong arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, by the God of your father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, and blessings of the breasts and the womb. The blessings of your father excel the blessings of my ancestors and the bounty of the eternal hills. May they rest on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the prince of his brothers. Benjamin is a wolf; he tears [his prey]. In the morning he devours the prey, and in the evening he divides the plunder."

Let Reuben live and not die though his people become few. He said this about Judah: Lord, hear Judah's cry and bring him to his people. He fights for his cause with his own hands, but may You be a help against his foes. He said about Levi: Your Thummim and Urim belong to Your faithful one; You tested him at Massah and contended with him at the waters of Meribah. read more.
He said about his father and mother, "I do not regard them." He disregarded his brothers and didn't acknowledge his sons, for they kept Your word and maintained Your covenant. They will teach Your ordinances to Jacob and Your instruction to Israel; they will set incense before You and whole burnt offerings on Your altar. Lord, bless his possessions, and accept the work of his hands. Smash the loins of his adversaries and enemies, so that they cannot rise again. He said about Benjamin: The Lord's beloved rests securely on Him. He shields him all day long, and he rests on His shoulders. He said about Joseph: May his land be blessed by the Lord with the dew of heaven's bounty and the watery depths that lie beneath; with the bountiful harvest from the sun and the abundant yield of the seasons; with the best products of the ancient mountains and the bounty of the eternal hills; with the choice gifts of the land and everything in it; and with the favor of Him who appeared in the [burning] bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the prince of his brothers. His firstborn bull has splendor, and horns like those of a wild ox; he gores all the peoples with them to the ends of the earth. Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and such are the thousands of Manasseh. He said about Zebulun: Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys, and Issachar, in your tents. They summon the peoples to a mountain; there they offer acceptable sacrifices. For they draw from the wealth of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand. He said about Gad: The one who enlarges Gad's [territory] will be blessed. He lies down like a lion and tears off an arm or even a head. He chose the best [part] for himself, because a ruler's portion was assigned there for him. He came [with] the leaders of the people; he carried out the Lord's justice and His ordinances for Israel. He said about Dan: Dan is a young lion, leaping out of Bashan. He said about Naphtali: Naphtali, enjoying approval, full of the Lord's blessing, take possession to the west and the south. He said about Asher: May Asher be the most blessed of the sons; may he be the most favored among his brothers and dip his foot in [olive] oil. May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and your strength last as long as you live. There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid on the clouds in His majesty. The God of old is [your] dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He drives out the enemy before you, and commands, "Destroy!" So Israel dwells securely; Jacob lives untroubled in a land of grain and new wine; even his skies drip with dew. How happy you are, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is the shield that protects you, the sword you boast in. Your enemies will cringe before you, and you will tread on their backs.



These are the tribes of Israel, 12 in all, and this was what their father said to them. He blessed them, and he blessed each one with a suitable blessing.

“I was traveling to Damascus under these circumstances with authority and a commission from the chief priests.


The family leaders from the clan of the descendants of Gilead—the son of Machir, son of Manasseh—who were from the clans of the sons of Joseph, approached and addressed Moses and the leaders who were over the Israelite families.

these mentioned by name were leaders in their families. Their ancestral houses increased greatly.


Your two sons born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt are now mine. Ephraim and Manasseh belong to me just as Reuben and Simeon do.

because Moses had given the inheritance to the two and a half tribes beyond the Jordan. But he gave no inheritance among them to the Levites. The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. No portion of the land was given to the Levites except cities to live in, along with pasturelands for their cattle and livestock.


The 12 stones corresponded to the names of Israel’s sons. Each stone was engraved like a seal with one of the names of the 12 tribes.

The 12 stones are to correspond to the names of Israel’s sons. Each stone must be engraved like a seal, with one of the names of the 12 tribes.


"When you have crossed the Jordan, these [tribes] will stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. And these [tribes] will stand on Mount Ebal to deliver the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.


The military divisions of the camp of Judah with their banner set out first, and Nahshon son of Amminadab was over Judah's divisions. Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the Issachar tribe, and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the Zebulun tribe. read more.
The tabernacle was then taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites set out, transporting the tabernacle. The military divisions of the camp of Reuben with their banner set out, and Elizur son of Shedeur was over Reuben's division. Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of Simeon's tribe, and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad. The Kohathites then set out, transporting the holy objects; the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival. Next the military divisions of the camp of Ephraim with their banner set out, and Elishama son of Ammihud was over Ephraim's division. Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh, and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin. The military divisions of the camp of Dan with their banner set out, serving as rear guard for all the camps, and Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was over Dan's division. Pagiel son of Ochran was over the division of the tribe of Asher, and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali. This was the order of march for the Israelites by their military divisions as they set out.


