The twelve tribes of Israel

The twelve tribes of Israel were founded by Jacob's twelve sons. An exception to this rule is made for the two sons of Joseph, born in Egypt and adopted by Jacob as his own sons (Genesis 48:5), thus forming two tribes. There would thus be thirteen tribes, but the tribe of Levi is considered separate from the twelve, God having entrusted it with the priesthood between Himself and the people.
In Jacob's day, the expression« the twelve tribes of Israel »The name "Lévi" still includes Levi, while Ephraim and Manasseh are counted together under the name of Joseph. But when Canaan is partitioned, Joseph's sons receive two separate territories.

Reading: Genesis 49:1-28.

Jacob called his sons together and said, "Assemble yourselves, and I will tell you what will happen to you in the latter days.

2 Gather round, and listen, son of Jacob ! Listen to Israel, your father!
2 Gather round and listen, son of Jacob, listen to your father Israel.

Ruben
3  Ruben, You, my firstborn, my strength and the first fruits of my vigor, superior in dignity and superior in power,
3 You, Ruben, You are my eldest son, the first I begot when I was full of strength. You surpass your brothers in dignity and power.
4 Impetuous as the waters, you shall not have the preeminence! For you have climbed onto your father's bed; you have defiled my bed by climbing onto it.
4 You are a raging torrent. Yet you will no longer be the first, for you have dishonored yourself by entering my bed with one of my wives.

Image opposite: a partial view of the model of the Second Temple erected by Herod. Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Public domain.

Simeon and Levi
5 Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are instruments of violence.
5 Simeon and Levi are brothers: they agree to act with violence,
6 Let not my soul enter into their conciliation, let not my spirit unite with their assembly! For in their anger they have slain men, and in their wickedness they have cut off the hocks of bulls.
6 But I will not take part in their conspiracy, I will not attend their meetings, for in their anger they have killed men and for pleasure they have mutilated bulls.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is violent, and their fury, for it is cruel! I will separate them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
7 I curse their fierce anger and pitiless fury. I will scatter their descendants in Israel; I will scatter them throughout the land.

Judah
8 Judah, you will receive the homage of your brothers; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father's sons will bow down before you.
8 Judah, your brothers will sing your praises. You will make your enemies bow down, and your own brothers will bow down to you.
9  Judah is a young lion. You're back from the slaughter, my son! He bends his knees, he lies down like a lion, Like a lioness, who will make him get up?
9  Judah, You, my son, are like a young lion who has devoured his prey and returned to his lair. The lion crouches down and lies down. Who could force him to get up?
10  The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the sovereign staff from between his feet, until the Schilo, and that people obey him.
10 The royal scepter will remain in the family of Judah, the ruler's staff will remain in the hands of his descendants, until his true owner comes, the one to whom the peoples will be subject.
11 He binds his donkey to the vine, and his donkey's colt to the best vine; he washes his garment in wine, and his cloak in the blood of grapes.
11 The vineyard will be so widespread that he will allow himself to tie his donkey to it. He will wash his garment in wine, his cloak in the blood of grapes.
12 His eyes are red with wine, and his teeth are white with milk.
12 Wine will brighten the brightness of his eyes and milk the whiteness of his teeth.

Zabulon
13 Zabulon shall dwell on the coast of the seas, he shall be on the coast of the ships, and his boundary shall be on the side of Sidon.
13 Zabulon settled by the sea, where ships could find a harbor. Its territory will extend as far as Sidon.

Image above: A partial view of the ruins of ancient Megiddo. Image © Doron Nissim.

Issacar
14  Issacar is a sturdy donkey that lies down in the stables.
14  Issacar is a sturdy donkey, established in the middle of its paddocks.
15 He sees that the place where he rests is pleasant, and the land is beautiful; and he bends his shoulder under the burden, he subjects himself to tribute.
15 He saw that the location was good, that the land was pleasant. He stretched out his shoulder to carry loads, he submitted to slave labor.

Dan
16  Dan will judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
16  Dan will have his people to govern, like the other tribes of Israel.
17  Dan will be a snake on the path, a viper on the trail, biting the horse's heels, so that the rider falls over backwards.
17  Dan is like a snake on the road, a viper by the wayside: the snake bites the horse's hocks and the rider falls backwards.
18 I hope in your help, O Lord!
18 Lord, I hope you'll save me!

Gad
19  Gad will be beset by armed bands, but he will beset them and pursue them.
19  Gad, attacked by looters, counter-attacks and pursues them.

Image opposite: the breastplate featured four rows of three incised gemstones, each bearing the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The Hebrew is read from right to left. image © archeobiblion/Théo Truschel.

For further explanation → view the Tabernacle in the Desert page, on the site.

Aser
20  Aser produces excellent food; it will provide the delicacies of kings.
20 The land of’Aser will yield abundant harvests, his land will provide produce worthy of a king.

Naphtali
21  Naphtali is a doe on the loose; he talks a good game.
21  Naphtali is a free-roaming gazelle giving birth to beautiful young.

Joseph
22 Joseph is the scion of a fertile tree, the scion of a fertile tree near a spring; the branches rise above the wall.
22 Joseph is a fertile plant that grows near a spring. Its branches extend over the wall.
23 They provoked him, they hurled darts; the archers pursued him with their hatred.
23 He was exasperated by archery and harassed.
24 But his bow stood firm, and his hands were strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, so he became the shepherd, the rock of Israel.
24 But he held his bow steady, his arms and hands kept their agility. By the power of Jacob's strong God, you have become the shepherd, the rock of Israel.
25 This is the work of the God of your father, who will help you; this is the work of the Almighty, who will bless you with the blessings of the heavens above, the blessings of the waters below, the blessings of the breasts and the womb.
25 By the God of your father, who is your helper, by the Almighty God who blesses you, receive the blessings of the rain that comes down from heaven, of the water that rises from the depths of the ground, of the fruitfulness of women and cattle.
26 The blessings of your father rise above the blessings of my fathers to the top of the ancient hills, may they be on the head of Joseph, on top of the head of the prince of his brothers!
26 The blessings given by your father surpass the blessings of eternal mountains, the desirable products of ancient hills. May his father's blessings descend on the head of Joseph, on the one who is the leader of his brothers!

Benjamin
27  Benjamin is a tearing wolf; in the morning, he devours his prey, and in the evening, he shares the spoils.
27  Benjamin is a ferocious wolf. In the morning he devours a prey and in the evening he shares the spoils.»

28 These are all the twelve tribes of Israel. And this is what their father says to them, blessing them. He blessed them, each one according to his blessing.