11. Rachel therefore gave Leah the signs so that Jacob would not realize the switch. However, he agreed to give Rachel in marriage as well if Jacob would work another seven years. Zebulun, Zilpah (Leah's maid), mother of: Gad, Asher, Bilhah (Rachel's maid), mother of: Dan, Naphtali. Earth revolves around the sun for 365 days and contains no "months." The Hebrew calendar combines the two systems, lunar and solar by counting 12 months and calling it a year, lasting approximately 354 days. Israels first king (Saul, 1 Samuel 9:1-2) was of the tribe of Benjamin, as was the apostle Paul (Philippians 3:5). He vowed to kill Jacob as soon as Isaac died. Suddenly, a 6-year-old child stood in front of the carriage, boldly holding onto the horse's reins and bawling his head off. Jacob responded, "Because the LORD your God brought it to me." Since Leah was the wife I suppose she named the babies. The more important are the Book of Jubilees and the Book of Biblical Antiquities. But, overall, they were not known for their moral uprightness. Jacob was a brilliant animal herder and a wealthy man. The house of Israel acquired many possessions and multiplied exceedingly during the course of 17 years, even through the worst of the seven-year famine. The twelve sons of Jacob, in order of their birth, are: Reuben Simeon Levi Judah Dan Naphtali Gad Asher Issachar Zebulun Joseph (Manasseh, Ephraim) Benjamin Birth order was important in the practice of primogeniture, or the eldest son inheriting most of his father's resources, and then distribution following the rank of the others. So Jacob had his twelve sons {and 1 daughter } with these four women. Israel's heart "stood still" and just couldn't believe what he was hearing. To Reuben, Jacob said that he would not receive his inheritance as firstborn, because he defiled his father's bed by laying with his father's concubine, Bilhah (Genesis 35:22). After this, Leah again conceived (twice) and gave birth to (9) Issachar and (10) Zebulun. Seth, Ephraim, Jacob/Israel and of course Jesus This sounds like you are saying Jesus was NOT first born. The twelve sons of Jacob are the patriarchs of the twelve Tribes of Israel. To Naphtali (Naphtali sounds like the Hebrew wrestling), Jacob decreed, Naphtaliisadoeletloose thatbears beautiful fawns(Naphtalis military skill was marked by deer-like speed and dexterity). Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: 23The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: 24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: 25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: 26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which They became the Patriarchs of the 12 Tribes of Israel, with the exception of Joseph and Levi. Title: The 12 Sons of Jacob.pmd Author: Dr. Donnie S. Barnes Created Date: stream Then, all of the brothers returned and plundered the city, taking everything of value with them. Levi 4. And so forth. To Joseph, Jacob said that he would always be spiritually fruitful. % As per his mother Rebecca 's instructions, Jacob left the Land of Israel and took refuge in his uncle Laban 's house, where he worked as a shepherd. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Benjamin 8. More . The Sons of Jacob. Isaac then blessed Jacob with the blessing that was meant for Esau. [92] Jacob is later mentioned in the Quran in the context of the promise bestowed to Zechariah, regarding the birth of John the Baptist. The Levites became the priesthood of the nation of Israel and are not counted among the Patriarchs of the 12 Tribes of Israel. THE TRIBE-GATE ORDER OF EZEKIEL 48 AND THE TRIBE ORDER OF THE 144,000 (REV. Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your fathers bed; then you defiled ithe went up to my couch!(The account of Reuben laying with his fathers concubine, Bilhah, is in Genesis 35:2.2. According to the second opinion, Rebecca was 14 years old at the time of their marriage, and 34 years old at the birth of Jacob and Esau. Seeing that she had left off childbearing temporarily, Leah then gave her handmaid Zilpah to Jacob so that Leah could raise more children through her. He is acknowledged as a patriarch of Islam. Joseph was born at the very end of the seven years during which Jacob's first twelve children were born, so that puts the seven years from 1808 to 1801 BC. Is It Ok for Christians to Follow Zodiac Signs? Continuing their journey to Egypt, when they approached in proximity, Israel sent his son Judah ahead to find out where the caravans were to stop. Jacob condemned this act, saying: "You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. His flocks were often fed in the pastures of Shechem[41][42] as well as