Ancient Man and His First Civilizations

Ancient Man and His First Civilizations, Canaan-3
Modern Palestine-Israel-Lebanon

When last we left Canaan, the Canaanites were being squeezed out by new Amorite invaders. Now more pressure was being put on the Canaanites by another group of Amorites, this group had just been expelled from Egypt, where they were known as the Hyksos. These Amorites/Hebrews settled in Canaan also.

Hebrew numbers had already been greatly increased by the second wave of semi-nomadic Hebrew tribes. And also by many settled Canaanites, (i.e, the Gibeonites), who joined the invaders against their city dwelling neighbors. Now with the addition of these new Hyksos, who by virtue of their experiences in Sumer and Egypt, were educated and highly skilled, the Hebrews could now begin to build a country. Wars raged and cities were destroyed.

The Hebrews began building amid the ruins of the cities that they had destroyed, and new settlements sprang up rapidly all through the hill country. The first Hebrew king was selected by the prophet Samuel, a prophet of great influence and authority. Samuel is depicted in various biblical accounts, as either favoring or not favoring the reign of a human king over Israel. In any case, he anointed Saul, a courageous military leader of the tribe of Benjamin, as the first king - in about 1020 B.C. It is not clear if Samuel consulted with others, such as an assembly, before making this appointment.

Source: http://realhistoryww.com/world_history/ancient/Canaan_1aa.htm

Ancient Hebrew Thought

Ancient Hebrew Thought
By Jeff A. Benner
In the world, past and present, there are two major types of cultures; the Hebrew (or eastern) culture and the Greek (or western) culture. Both of these cultures view their surroundings, lives, and purpose in ways which would seem foreign to the other. With the exception of a few Bedouin nomadic tribes living in the Near East today, the ancient Hebrew culture has disappeared.

What happened to this ancient Hebrew thought and culture? Around 800 BCE, a new culture arose to the north. This new culture began to view the world very much differently than the Hebrews. This culture was the Greeks. Around 200 BCE the Greeks began to move south causing a coming together of the Greek and Hebrew culture. This was a very tumultuous time as the two vastly different cultures collided. Over the following 400 years the battle raged until finally the Greek culture won and virtually eliminated all trace of the ancient Hebrew culture. The Greek culture then in turn influenced all following cultures including the Roman and European cultures, our own American culture and even the modern Hebrew culture in Israel today.

As 21st Century Americans with a strong Greek thought influence, we read the Hebrew Bible as if a 21st Century American had written it. In order to understand the ancient Hebrew culture in which the Tenack was written in, we must examine some of the differences between Hebrew and Greek thought.

Abstract vs. concrete thought

Greek thought views the world through the mind (abstract thought). Ancient Hebrew thought views the world through the senses (concrete thought).

Concrete thought is the expression of concepts and ideas in ways that can be seen, touched, smelled, tasted and/or heard. All five of the senses are used when speaking and hearing and writing and reading the Hebrew language. An example of this can be found in Psalms 1:3; “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither". In this passage we have concrete words expressing abstract thoughts, such as a tree (one who is upright, righteous), streams of water (grace), fruit (good character) and a unwithered leaf (prosperity).

Abstract thought is the expression of concepts and ideas in ways that can not be seen, touched, smelled, tasted or heard. Hebrew never uses abstract thought as English does. Examples of Abstract thought can be found in Psalms 103:8; “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger, abounding in love”. As you noticed I said that Hebrew uses concrete and not abstract thoughts, but here we have such abstract concepts as compassionate, gracious, anger, and love in a Hebrew passage. Actually these are abstract English words translating the original Hebrew concrete words. The translators often translate this way because the original Hebrew makes no sense when literally translated into English.

Let us take one of the abstract words above to demonstrate how this works. Anger, an abstract word, is actually the Hebrew word אף (awph) which literally means “nose”, a concrete word. When one is very angry, he begins to breathe hard and the nostrils begin to flare. A Hebrew sees anger as “the flaring of the nose (nostrils)”. If the translator literally translated the above passage “slow to nose”, it would make no sense to the English reader, so אף, a nose, is translated to “anger” in this passage.

