21 Bible Verses about Clans

Gideon replied: But Jehovah, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh. I am the least important member of my family.

In this way you will set the fiftieth year apart and proclaim freedom to all the inhabitants of the land. During this year all property that has been sold must be restored to the original owner or the descendants, and any who have been sold as slaves may return to their families.

In the morning assemble by tribe. The tribe Jehovah picks will come forward family by family and man by man. He that has take the devoted things shall be burned in the fire, along with all that he owns. He has transgressed the covenant of Jehovah. He has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.' So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:read more.
He brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.

Boaz was a relative of Naomi. He was a wealthy man from the family of Elimelech.

Saul replied: I am a man from the tribe of Benjamin. It is the smallest tribe of Israel. My family is the most insignificant of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin. Why are you saying such things to me?

Samuel called the people to come into the presence of Jehovah at Mizpah. He said to the Israelites: This is what Jehovah God of Israel says: 'I brought Israel out of Egypt and rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and all the kings who were oppressing you. You have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and distresses. You said to him: No! Place a king over us. Now then, stand in front of Jehovah by your tribes and family groups.'read more.
Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward. The tribe of Benjamin was chosen. He had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by families. The family of Matri (Matrites) was chosen. Then Saul, the son of Kish, was chosen. They looked for him but could not find him.

David answered: Who am I? What is my family that I should be the king's son-in-law?

He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters in marriage outside the clan and brought thirty young women from outside the clan for his sons to marry. Ibzan led Israel for seven years,

I am the servant of Abraham, he began. Jehovah has greatly blessed my master and made him a rich man. He has given him flocks of sheep and goats, cattle, silver, gold, male and female slaves, camels, and donkeys. Sarah, my master's wife, did not have any children until she was very old. Then she had a son, and my master has given him everything.read more.
I solemnly promised my master I would do what he said. He told me: 'Do not choose a wife for my son from the women in this land of Canaan. Go back to the land where I was born and find a wife for my son from among my relatives.' I asked my master: 'What if the young woman refuses to come with me?' He said to me: 'Jehovah, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you to make your journey successful. You will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father's house. If my relatives do not give her to you, then you will be free from my oath.'

The heads of the families in the clan of Gilead the son of Machir and grandson of Manasseh son of Joseph, went to Moses and the other leaders. They said: Jehovah commanded you to distribute the land to the people of Israel by drawing lots. He also commanded you to give the property of our relative Zelophehad to his daughters. Remember, if they marry men of another tribe, their property will then belong to that tribe, and the total allotted to us will be reduced.read more.
During the Year of Restoration, when all property that has been sold is restored to its original owners, the property of Zelophehad's daughters will be permanently added to the tribe into which they marry and will be lost to our tribe. So Moses gave the people of Israel the following command from Jehovah. He said: What the tribe of Manasseh says is right, and so Jehovah says that the daughters of Zelophehad are free to marry anyone they wish but only within their own tribe. The property of every Israelite will remain attached to his tribe. Every woman who inherits property in an Israelite tribe must marry a man belonging to that tribe. In this way all Israelites will inherit the property of their ancestors, and the property will not pass from one tribe to another. Each tribe will continue to possess its own property. Zelophehad's daughters did as Jehovah commanded Moses. Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah married their cousins on their father's side of the family. They married within the families of the descendants of Manasseh, son of Joseph. So their land stayed in the tribe of their father's family.

Tell the Israelites: 'If a man dies and leaves no sons, turn his property over to his daughters. If he has no daughters give his property to his brothers. If he has no brothers give his property to his uncles on his father's side of the family.read more.
If he has no uncles, give his property to the nearest relative in his family. That relative will take possession of it. This will be a rule for the Israelites, as Jehovah commanded Moses.'

Suppose a foreigner living with you becomes rich, while some Israelites become poor and sell themselves as slaves to that foreigner or to a member of that foreigner's family. He has the right to be set free by a relative, such as a brother. His uncle, his cousin, or some other relative could also buy him back. If he becomes rich, he could buy his own freedom.

After Boaz ate and drank, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of barley. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. Something startled him about midnight. He saw the woman at his feet. He said: Who are you? She answered: I am your servant Ruth. Spread your garment over me, for you are my kinsman.read more.
He said: You are blessed of Jehovah, my daughter: for this kindness is greater than what you showed earlier. You have not pursued younger men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, have no fear. I will do for you whatever you say, for it is clear to all my townspeople that you are a woman of virtue. It is true that I am a close relative, but there is a relation nearer than I.