Dothan. Asher Israel. Jacob then arrived in Shechem, where he bought a parcel of land, now identified as Joseph's Tomb. How should Christians Prepare for Food Shortage following Noah's and Joseph's example? I will go and see him before I die. So, Bashan is often used to depict a place of idolatry and rebellion against God. Finally, Joseph's father was brought out to meet the Pharaoh. [4][5] The historical origin of the name is uncertain, although similar names have been recorded. (LogOut/ Israel then became angry with the loss of Joseph, Simeon, and now possibly Benjamin. [10] Rebecca was uncomfortable during her pregnancy and went to inquire of God why she was suffering. But Simeon and Levi did not forgive them; they took advantage of their vulnerability and led the charge to kill them. Furthermore, often the Word of God uses analogies to link events or teachings meant for both the past and the future. In the Genesis narrative, as each son is born, we learn not only their name but also the significance of the name to Rachel or Leah ( Genesis 29:32-35, Genesis 30:1-24, Genesis 35:18 ). Lastly, to Benjamin (Benjamin means son of the right hand), Jacob had these words: Benjaminisaravenouswolf,in the morning devouringtheprey and at evening dividing the spoil. (Benjamins small tribe was war-like,and they made a shameless defense of their evil in Gibeah (Judg. Jacob feared that his descendants would never be free of Esau's domination, but God assured him that at the End of Days, Edom too would come falling down. "Why do the Righteous suffer?" Later that day, the report that Jacob ended up receiving came from Joseph's brothers who brought before him a coat laden with blood. 2 0 obj stream The offspring of Jacob's sons became the tribes of Israel following the Exodus, when the Israelites conquered and settled in the Land of Israel. Thus, Israel was able to bless the Pharaoh. This list includes the twelve original sons of Jacob. Afterwards, Leah became fertile again and gave birth to Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah, Jacob's first and only daughter. (Leah) behold a son God always works His willJoseph, though scorned and abandoned to slavery by his brothers was used mightily by God in the redemption of the nation of Israel (Genesis 39-50). 8. When Isaac died at the age of 180, Jacob and Esau buried him in the Cave of the Patriarchs, which Abraham had purchased as a family burial plot. "I want a blessing from the Rebbe! The younger son, Jacob, was an obedient, perfect Torah scholar, while his older brother Esau was a wild, aggressive hunter. In Genesis 29:31-30:24 the birth of twelve of Jacob's children is recorded. Levi: the name means attached - Whose mother was Leah. [33] Literal Christian interpreters like Henry M. Morris say that the stranger was "God Himself and, therefore, Christ in His preincarnate state", citing Jacob's own evaluation and the name he assumed thereafter, "one who fights victoriously with God", and adding that God had appeared in the human form of the Angel of the Lord to eat a meal with Abraham in Genesis 18. Professor Pieixoto describes the Sons of Jacob as "top-secret Think Tank". The 12 Tribes of Israel descended from the patriarch Jacob, son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, who was renamed Israel and gave his name to the nation. 1 0 obj [34] Geller wrote that, "in the context of the wrestling bout, the name implies that Jacob won this supremacy, linked to that of God's, by a kind of theomachy."[35]. The Promised Land [Canaan], plus an area on the east side of the Jordan River, was allocated among the 12 Tribes. Asher - Happiness. 13 Benjamin. Jacob is mentioned 16 times in the Quran. Each of them was unique, with his own strengths and weaknesses. The 12 Tribes of Israel descended from the patriarch For New Testament believers, this is picture of the patient and hard-working believer who labors daily to conform to Jesus and walk in His righteousness. Then they buried him in the cave of Machpelah, the property of Abraham when he bought it from the Hittite Ephron. Sons Of Jacob. As Jacob kissed his father, Isaac smelled the clothes which belonged to Esau and finally accepted that the person in front of him was Esau. 12. Place: Krakow, Poland. [46], The truth was that Joseph's older brothers had turned on him, apprehended him and ultimately sold him into slavery on a caravan headed for Egypt. I did a poor job of communicating that thought, which possibly led to your question. Lisa and her husband, Stephen, a pastor, live in a small Ohio village with their crazy cat, Lewis. The lessons are numerous. To Reuben (whose name means, See, a son), Jacob said, Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the first fruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. Then he decided it was time to go back to the Promised Land. The angel of the Lord, in a dream back during the breeding season, told Jacob "Now lift your eyes and see [that] all the he goats mounting the animals are ringed, speckled, and striped, for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you",[26] that he is the God whom Jacob met at Bethel,[27] and that Jacob should leave and go back to the land where he was born,[27] which he and his wives and children did without informing Laban. The hieroglyphs are ambiguous, and can be read as "Yaqub-Har", "Yaqubaal", or "Yaqub El". In the morning, when the truth became known, Laban justified his action, saying that in his country it was unheard of to give a younger daughter before the older. This was based on the condition Jacob would work another seven years for Rachel also. Confused, Isaac exclaimed, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau! Israel then said, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive. Jacob had scarcely left the room when Esau returned from the hunt to prepare his game and receive the blessing. Judah and Tamar are in the lineage of Jesus, despite Judahs sinful action toward her (Genesis 38). Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. "[61], Israel and his entire house of 70,[62] gathered up with all their livestock and began their journey to Egypt. The important thing is its easy to remember, when we read the number 12 in the notable passages, that its of Godand not of man. Explanation: to remember Jacob's sons in birth order (by the first letter of each name) Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin More Mnemonics for Bible More interesting mnemonics: All the books of the New Testament The names of the twelve disciples The First Six Books in the New Testament 4 0 obj Abraham came from the city of Ur of the Chaldees and, along with his descendants, settled in the land of Canaan and they became a nation. In fact, they were not able to occupy the land allotment assigned to them due to their lack of faithfulness to God and migrated North early on. [7] The Septuagint renders the name , whence Latin Jacobus, English Jacob. The name Jacob is believed to mean one that follows on another's heels. 9ff. Laban the Aramean was reluctant to release him, as God had blessed his flock on account of Jacob. 10.Zebulun - Honour. Even though he was heavily hated and persecuted by his brothers, he never gave in, his obedience remained unaffected and he continued to trust God even during the darkest days of his life, when his brothers plotted to murder him and then sold him into slavery. Jacob was resilient. The firstborn got a double portion of the inheritance but that double blessing was transferable. But Israel refused saying, "but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he." ; Gen 35:22c-26 - briefly lists the names of the 12 sons of Jacob, grouped by their respective mothers: Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah. (Rachel)may God add The language here is allegorical, indicating that Zebulun would be associated with maritime commerce. The account of the birth of Jacob's children is found in Genesis 2930, 35. The Pharaoh honored their stay and even made the notion that if there were any competent men in their house, then they may elect a chief herdsman to oversee Egyptian livestock. A lunar cycle lasts 29-and-a-half days, and continues like this indefinitely. 6. After Jacob arrived at his Uncle Labans, he fell in love with Rachel when he met her at the shepherds well (Genesis 29:9-14). When the two met, Laban said to Jacob, "What have you done, that you have tricked me and driven away my daughters like captives of the sword? Each of Jacob's 12 sons has a story that builds the framework of their tribe. are: Leah, mother of: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Having made Jacob a ruler over his brothers, Isaac could only promise, "By your sword you shall live, but your brother you shall serve; yet it shall be that when you are aggrieved, you may cast off his yoke from upon your neck" (27:3940). Its amazing how God hid all these wonderful truths in simple names and stories. Is that what you are saying? 