Which tribes were chosen to bless, and why might they be significant? Gathered at the Jordan: A Covenant Moment Israel is about to enter the land, and the Lord choreographs a living drama between two hills. Mount Gerizim, lush and green, will echo blessings; barren Mount Ebal will carry the curses (Deuteronomy 11:29). Six tribes are assigned to the blessing side. “When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.” The Six Tribes Who Bless • Simeon • Levi • Judah • Issachar • Joseph (represented later by Ephraim and Manasseh) • Benjamin Why These Tribes? Several Layers of Significance 1. Lineage from the Covenant Wives • All six descend from Jacob’s wives Leah (Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar) and Rachel (Joseph, Benjamin). • None come from the concubines Bilhah and Zilpah. The main-line sons stand on Gerizim, underscoring God’s promise through the primary covenant marriages (Genesis 29–30). 2. Redemption of Troubled Pasts • Simeon and Levi once incurred Jacob’s rebuke for violence (Genesis 49:5-7). Their new role in blessing displays God’s power to redeem reputations. • Levi, set apart for priestly service (Deuteronomy 10:8), becomes the tribe that literally speaks blessing over the nation (Numbers 6:22-27). 3. Prophetic Destinies Already Spoken • Judah received the promise of kingship (Genesis 49:8-10). Standing on Gerizim hints at the royal line’s future mission: bringing blessing to all nations through the Messiah. • Joseph was told he would be “a fruitful vine” (Genesis 49:22-26). The fertile slopes of Gerizim suit that imagery. • Benjamin was called “the son of the right hand” (Genesis 35:18), a position of favor. 4. The Meanings in Their Names • Simeon – “He has heard” • Levi – “Joined” or “Attached” • Judah – “Praise” • Issachar – “Reward/Wages” • Joseph – “He adds” • Benjamin – “Son of the right hand” Together they sketch a salvation narrative: God hears, joins Himself to His people, receives praise, rewards faith, adds abundance, and seats His children at His right hand. 5. A Picture of Grace Over Performance • Reuben, the literal firstborn, is on Mount Ebal (v. 13) because of past sin (Genesis 35:22). • By contrast, Simeon (second-born) and Levi (third-born) are blessed despite their failures. Grace, not strict birth order or merit, places tribes on Gerizim. Touchpoints with Other Scriptures • Deuteronomy 33 – Moses’ final blessings mirror the positive tone set on Gerizim, especially for Judah (v. 7) and Joseph (vv. 13-17). • Joshua 8:30-35 – Joshua later carries out Moses’ command, reading the blessings and curses with half the tribes on each mountain. The scene anchors the nation to covenant obedience before conquests proceed. • John 4:20-26 – Centuries later, the Samaritan woman points to Mount Gerizim as the place of blessing and worship. Jesus redirects her to worship “in spirit and in truth,” fulfilling what Gerizim only foreshadowed. The Lasting Message for Today • Blessing flows through the covenant line, ultimately fulfilled in Christ, the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5). • God redeems broken histories; tribes once condemned by their father are commissioned to bless nations. • Names matter: the identity God speaks over His people shapes their destiny more than past failures. • The choice of Mount Gerizim, a flourishing hillside, illustrates the life that springs from obedience to God’s Word (Psalm 1). Those six tribes on Gerizim stood as living proof that the Lord delights to take ordinary, flawed families and turn them into conduits of His blessing—then and now. |
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