Boaz went to the public place in the town and sat down. When the kinsman-redeemer came along, the one he had mentioned, Boaz said: Come here, and sit down. He came and was seated. Then he got ten of the responsible men of the town, and said: Be seated here. And they took their seats. Then Boaz said to the close relative: Naomi has come back from the country of Moab. She is offering for a price that bit of land which belonged to our brother Elimelech.read more.
I am giving you a chance to take it with the approval of those seated here, the responsible men of my people. If you are ready to do what it is right for a relative to do, then do it. If you will not do it, say so to me now. There is no one who has the right to do it but you, and after you, myself. And he said: I will do it. Then Boaz said: On the day when you take this field, you will have to take with it Ruth, the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, so that you may keep the name of the dead living in his heritage. The near relative said: I am not able to redeem it for myself, for fear of damaging the heritage I have. You may do it in my place, for I am not able to do it myself. It was the custom for the seller to take off his sandal and give to the buyer to settle a sale or exchange of property. By doing this, Israelites showed that the matter was settled. So when the man said to Boaz: You buy it, he took off his sandal and gave it to Boaz. Then Boaz said to the leaders and all the others there: You are all witnesses today that I have bought from Naomi everything that belonged to Elimelech and to his sons Chilion and Mahlon. In addition, Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon's widow, becomes my wife. This will keep the property in the dead man's family, and his family line will continue among his people in his hometown. Today you are witnesses to this. The leaders and the others said: Yes, we are witnesses. May Jehovah make your wife become like Rachel and Leah, who bore many children to Jacob. May you become rich in the clan of Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem. May your family be like the family of Perez, the son whom Tamar gave to Judah, from the offspring that Jehovah may give you by this young woman.

The king asked her: What can I do for you? She answered: I am a widow; my husband is dead. I had two sons who fought with each other in the field. There was no one to separate them. One killed the other. All my relatives have turned against me and are demanding that I hand my son over to them. They want to kill him for murdering his brother. If they do this, I will be left without a son. They will destroy my last hope. They will leave my husband without a son to keep his name alive.

After the plague Jehovah said to Moses and Eleazar son of the priest Aaron: Take a census of the entire congregation of Israel by households. List those who are at least twenty years old and eligible for military duty. Moses and the priest Eleazar spoke to the Israelites on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River across from Jericho. They said:read more.
Take a census of those at least twenty years old, as Jehovah commanded Moses. These are the Israelites who came from Egypt: Reuben was Israel's firstborn. The descendants of Reuben were the family of Hanoch, the family of Pallu, the family of Hezron, and the family of Carmi. These were the families of Reuben. The total number of men was forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty. Eliab was the son of Pallu, and Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram were the sons of Eliab. It was Dathan and Abiram, men chosen by the community, who defied Moses and Aaron's authority. They joined Korah's followers when they defied Jehovah's authority. The ground opened up and swallowed them along with Korah. They and their followers died when the fire consumed the two hundred and fifty men. This was a warning. The descendants of Korah did not die. The families descended from Simeon were the family of Nemuel, the family of Jamin, the family of Jakin, the family of Zerah, and the family of Shaul. These were the families of Simeon. The total number of men was twenty-two thousand two hundred. The families descended from Gad were the family of Zephon, the family of Haggi, the family of Shuni, the family of Ozni, the family of Eri, the family of Arodi, and the family of Areli. These were the families of Gad's descendants. The total number of men was forty thousand five hundred. Er and Onan were sons of Judah, but they died in Canaan. The families descended from Judah were the family of Shelah, the family of Perez, and the family of Zerah. The descendants of Perez were the family of Hezron and the family of Hamul. These were the families of Judah. The total number of men was seventy-six thousand five hundred. The families descended from Issachar were the family of Tola, the family of Puah, the family of Jashub, and the family of Shimron. These were the families of Issachar. The total number of men was sixty-four thousand three hundred. The families descended from Zebulun were the family of Sered, the family of Elon, and the family of Jahleel. These were the families of Zebulun. The total number of men was sixty thousand five hundred. The families descended from Joseph through Manasseh and Ephraim were from Manasseh the family of Machir who was the father of Gilead and the family of Gilead. The descendants of Gilead were the family of Iezer, the family of Helek, the family of Asriel, the family of Shechem, the family of Shemida, and the family of Hepher. Zelophehad, son of Hepher, had no sons-only daughters. Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. These were the families of Manasseh. The total number of men was fifty-two thousand seven hundred. The families descended from Ephraim were the family of Shuthelah, the family of Beker, and the family of Tahan. The descendants of Shuthelah were the family of Eran. These were the families of Ephraim's descendants. The total number of men was thirty-two thousand five hundred. These were the families descended from Joseph. The families descended from Benjamin were the family of Bela, the family of Ashbel, the family of Ahiram, the family of Shupham, and the family of Hupham. The descendants of Bela through Ard and Naaman were the family of Ard and the family of Naaman. These were the families descended from Benjamin. The total number of men was forty-five thousand six hundred. The family descended from Dan was the family of Shuham. This was the family descended from Dan. The total number of men in all the family of Shuham was sixty-four thousand four hundred. The families descended from Asher were the family of Imnah, the family of Ishvi, and the family of Beriah. The descendants of Beriah were the family of Heber and the family of Malchiel. Asher had a daughter named Serah. These were the families of Asher's descendants. The total number of men was fifty-three thousand four hundred. The families descended from Naphtali were the family of Jahzeel, the family of Guni, the family of Jezer, and the family of Shillem. These were the families of Naphtali. The total number of men was forty-five thousand four hundred. The total number of Israelite men was six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty. Jehovah said to Moses: Use the list of names from the census to divide the land these people will possess. Give more land to larger tribes and less land to smaller ones. Use the totals from the census in giving land to each tribe. The land must also be divided by drawing lots. The tribes will receive their land based on the names of their ancestors. Whether the tribes are large or small, the land must be divided by drawing lots. The families descended from Levi were listed as the family of Gershon, the family of Kohath, and the family of Merari. These were the families of Levi: the Libnite family, the Hebronite family, the Mahlite family, the Mushite family, and the Korahite family. Kohath was the ancestor of Amram. The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, a descendant of Levi, who was born in Egypt. She gave birth to Amram's children: Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam. Aaron was the father of Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Nadab and Abihu died because they offered unauthorized fire in Jehovah's presence.