4. To Naphtali, Jacob said that he was a "doe set free that utters beautiful words". %PDF-1.5 The first is the role he plays in the story of his son Joseph. According to the Quran, Jacob remained in the company of the elect throughout his life. [65], Israel (Jacob) was 147 years old when he called to his favorite son Joseph and pleaded that he not be buried in Egypt. [55] When the house of Israel consumed all the grain that they brought from Egypt, Israel told his sons to go back and buy more. Since ancient times, philosophers and religions have tried to solve this apparently complicated and unsolvable mystery, but failed. "[19] Still trying to get at the truth, Isaac asked him directly, "Art thou my very son Esau?" In the same manner, the last words of Jacob were meant to be a testament for his literal sons, who were by his side, but also for all his future spiritual descendants. With prompting from his mother Rebekah, Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him the blessing of the firstborn (Genesis 27) and then promptly ran away to his uncle Laban, Rebekah's brother. They relayed to their father all that had happened in Egypt. Laban asked what he could pay Jacob. Leah's servant Zilpah had two sons: Gad and Asher.Jacob and his wife Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin. Dan 2. Jacob offered to serve Laban seven years in exchange for Rachels hand in marriage. [105][106], This article is about the patriarch. The brothers became jealous of Jacob's favorite son, Joseph, and sold him into slavery. Judah had shown repentance of his sins multiple times. Trachtenberg theorized that the being refused to identify itself for fear that, if its secret name was known, it would be conjurable by incantations. "[37] He later rebuked his two sons for their anger in his deathbed blessing (Genesis 49:57). Bible Study Tools. When Rebecca heard about his murderous intentions,[20] she ordered Jacob to travel to her brother Laban's house in Haran, until Esau's anger subsided. Seeing this, the half brothers began to hate Joseph. Looking at what the Bible says, we can conclude 12 is simply the number God chose. Genesis 30:21 Jacob had a total of twelve sons born to him, in a definite order. That meant that idolworshipingpagans lived in their midst, and their hearts were soon led astray A Map of the 12 Tribes of Israel Used by permission of eBibleTeacher Then Israel laid his right hand on the younger Ephraim's head and his left hand on the eldest Manasseh's head and blessed Joseph. (Leah)man of hire endobj I do have Gad listed under Zilpah and her children are between Bilhahs and Issachar in verse 17. (19:6) Jacob's second mention is in the Quran's second chapter. Surprised that Esau was back so soon, Isaac asked how it could be that the hunt went so quickly. (Leah)joined Thats a mighty promise. When Laban reached Rachel's tent, she hid the teraphim by sitting on them and stating she could not get up because she was menstruating. Genesis 27:2829 states Isaac's blessing: "Therefore God give thee of the dew of heavens, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.". [80] In addition, Jacob also adopted the two sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim.[81]. Jacob was obedient to God. Because the 12 sons of Jacob became the 12 tribesGods covenantal peoplethe 12 stones on the high priests breastplate of course represent Gods promise to them (Genesis 28:12-15). Jacob was angry because his sons did this bad thing. The Twelve Tribes of Israel were named after the twelve sons of Jacob, progenitor of the Israelites. [53], Nine of the sons returned to their father Israel from Egypt, stockpiled with grain on their donkeys. Judah is a lions cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. Notes on Each Passage: Genesis 29:31-30:24 and 35:16-20 - the births of the first eleven sons are mentioned in chronological order, along with the meanings of their names; the last son, Benjamin, is born significantly later. 2. In fact, Genesis 37:3 supports the idea that Jacob probably began having children soon after he married Leah and Rachel at 64 years old, and was able to have all eleven children that were born prior to Joseph by the time he was approximately 76 years old (12 years later). Jacob took the sons of Joseph and called them his. Jacob's Twelve Sons -Jacob had twelve sons while living in northern Syria. Joseph (Joseph means May he addand sounds like the Hebrew taken away) received the lengthiest blessing from his father (Joseph was his favorite). What does the Bible say about Preparing for Apocalyptic Disaster? Jacob is also the protagonist of the Testament of Jacob, of the Ladder of Jacob and of the Prayer of Joseph, which interpret the experience of this Patriarch in the context of merkabah mysticism. Because the Pharaoh had such a high regard for Joseph, practically making him his equal,[64] it was an honor to meet his father. He rent his clothes and put sackcloth around his waist mourning for days. Matthew 6:20 - "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven", Matthew 13:44 - "The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.". The