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. Reubenites were known for their pastoral and agricultural prowess, but also as warriors who protected the land of Israel. 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. The most prominent tribe of Israel, Judah’s territory included Jerusalem and the holy temple. King David, King Solomon, and Caleb were descendants of Judah, which became known as the Tribe of Kings. Other notable descendants include Mary, and, of course, Jesus. 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. 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,” 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. Naphtali and Dan shared the same mother: Rachel’s handmaiden Bilhah. 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. 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. The tribe was known for its 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. Jacob prophesied that “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king” (Genesis 49:20). His tribe went on to settle in the olive tree-rich region of eastern Galilee. 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. 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. The tribe of Issachar is described in 1 Chronicles 12:32 as “men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” 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. 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). The tribe of Benjamin 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). Benjamin was one of the smallest tribes, but it was also the tribe of Saul, Israel’s first anointed king. 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. 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. 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. 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.