'Family' in the Bible

But Hobab [Moses’ brother-in-law] said to him, “I will not go; I will return to my own land and to my family.”

Reuben, the firstborn of Israel (Jacob), the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites;

of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

The sons of Simeon according to their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites;

of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

The sons of Gad according to their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the family of the Haggites; of Shuni, the family of the Shunites;

of Ozni, the family of the Oznites; of Eri, the family of the Erites;

of Arod, the family of the Arodites; of Areli, the family of the Arelites.

The sons of Judah according to their families: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites.

The sons of Perez: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

The sons of Issachar according to their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the family of the Punites;

of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.

The sons of Zebulun according to their families: of Sered, the family of the Seredites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.

The sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the family of the Gileadites.

These are the sons of Gilead: of Iezer, the family of the Iezerites; of Helek, the family of the Helekites;

of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites;

of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.

These are the sons of Ephraim according to their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the family of the Becherites; of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.

And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites.

The sons of Benjamin according to their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites;

of Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.

The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites; of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.

These are the sons of Dan according to their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan according to their families.

Of the sons of Asher according to their families: of Imnah, the family of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.

Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.

Of the sons of Naphtali according to their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the family of the Gunites;

of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.

These are those who were numbered of the Levites according to their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites; of Merari, the family of the Merarites.

These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korahites. And Kohath was the father of Amram.

Why should the name of our father be removed from his family because he had no son? Give to us a possession (land) among our father’s brothers.”

This is what the Lord commands regarding the daughters of Zelophehad: ‘Let them marry whom they wish; only they must marry within the family of the tribe of their father.’

Every daughter who possesses an inheritance [of land] in any one of the tribes of the Israelites shall marry [only] a man whose family is of her father’s tribe, so that the Israelites may each possess the inheritance of his fathers (tribal ancestors).

They married into the families of the descendants of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father.