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Tribes of Israel, the

The twelve tribes of Israel descended from Jacob's sons and received their inheritance in the Promised Land according to God's sovereign plan. Their territorial divisions demonstrated God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises to Abraham's descendants.

Overview

The tribes of Israel were the twelve divisions of God's covenant people, named after Jacob's twelve sons (Genesis 35:22-23). After the Exodus, God assigned each tribe a specific territory in Canaan through a divinely appointed process involving Joshua and the high priest (Joshua 14:1-5). The inheritance was distributed by lot to ensure God's will determined the settlement, with special provisions protecting tribal inheritance boundaries (Numbers 36:3-9).

Key Scriptures

"These are the names of the men who shall divide the land among you: Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun" (Numbers 34:17, ESV).

"And they divided the land of Canaan among the children of Israel according to their divisions" (Joshua 14:5, KJV).

"Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there" (Joshua 18:1, NKJV).

Application

Recognizing God's precise ordering of Israel's tribes reminds us that God orchestrates His purposes with perfect detail and faithfulness across generations.

Scripture References 40
Numbers 36:3 Numbers 36:4 Numbers 36:5 Numbers 36:6 Numbers 36:7 Numbers 36:8 Numbers 36:9 Joshua 14:1 Joshua 14:2 Joshua 14:3 Joshua 14:4 Joshua 14:5 Numbers 33:54 Genesis 35:22 Genesis 35:23 Genesis 35:24 Genesis 35:25 Genesis 35:26 Numbers 26:5 Numbers 26:6 Numbers 26:7 Numbers 26:8 Numbers 26:9 Numbers 26:10 Numbers 26:11 Numbers 26:12 Numbers 26:13 Numbers 26:14 Numbers 26:15 Numbers 26:16 Numbers 26:17 Numbers 26:18 Numbers 26:19 Numbers 26:20 Numbers 26:21 Numbers 26:22 Numbers 26:23 Numbers 26:24 Numbers 26:25 Numbers 26:26
Full Topical Reference List 243 total — Nave's Topical Bible

All inheritance to remain in the tribe and family to which allotted

Numbers 36:3 Numbers 36:4 Numbers 36:5 Numbers 36:6 Numbers 36:7 Numbers 36:8 Numbers 36:9

Canaan divided amongst nine and a half of, by lot

Joshua 14:1 Joshua 14:2 Joshua 14:3 Joshua 14:4 Joshua 14:5

Canaan to be divided amongst according to their numbers

Numbers 33:54

Descended from Jacob's sons

Genesis 35:22 Genesis 35:23 Genesis 35:24 Genesis 35:25 Genesis 35:26

Divided into families

Joshua 7:14 Numbers 1:2 Numbers 26:5 Numbers 26:6 Numbers 26:7 Numbers 26:8 Numbers 26:9 Numbers 26:10 Numbers 26:11 Numbers 26:12 Numbers 26:13 Numbers 26:14 Numbers 26:15 Numbers 26:16 Numbers 26:17 Numbers 26:18 Numbers 26:19 Numbers 26:20 Numbers 26:21 Numbers 26:22 Numbers 26:23 Numbers 26:24 Numbers 26:25 Numbers 26:26 Numbers 26:27 Numbers 26:28 Numbers 26:29 Numbers 26:30 Numbers 26:31 Numbers 26:32 Numbers 26:33 Numbers 26:34 Numbers 26:35 Numbers 26:36 Numbers 26:37 Numbers 26:38 Numbers 26:39 Numbers 26:40 Numbers 26:41 Numbers 26:42 Numbers 26:43 Numbers 26:44 Numbers 26:45 Numbers 26:46 Numbers 26:47 Numbers 26:48 Numbers 26:49 Numbers 26:50

Divided into four divisions while in the wilderness

Numbers 10:14 Numbers 10:15 Numbers 10:16 Numbers 10:17 Numbers 10:18 Numbers 10:19 Numbers 10:20 Numbers 10:21 Numbers 10:22 Numbers 10:23 Numbers 10:24 Numbers 10:25 Numbers 10:26 Numbers 10:27 Numbers 10:28

