Earlier this year I asked readers what one thing they wanted to learn about the Old Testament. Many mentioned the 12 tribes of Israel.

Learning about the 12 tribes helps us understand the Old and New Testament and the figures who shaped both faiths.

Who Were the Founders? 

The twelve tribes begin with the sons of Jacob. Jacob was the third Jewish patriarch and had 12 sons. They are (in order of birth), Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Isaachar, Zebulon, Joseph and Benjamin.

Joseph’s tribe is actually divided into two, named after his two children, Ephraim and Manasseh.

Joseph receives a double portion because of his role in saving the Jewish people from famine when he was Prime Minister of Egypt.

When Did the Tribes Become Distinct

Distinct tribes emerge at the end of Genesis, but become defined at the beginning of the Book of Exodus, where we read of the seventy Israelites identified by tribe who went down to Egypt. The people multiply in Egypt, and tribes then become the basis for identifying individual members of the Israelite people.

Moses and his brother Aaron, for example, come from the priestly tribe of Levi. The Levites are responsible for maintaining the Holy Temple.

Did the Tribes Fight? 

When the Israelites arrive in the land of Canaan, the land is also divided on the basis of tribes, indicating both their independence as distinct groups, yet interdependence for purposes of defense. The relationships between the tribes, as we will see, ebbs and flows. Sometimes we see hostility. Other times we find extraordinary unity.

Learning about the tribes can enrich our faith and knowledge of the Bible. Key figures are often identified by their tribal origins, and Jesus’ connection to both the tribe of Judah and of Levi is important for understanding his role and teachings.

The Ten Lost Tribes

Learning about the tribes can also help us appreciate one of the enduring mysteries of the Bible: The fate and meaning of the Ten Lost Tribes. Who were they? How did they get lost? And who are the ancestors of modern Jews?

Strap yourselves in for an exciting series of posts.