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 references
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
✦ Topical Scripture Breakdown 243 verses
All inheritance to remain in the tribe and family to which allotted
Canaan divided amongst nine and a half of, by lot
Canaan to be divided amongst according to their numbers
Descended from Jacob's sons
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
Each family of, had a chief or head
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
Names of, engraven on the breastplate of the high priest
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
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
Total strength of, on leaving Egypt
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
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