Divided on mounts Ebal and Gerizim to hear the law

Deuteronomy 27:12 Deuteronomy 27:13

Each family of, had a chief or head

1 Chronicles 4:38 Numbers 36:1

Encamped in their divisions and by their standards round the tabernacles

Numbers 2:2 Numbers 2:3 Numbers 2:4 Numbers 2:5 Numbers 2:6 Numbers 2:7 Numbers 2:8 Numbers 2:9 Numbers 2:10 Numbers 2:11 Numbers 2:12 Numbers 2:13 Numbers 2:14 Numbers 2:15 Numbers 2:16 Numbers 2:17 Numbers 2:18 Numbers 2:19 Numbers 2:20 Numbers 2:21 Numbers 2:22 Numbers 2:23 Numbers 2:24 Numbers 2:25 Numbers 2:26 Numbers 2:27 Numbers 2:28 Numbers 2:29 Numbers 2:30 Numbers 2:31

Manasseh and Ephraim numbered among, instead of Joseph and Levi

Genesis 48:5 Joshua 14:3 Joshua 14:4

Names of, engraven on the breastplate of the high priest

Exodus 28:21 Exodus 39:14

Predictions respecting each of

Deuteronomy 33:6 Deuteronomy 33:7 Deuteronomy 33:8 Deuteronomy 33:9 Deuteronomy 33:10 Deuteronomy 33:11 Deuteronomy 33:12 Deuteronomy 33:13 Deuteronomy 33:14 Deuteronomy 33:15 Deuteronomy 33:16 Deuteronomy 33:17 Deuteronomy 33:18 Deuteronomy 33:19 Deuteronomy 33:20 Deuteronomy 33:21 Deuteronomy 33:22 Deuteronomy 33:23 Deuteronomy 33:24 Deuteronomy 33:25 Deuteronomy 33:26 Deuteronomy 33:27 Deuteronomy 33:28 Deuteronomy 33:29 Genesis 49:3 Genesis 49:4 Genesis 49:5 Genesis 49:6 Genesis 49:7 Genesis 49:8 Genesis 49:9 Genesis 49:10 Genesis 49:11 Genesis 49:12 Genesis 49:13 Genesis 49:14 Genesis 49:15 Genesis 49:16 Genesis 49:17 Genesis 49:18 Genesis 49:19 Genesis 49:20 Genesis 49:21 Genesis 49:22 Genesis 49:23 Genesis 49:24 Genesis 49:25 Genesis 49:26 Genesis 49:27

Remained as one people until the reign of Rehoboam

1 Kings 12:16 1 Kings 12:17 1 Kings 12:18 1 Kings 12:19 1 Kings 12:20

Settled on east side of Jordan

Deuteronomy 3:12 Deuteronomy 3:13 Deuteronomy 3:14 Deuteronomy 3:15 Deuteronomy 3:16 Deuteronomy 3:17 Joshua 13:23 Joshua 13:24 Joshua 13:25 Joshua 13:26 Joshua 13:27 Joshua 13:28 Joshua 13:29 Joshua 13:30 Joshua 13:31 Joshua 13:32

Total strength of, on entering the land of Canaan

Numbers 26:51

Total strength of, on leaving Egypt

Exodus 12:37 Numbers 1:44 Numbers 1:45 Numbers 1:46 Numbers 2:32

Under a president or chief

Numbers 1:4 Numbers 1:5 Numbers 1:6 Numbers 1:7 Numbers 1:8 Numbers 1:9 Numbers 1:10 Numbers 1:11 Numbers 1:12 Numbers 1:13 Numbers 1:14 Numbers 1:15 Numbers 1:16

Usually furnished an equal number of men for war

Numbers 31:4

Were required to assist in subduing Canaan

Deuteronomy 3:18 Deuteronomy 3:19 Deuteronomy 3:20 Numbers 32:6 Numbers 32:7 Numbers 32:8 Numbers 32:9 Numbers 32:10 Numbers 32:11 Numbers 32:12 Numbers 32:13 Numbers 32:14 Numbers 32:15 Numbers 32:16 Numbers 32:17 Numbers 32:18 Numbers 32:19 Numbers 32:20 Numbers 32:21 Numbers 32:22 Numbers 32:23 Numbers 32:24 Numbers 32:25 Numbers 32:26 Numbers 32:27 Numbers 32:28 Numbers 32:29 Numbers 32:30 Numbers 32:31 Numbers 32:32

Were twelve in number

Acts 26:12 Genesis 49:28 James 1:1
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