Abraham (formerly Abram Gen 17:5) had Isaac via Sarai (renamed Sarah by God Gen 17:18) and Ishmael via Hagar, Sarai's handmade Gen 16:15. Isaac had Jacob & Esau. Jacob aka Israel (Gen 35:10). Jacob's sons (Gen 35:23-25): | Reuben | | | | | Simeon | | | | | Levi | The tribe of Levi became the Levitical priesthood, was scattered among all the tribes*, and was not counted as a tribal nation (Lev. 1:47-50). Thus, although there were actually thirteen tribes, they were counted only as twelve tribal nations.
* Most of the Levites returned to Jerusalem soon after the ancient nation of Israel divided into two nations (2 Chron 11:13) yet they never were counted as a nation of Israel. | | | | Judah | Jews | | | | Issachar | | | | | Zebulun | | | | | Joseph | Had Ephraim & Mannaseh that took his place as 2 tribes (Gen 48:9-16) | | | | Benjamin | | | | | Dan | | | | | Naphtali | | | | | Gad | | | | | Asher | | | |
After King Solomon's death, the Commonwealth of Israel split into two nations. The Northern Kingdom consisting of ten tribes became the nation of Israel with Shechem as the first capital. Samaria eventually became the permanent political capital of the Northern Kingdom. Israel consisted of the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, Manasseh, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. Jeroboam (their king) set up a golden calf in Dan and one in Bethel and turned their religion to pagan mythology causing them to be taken into captivity and losing their identity.
The Southern Kingdom consisted of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and part of Levi, which became the nation of Judah with its capital remaining in Jerusalem. Judah was later taken into Babylonian captivity but retained the sign of the Sabbath and did not lose its identity as the tribe of Judah. After seventy years, most of them returned to Jerusalem to build the second Temple.
Most content derived from: http://www.uhcg.org/Lost-10-Tribes/Diff-Jews&Israel.html | | |