Moses gave to the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families. Their coast was from Aroer that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba, Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon,read more.
And Jahazah, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath, And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zareth-shahar in the mount of the valley, And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, All the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses killed with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, who were dukes of Sihon, living in the country. Balaam was also the son of Beor, the soothsayer. The children of Israel slayed him along with all who were slain with the sword. The border of the children of Reuben was Jordan and its border. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages there. Moses gave inheritance to the tribe of Gad according to their families. Their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, to Aroer that is near Rabbah; From Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir; In the valley, Beth-aram, and Beth-nimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, to the edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward. This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities, and their villages. Moses gave inheritance to the half tribe of Manasseh. This was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by families. Their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty cities: Half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families. These are the countries that Moses distributed for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward. But he gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. Jehovah God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said to them.

This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families: The border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the farthest part of the south coast. The shore of the salt sea was their south border, from the bay that looks southward: From there it went out to the south side to Maaleh-acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side to Kadesh-barnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and went around to Karka:read more.
From there it passed toward Azmon and went out to the river of Egypt and ended at the south coast at the sea. The east border was the salt sea to the end of Jordan. Their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan: Their border continued to Beth-hogla, and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah. The border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben: The border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river. Then the border passed toward the waters of En-shemesh and came out at En-rogel: The border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom to the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the Valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the Valley of the Giants northward: Then the border was drawn from the top of the hill to the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of Mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath-jearim: The border circled Baalah westward to Mount Seir, and passed along to the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah: And the border went out to the north side of Ekron: and the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to Mount Baalah, and went out to Jabneel to the sea. The west border was to the coast of the great sea. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families. To Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of Jehovah to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. From Hebron Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai. He went to the inhabitants of Debir. The name of Debir previously was Kirjath-sepher. Caleb said: I will give Achsah my daughter in marriage to the man who captures it and kills Kirjath-sepher. Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. She came to him and convinced him to ask of her father for a field. She dismounted her donkey and Caleb said to her: What do you wish? She answered: Give me a blessing. For you have given me a land in the south which includes springs of water. He gave her the upper springs, and the lower springs.

From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.

Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,read more.
Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. Later the Canaanite clans scattered, and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.

These were the names of the sheiks (chiefs) of Esau, according to their families and their places, by their names: Chief Timnah, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth, Chief Oholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar,read more.
Chief Magdiel, and Chief Iram. These were the sheiks of Edom, according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession. Esau was the father of the Edomites.