children born through Jacob, in their birth order, are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Isaachar, Zebulun, Dinah, Joseph and Benjamin. This is why they are considered as part of the twelve sons of Jacob or his God-given name Israel. [39], The house of Jacob dwelt in Hebron,[40] in the land of Canaan. Change). Bible Teachings. God remembered Rachel, who gave birth to Joseph and Benjamin. Isaac attempted to favor Esau anyway, even though he was displeased with him marrying two pagan women, but God had already chosen Jacob to be next in the line of patriarchs, and this is exactly what happened. The closest we get is Revelation 13:8, which says the number of man is 666. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Jacob was an imperfect man just like us living today. Sons Of Jacob. For instance, Samson was one of the judges in the Old Testament and he was of the tribe of Dan. Bible Study Guide For All Ages. 3 0 obj Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces." Then Rachel gives Bilhah, her servant girl to Jacob, "so that she may give birth on my behalf" ( Genesis 30:3 ). According to the traditional counting cited by Rashi, Isaac was 37 years old at the time of the Binding of Isaac, and news of Rebecca's birth reached Abraham immediately after that event. The "unloved" Leah bore seven of Jacob's childrensix sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, as well as a daughter, Dinah. To Zebulun (Zebulun sounds like the Hebrew word honor): Zebulun shall dwell at the shore ofthesea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon (In Joshua 19:11, a brook from Zebuluns territory extends to the sea, fulfilling this blessing). ", "Archaeological Data and the Dating of the Patriarchs,", Biblical History and Israel's Past: The Changing Study of the Bible and History. At that moment he cried "It is my son's tunic. No wonder they were amazed when an Egyptian, whom they were sure could not know them, somehow managed to put them in the correct order of birth from oldest to youngest! (38:46) Jacob is described as a good-doer (21:72) and the Quran further makes it clear that God inspired Jacob to contribute towards purification and hold the contact prayer. Israel's youngest son Benjamin, born from Rachel, stayed behind by his father's order to keep him safe. The above list is only a portion of the 161 times the number 12 is mentioned in 144 verses in the ESV Bible. These sons/tribes were, in order of birth, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. Birth Order. The two chatted for a bit, the Pharaoh even inquiring of Israel's age which happened to be 130 years old at that time. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! Jacob cursed their sin in the Old Testament and his curse still stands. "[97], Gerhard von Rad, in his Old Testament Theology (1962) postulated that the patriarchal narratives describe actual events subsequently interpreted by the community through its own experience. (Leah)God hears [3] According to Genesis, Jacob displayed favoritism among his wives and children, preferring Rachel and her sons, Joseph and Benjamin, causing tension within the familyculminating in Joseph's older brothers selling him into slavery. Following the example of Sarah, who gave her handmaid to Abraham after years of infertility, Rachel gave her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob so that Rachel could raise children through her. A thorough study of the sons of Jacob reveals life lessons for all who take heed. To Judah, Jacob said that he was to receive the blessing as king and rule over his descendants spiritually and that this blessing would not depart from him until the coming of the promised Messiah, in other words, Jacob prophesied that Jesus was going to descend from his line. Judah then told his son Onan to marry Tamar so that there would be an heir. According to the biblical account, he was the second-born of Isaac's children, the elder being Jacob's fraternal twin brother, Esau. The Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite see Jacob's dream as a prophecy of the incarnation of the Logos, whereby Jacob's ladder is understood as a symbol of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary), who, according to Eastern Orthodox theology, united heaven and earth in her womb. Joseph is easily the best known of the 12 sons (and was the favorite of Jacob: Gen 37:3-4), being mentioned in 16 chapters in Genesis (between Ch. In his struggles, he remained strong thanks to God who fortified him. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. He is also the head of the church of the firstborn (Colossians 1:18, Hebrews 12:23).