SENIOR
AGE
GROUP:14 - 15 YEARS
STANDARD
(GRADE): IX & X
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LESSON – 8
JACOB AND THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL
Jacob and Esau were the twin sons of Isaac. When they grew up, Jacob tricked his brother Esau of his blessings. Esau wanted to take revenge on Jacob. Fearing for his life, Jacob ran away from home and went to his uncle Laban at Haran.
Jacob’s dream:
On his
way to Haran, Jacob lay down for the night and saw a dream of a ladder between
heaven and earth. He saw angels ascending and descending from the ladder and
God standing above the ladder. God repeated the promises he had made to Abraham
and Isaac. When Jacob awoke, he took the
stone he had been using to rest his head, poured oil on it and consecrated it
to God, and made a vow to God. Jacob
called the place Bethel, meaning "House of God."
Laban and Jacob:
Jacob
reached his uncle’s home at Haran. Jacob wanted to marry Rachel, Laban’s
youngest daughter so offered to work for 7 years in return for her. But at the
end of 7 years, Laban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah. Jacob wanted to earn
wealth for his own family. Jacob told Laban that he would take the striped or
spotted animals for his wages. God increased Jacob’s flocks. Laban, seeing how
successful Jacob had become, began to change his wages. Jacob had worked for 14
years for Laban's daughters and 6 years for the flocks One day God spoke to
Jacob and told him to return to his own country to his father. Jacob and his
family left Laban’s place at Haran.
Jacob’s name changed to Israel:
When
Jacob was returning to his father, he was terrified of his brother Esau. That
night, they came by a river named Jabbok and in the night a man wrestled with
Jacob. As they were wrestling, the man touched Jacob's hip and it was twisted.
When the dawn came, the man said to Jacob, "Let me go for the dawn is
breaking." Jacob said
that he would not let the man go until he blessed him. The man asked Jacob for
his name. When Jacob told his name, the man said "Your name will no longer be
Jacob, from now on you will be called “Israel”, because you have wrestled with
God and won. Jacob was
surprised and wanted to know the man’s name. "Why do you want to know my
name?" the man asked. Then he blessed Jacob. Jacob named that place Peniel, which
means "face of God" because he had seen God face to face, but his
life had been spared. This event marked the transition of Jacob to Israel.
The 12 tribes of Israel
1. Reuben 5.
Naphtali 9. Zebulun
2. Simeon 6.
Gad 10. Benjamin
3. Judah 7.
Asher 11.
Ephraim
4. Dan 8.
Issachar 12.
Manasseh
These
twelve tribes of Israel together formed the Nation of Israel.
These
twelve tribes of Israel together formed the Nation of Israel.
1. Judah:
This tribe was the prominent of the 12 tribes in Israel and also considered as
the tribe of the kings. Judah’s territory included the city of Jerusalem and
the Holy Temple of Jerusalem. King David was part of this tribe, and his royal
line ruled Jerusalem for many centuries. Jesus Christ also incarnated as the
son of God in the tribe of Judah (Matthew 1:1–2).
Notable tribesmen: Jesus Christ, David, Solomon, Caleb
2.
Reuben: This tribe descended from Jacob’s firstborn son,
Reuben. This tribe chose not to settle in the Promised Land, and instead asked
Moses for some of the fertile land that they conquered east of the Jordan
River. They settled there along with the Gad Tribe and half the tribe of
Manasseh. During the reign of King Jehu the tribes east of the Jordan River
were captured by the Syrians (II Kings 10:32,33). Later,
Tiglath-Pileser, King of Assyria carried the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the
half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity (I Chronicles 5:18-26). After this,
the tribe falls into scriptural obscurity and nothing much is known.
3.
Simeon: Simeon and Levi had aroused their father’s anger
by avenging their sister. The tribe’s portion of land
was within Judah’s territory (Joshua 19:1).
4.
Zebulun: Zebulun didn’t get much attention in the Holy
Bible. This tribe had strong, loyal fighting force during the days of the
judges and King David and they served him with “an undivided heart” (1
Chronicles 12:33).
5.
Issachar: Not much information about Issachar tribe is
given in the Holy Bible, but the tribe was loyal to Deborah and Barak (Judges
5:15). They’re also remembered as “men who understood the times, with knowledge
of what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32).
6. Dan:
We don’t read much about the tribe of Dan also. The tribe did not secure their
original portion of land (Judges 1:34; 18:1), and instead moved northward. In
the process, they took for themselves other gods (Judges 18:14–17) and set up a
new priesthood (Judges 18–20).
Notable tribesman: Samson
7.
Gad: Gad, along with Reuben and half-tribe of Manasseh,
settled east of the Jordan. During the reign of Jehu, the tribes east of Jordan
were defeated by the Syrians. Later, Tiglath-Pileser, King of Assyria carried
the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity (I
Chronicles 5:18-26). After this time
period, little is known about the tribe of Gad.
8.
Asher: Jacob prophesied that
Asher’s tribe would enjoy rich foods (Genesis 49:20), and the tribe went on
to possess a region of eastern Galilee which is known for its olive groves.
9.
Naphtali: Not much is given about the tribe of Naphtali.
10.
Ephraim: This tribe is named after Joseph’s son. Joseph
received the birthright from Jacob.
Notable
tribesman: Joshua
11.
Benjamin: This small tribe has played several important
roles in Israel’s history. Saul, the first anointed king of Israel, was from
Benjamin. The tribe was also loyal to David’s descendants when the northern
tribes seceded (1 Kings 12:16–24).
Notable tribesmen: King Saul, Mordecai, Apostle Paul
12.
Manasseh: This tribe descended from Joseph’s firstborn son,
and uniquely settled on both sides of the Jordan River (Joshua 17:5–6). The
eastern settlement is often referred to as the “half-tribe of Manasseh.” During
the reign of Jehu, the tribes east of Jordan were defeated by the Syrians.
Later, Tiglath-Pileser, King of Assyria carried the Reubenites, the Gadites,
and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity (I Chronicles 5:18-26). After this time period, not much is known
about this tribe.
Levi:
The tribe of the priesthood. The tribe of Levi stood by Moses (a Levite) during
the golden calf incident at Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:25–29), and later took their
place as ministers to the Tabernacle of God, and later the Temple of God at
Jerusalem. Levi did not have any land allotted as their tribe’s territory—the
Lord was the tribe’s inheritance (Numbers 18:19–20); though they did receive pasture lands for their cattle (Joshua 21)
within other tribe’s territory.
Notable
tribesmen: Moses, Aaron, Samuel (I Chronicles 6:16-28),
Prophet Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Barnabas
Bible Reference: Genesis 28 – 31
Memory
Verse: Then Israel shall dwell in safety, the
fountain of Jacob alone, In a land of grain and new wine; His heavens shall
also drop dew. Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the
Lord, The shield of your help and the sword of your majesty! Your enemies shall
submit to you, and you shall tread down their high places. (Deuteronomy
33:28,29)
ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY
I. Give one word answers:
1. The tribe of Simeon’s portion of land was within ………………… territory
2.
Jacob prophesied that the tribe of ………………….. would enjoy rich foods
3. Saul, the first anointed king of Israel,
was from the tribe of ………………………….
4.
The tribe of Levi received ……………………… for their cattle within other tribe’s
territory.
II.
Give
short answers:
1.
Why was Judah considered the tribe of the kings?
2. What do we know about the tribe of Issachar?
3. What is meant by the half-tribe of Manasseh?
4. Why was the tribe of Levi not allotted any land?
III.
Give
brief answers:
1. Write
in brief about the formation of the 12 tribes of Israel.
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