Jump to: ATS • ISBE • Easton's • Webster's • Concordance • Thesaurus • Greek • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms Topical Encyclopedia In the context of the Bible, the term "tribe" primarily refers to the divisions of the nation of Israel, which are rooted in the twelve sons of Jacob, also known as Israel. These sons became the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel, each tribe bearing the name of one of Jacob's sons or grandsons. The tribes are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph (often represented by his sons Ephraim and Manasseh), and Benjamin.Origins and Significance The concept of tribes is first introduced in Genesis, where Jacob's sons are born to him by his wives Leah and Rachel, and their maidservants Bilhah and Zilpah. The tribes are later enumerated in Genesis 49, where Jacob blesses his sons and prophesies their futures. The tribes are further detailed in the book of Numbers, which provides a census of the Israelites by their tribes as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The tribes of Israel hold significant theological and historical importance. They represent the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to make his descendants a great nation (Genesis 12:2). The division into tribes also reflects the organizational structure of the Israelite society, with each tribe having its own territory and leadership, yet all united under the covenant with God. Territorial Allotments The book of Joshua describes the division of the Promised Land among the tribes. Each tribe, except Levi, received a specific portion of land. The Levites, set apart for priestly duties, were given cities scattered throughout the other tribes' territories (Joshua 21:1-42). The tribe of Joseph was divided into two half-tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, each receiving its own inheritance, thus maintaining the number of territorial allotments at twelve. Role and Function The tribes played a crucial role in the social, political, and religious life of Israel. Each tribe had its own leaders, known as elders, who were responsible for governance and justice within their territories. The tribes would come together for national events, such as religious festivals and military campaigns. The tribal system also served as a means of preserving the identity and heritage of each group. Genealogies were meticulously recorded to ensure the continuity of tribal lineage, as seen in the books of Chronicles. Tribal Dynamics and Challenges Throughout Israel's history, the tribes experienced both unity and division. The period of the Judges highlights the challenges of tribal disunity, as the tribes often acted independently and sometimes in conflict with one another. The establishment of the monarchy under Saul, and later David, sought to unify the tribes under a central leadership. The division of the kingdom after Solomon's reign resulted in the northern kingdom of Israel, composed of ten tribes, and the southern kingdom of Judah, consisting of Judah and Benjamin. This division had lasting implications for the identity and fate of the tribes, particularly after the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom and the Babylonian exile of Judah. Eschatological Significance The tribes of Israel hold eschatological significance in biblical prophecy. The book of Revelation speaks of the sealing of 144,000 servants of God from all the tribes of Israel (Revelation 7:4-8). This passage underscores the enduring importance of the tribes in God's redemptive plan. Biblical References · Genesis 49:28: "These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them. He blessed them, each with a blessing appropriate to him." · Numbers 1:52: "The Israelites are to camp by their divisions, each man in his own camp and under his own standard." · Joshua 13-21: Detailed account of the territorial allotments to the tribes. · Revelation 7:4: "And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel." The tribes of Israel, with their unique identities and roles, form a foundational element of biblical history and theology, reflecting God's covenantal relationship with His chosen people. ATS Bible Dictionary TribeJacob having twelve sons, who were heads of so many families, which together formed a great nation, each of these families was called a tribe. But this patriarch on his death-bed adopted Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, and would have them also to constitute two tribes in Israel, Genesis 48:5. Instead of twelve tribes, there were now thirteen, that of Joseph being two. However, in the distribution of lands by Joshua under the order of God, they reckoned but twelve tribes and made but twelve lots; of the tribe of Levi, being appointed to the sacred service, had no share in the distribution of the land, but received certain cities to dwell in, with the first-fruits, tithes, and oblations of the people. Each tribe had its own leaders and tribunals; and the whole twelve, in their early history, constituted a republic somewhat resembling the United States. In the division made by Joshua of the land of Canaan, Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh had their lot beyond Jordan, east; all the other tribes, and the remaining half of Manasseh had their distribution on this side the river, west. The twelve tribes continued united as one state, one people, and one monarchy, till after the death of Solomon, when ten of the tribes revolted from the house of David, and formed the kingdom of Israel. See HEBREWS. Easton's Bible Dictionary A collection of families descending from one ancestor. The "twelve tribes" of the Hebrews were the twelve collections of families which sprang from the sons of Jacob. In Matthew 24:30 the word has a wider significance. The tribes of Israel are referred to as types of the spiritual family of God (Revelation 7). (see ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF; JUDAH, KINGDOM OF.) Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (n.) A family, race, or series of generations, descending from the same progenitor, and kept distinct, as in the case of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of Jacob.2. (n.) A number of species or genera having certain structural characteristics in common; as, a tribe of plants; a tribe of animals. 3. (n.) A nation of savages or uncivilized people; a body of rude people united under one leader or government; as, the tribes of the Six Nations; the Seneca tribe. 4. (n.) A division, class, or distinct portion of a people, from whatever cause that distinction may have originated; as, the city of Athens was divided into ten tribes. 5. (n.) A family of animals descended from some particular female progenitor, through the female line; as, the Duchess tribe of shorthorns. 6. (v. t.) To distribute into tribes or classes. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia DAN (1); DAN, TRIBE OF(dan, "judge"; Dan). TRIBE trib (in the Old Testament always for matteh, 183 times, or shebhet, 145 times, also spelled shebhet; Aramaic shebhat (Ezra 6:17)): Both words mean "staff," and perhaps "company led by chief with staff" (OHL, 641) is the origin of the meaning "tribe." In the Apocrypha and New Testament always for phule, from phuo, "beget," with dodekaphulon, "twelve tribes," in Acts 26:7. Of the two Hebrew words, shebhet appears to be considerably the older, and is used in Psalm 74:2 Jeremiah 10:16; Jeremiah 51:19 of the whole people of Israel, and in Numbers 4:18 Judges 20:12 (Revised Version margin); 1 Samuel 9:21 (Revised Version margin) of subdivisions of a tribe (but the text of most of these six verses is suspicious). Further, in Isaiah 19:13, shebhet is used of the "tribes" (nomes?) of Egypt and phule in Matthew 24:30 of "all the tribes of the earth," but otherwise shebhet, matteh and phule refer exclusively to the tribes of Israel. In 2 Samuel 7:7 for shibhete, "tribes," read shophete, "judges" (of the Revised Version margin). Greek 5443. phule -- a clan or tribe ... a clan or tribe. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: phule Phonetic Spelling: (foo-lay') Short Definition: a tribe, race Definition: a tribe or race ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5443.htm - 7k 3508. Nephthalim -- Naphtali, a tribe of Isr. 4502. Rhouben -- Reuben, a son of Jacob, also a tribe of Isr. 1045. Gad -- Gad, a tribe of Isr. 4826. Sumeon -- Symeon, Simeon, the name of several Israelites ... 246. allophulos -- of another race 3019. Leuites -- a Levite, a descendant of Levi 4061. peritome -- circumcision 3965. patria -- lineage, family 4596. serikos -- silk. Strong's Hebrew 4294. matteh -- a staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe... matteh or mattah. 4295 . a staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe. Transliteration: matteh or mattah Phonetic Spelling: (mat-teh') Short Definition: tribe. ... /hebrew/4294.htm - 6k 7626. shebet -- rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe 1905. Hagri -- a tribe East of the Jordan, also a member of the ... 7625. shebat -- a tribe 7017. Qeni -- members of the tribe of Kenites 8095. Shimon -- a son of Jacob, also his tribe, also an Israelite ... 4519. Menashsheh -- "causing to forget," a son of Joseph, also a ... 6935. Qadmoni -- "easterners," a tribe whose land Abraham was to ... 5320. Naphtuchim -- a tribe desc. from Mizraim 836. Asher -- "happy one," a son of Jacob, also the tribe ... Library Kallihirua's Tribe Within what Tribe the Lake of Gennesaret Was. How David Reigned Over one Tribe at Hebron While the Son Of The Sealing of the Servants of God. That Upon the Slaughter of Ishbosheth by the Treachery of his ... Psalm LXXVI. Concerning Our Lord's Genealogy and Concerning the Holy Mother of ... Hebrews vii. 14-Nov Christ Our High Priest. But Seeing Now that we must Make Proof of what is Alleged at ... Thesaurus Tribe (250 Occurrences)... 2. (n.) A number of species or genera having certain structural characteristics in common; as, a tribe of plants; a tribe of animals. ... /t/tribe.htm - 45k 12000 (7 Occurrences) Allotted (54 Occurrences) Zeb'ulun (41 Occurrences) Ko'hathites (19 Occurrences) Kenites (8 Occurrences) Kohathite (18 Occurrences) Bezer (5 Occurrences) Sealed (31 Occurrences) Pasturelands (42 Occurrences) Resources What can we learn from the tribe of Benjamin? | GotQuestions.orgWhat can we learn from the tribe of Joseph? | GotQuestions.org What can we learn from the tribe of Levi / the Levites? | GotQuestions.org Tribe: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Tribe (250 Occurrences)Luke 2:36 Acts 13:21 Romans 11:1 Philippians 3:5 Hebrews 7:13 Hebrews 7:14 Revelation 5:5 Revelation 5:9 Revelation 7:4 Revelation 7:5 Revelation 7:6 Revelation 7:7 Revelation 7:8 Revelation 7:9 Revelation 11:9 Revelation 13:7 Revelation 14:6 Exodus 31:2 Exodus 31:6 Exodus 35:30 Exodus 35:34 Exodus 38:22 Exodus 38:23 Leviticus 24:11 Numbers 1:4 Numbers 1:5 Numbers 1:21 Numbers 1:23 Numbers 1:25 Numbers 1:27 Numbers 1:29 Numbers 1:31 Numbers 1:33 Numbers 1:35 Numbers 1:37 Numbers 1:39 Numbers 1:41 Numbers 1:43 Numbers 1:44 Numbers 1:47 Numbers 1:49 Numbers 2:5 Numbers 2:7 Numbers 2:12 Numbers 2:14 Numbers 2:20 Numbers 2:22 Numbers 2:27 Numbers 2:29 Numbers 3:6 Numbers 4:18 Numbers 7:12 Numbers 10:15 Numbers 10:16 Numbers 10:19 Numbers 10:20 Numbers 10:23 Numbers 10:24 Numbers 10:26 Numbers 10:27 Numbers 13:2 Numbers 13:4 Numbers 13:5 Numbers 13:6 Numbers 13:7 Numbers 13:8 Numbers 13:9 Numbers 13:10 Numbers 13:11 Numbers 13:12 Numbers 13:13 Numbers 13:14 Numbers 13:15 Numbers 17:3 Numbers 18:2 Numbers 24:2 Numbers 26:54 Numbers 26:55 Numbers 31:4 Numbers 31:5 Numbers 31:6 Numbers 32:33 Numbers 33:54 Numbers 34:13 Numbers 34:14 Numbers 34:15 Numbers 34:18 Numbers 34:19 Numbers 34:20 Numbers 34:21 Numbers 34:22 Numbers 34:23 Numbers 34:24 Numbers 34:25 Numbers 34:26 Numbers 34:27 Numbers 34:28 Numbers 35:8 Numbers 36:3 Numbers 36:4 Subtopics Related Terms |