When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered him: What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Israel, return to your tents; David, now look after your own house! So Israel went to their tents, but Rehoboam reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to get into the chariot and flee to Jerusalem. read more.
Israel is in rebellion against the house of David until today. When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. No one followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah alone.


While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had 12 sons: Leah's sons were Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Rachel's sons were Joseph and Benjamin. read more.
The sons of Rachel's slave Bilhah were Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Leah's slave Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.


A man from each tribe is to be with you, each one the head of his ancestral house. These are the names of the men who are to assist you: Elizur son of Shedeur from Reuben; Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai from Simeon; read more.
Nahshon son of Amminadab from Judah; Nethanel son of Zuar from Issachar; Eliab son of Helon from Zebulun; from the sons of Joseph: Elishama son of Ammihud from Ephraim, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur from Manasseh; Abidan son of Gideoni from Benjamin; Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai from Dan; Pagiel son of Ochran from Asher; Eliasaph son of Deuel from Gad; Ahira son of Enan from Naphtali. These are the men called from the community; they are leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of Israel's clans."


"The Israelites are to camp under their respective banners beside the flags of their ancestral houses. They are to camp around the tent of meeting at a distance [from it]: Judah's military divisions will camp on the east side toward the sunrise under their banner. The leader of the descendants of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab. His military division numbers 74,600. read more.
The tribe of Issachar will camp next to it. The leader of the Issacharites is Nethanel son of Zuar. His military division numbers 54,400. The tribe of Zebulun [will be next]. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab son of Helon. His military division numbers 57,400. The total number in their military divisions who belong to Judah's encampment is 186,400; they will move out first. Reuben's military divisions will camp on the south side under their banner. The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur. His military division numbers 46,500. The tribe of Simeon will camp next to it. The leader of the Simeonites is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. His military division numbers 59,300. The tribe of Gad [will be next]. The leader of the Gadites is Eliasaph son of Deuel. His military division numbers 45,650. The total number in their military divisions who belong to Reuben's encampment is 151,450; they will move out second. The tent of meeting is to move out with the Levites' camp, which is in the middle of the camps. They are to move out just as they camp, each in his place, with their banners. Ephraim's military divisions will camp on the west side under their banner. The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud. His military division numbers 40,500. The tribe of Manasseh will be next to it. The leader of the Manassites is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. His military division numbers 32,200. The tribe of Benjamin [will be next]. The leader of the Benjaminites is Abidan son of Gideoni. His military division numbers 35,400. The total in their military divisions who belong to Ephraim's encampment number 108,100; they will move out third. Dan's military divisions will camp on the north side under their banner. The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. His military division numbers 62,700. The tribe of Asher will camp next to it. The leader of the Asherites is Pagiel son of Ochran. His military division numbers 41,500. The tribe of Naphtali [will be next]. The leader of the Naphtalites is Ahira son of Enan. His military division numbers 53,400. The total number who belong to Dan's encampment is 157,600; they are to move out last, with their banners."


If they marry any of the men from the [other] Israelite tribes, their inheritance will be taken away from our fathers' inheritance and added to that of the tribe into which they marry. Therefore, part of our allotted inheritance would be taken away. When the Jubilee comes for the Israelites, their inheritance will be added to that of the tribe into which they marry, and their inheritance will be taken away from the inheritance of our ancestral tribe." So Moses commanded the Israelites at the word of the Lord, "What the tribe of Joseph's descendants says is right. read more.
This is what the Lord has commanded concerning Zelophehad's daughters: They may marry anyone they like provided they marry within a clan of their ancestral tribe. An inheritance belonging to the Israelites must not transfer from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of his ancestral tribe. Any daughter who possesses an inheritance from an Israelite tribe must marry someone from the clan of her ancestral tribe, so that each of the Israelites will possess the inheritance of his fathers. No inheritance is to transfer from one tribe to another, because each of the Israelite tribes is to retain its inheritance."


You are to receive the land as an inheritance by lot according to your clans. Increase the inheritance for a large clan and decrease it for a small one. Whatever place the lot indicates for someone will be his. You will receive an inheritance according to your ancestral tribes.


The Israelites received these portions that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes gave them in the land of Canaan. Their inheritance was by lot as the Lord commanded through Moses for the nine and a half tribes, because Moses had given the inheritance to the two and a half tribes beyond the Jordan. But he gave no inheritance among them to the Levites. read more.
The descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. No portion of the land was given to the Levites except cities to live in, along with pasturelands for their cattle and livestock. So the Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses, and they divided the land.


These registered Israelite men numbered 601,730.


Send 1,000 men to war from each Israelite tribe.”



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