Appearance vs. Functional Description

Greek thought describes objects in relation to its appearance. Hebrew thought describes objects in relation to its function.

A deer and an oak are two very different objects and we would never describe them in the same way with our Greek form of descriptions. The Hebrew word for both of these objects is איל (ayil) because the functional description of these two objects are identical to the ancient Hebrews, therefore, the same Hebrew word is used for both. The Hebraic definition of איל is "a strong leader".

A deer stag is one of the most powerful animals of the forest and is seen as "a strong leader" among the other animals of the forest. Also the oak tree's wood is very hard compared to other trees such as the pine which is soft and is seen as a "strong leader" among the trees of the forest.

Notice the two different translations of the Hebrew word איל in Psalms 29.9. The NASB and KJV translates it as "The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve" while the NIV translates it as "The voice of the LORD twists the oaks". The literal translation of this verse in Hebrew thought would be; "The voice of the LORD makes the strong leaders turn".

When translating the Hebrew into English, the translator must give a Greek description to this word which is why we have two different ways of translating this verse. This same word is also translated as a "ruler" in 2 Kings 24.15, who is a man who is a strong leader.

Another example of Greek thought would be the following description of a common pencil: "it is yellow and about 8 inches long". A Hebrew description of the pencil would be related to its function such as "I write words with it". Notice that the Hebrew description uses the verb "write" while the Greek description uses the adjectives "yellow" and "long". Because of Hebrew's form of functional descriptions, verbs are used much more frequently then adjectives.

Impersonal vs. Personal Description

The Greek culture describes objects in relation to the object itself. The Hebrew culture describes objects in relation to the Hebrew himself.

As in the example above of the pencil, the Greek description portrays the pencil's relationship to itself by using the word "is". The Hebrew describes the pencil in relation to himself by saying "I write". Because Hebrew does not describe objects in relation to itself, the Hebrew vocabulary does not have the word "is".

A Greek description of God would be "God is love" which describes God in relation to God. A Hebrew description would be "God loves me" describing God in relationship to myself.

Passive vs. Active Nouns

Greek nouns are words which refer to a person, place or thing. Hebrew nouns refer to the action of a person place or thing.

The Hebrews are active people and their vocabulary reflects this lifestyle. The Greek culture recognizes the words such as a knee and a gift as nouns which by themselves impart no action. But in the Hebrew vocabulary the nouns come from the same root word ברך (BRK) because they are related, not in appearance, but in action. The Hebrew word for knee is ברך (berak) and literally means "the part of the body that bends". The Hebrew word for a gift is ברכה (berakah), meaning "what is brought with a bent knee". The verb from the root word is ברך (barak), meaning "to bend the knee". As you can see, both Hebrew verbs and nouns have action associated with them where the Greek nouns do not.

Even the Hebrew nouns for father and mother are descriptive of action. The Hebrew word for father is אב (av) and literally means "the one who gives strength to the family" and mother אם (em) means "the one that binds the family together".

Copyright © 1999-2007 Ancient Hebrew Research Center
URL: http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/12_thought.html

Author's Disclaimer: Please feel free to use, copy or distribute any material on this site for non-profit educational purposes only.

Photo: Hebrew Israelite slaves in Egypt

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

The entire Scripture speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ. This genealogy chronicles how the meanings of each prophet's name weaves the message of the Most High's Redemptive Plan in Christ to Israel first and then to the entire world.

The Ten Lost Tribes A Jewish Myth Pt.1!!!!!

Do you want to know the real truth about the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel



Part 2


Bonus Feature: 3 Types of Jews, Part 2


Editor's Note: I will continue to proclaim the Israelite truth. This is NOT "anti-Semitic" but pro-Biblical. The Most High is a God of truth. It is by truth, that every man's work shall be judged. As a disciple of Christ, I am admonished, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)

History of Ancient Israel

EXILED ISRAELITE MUSICIANS: This relief is from Nineveh, approx. 678 b.c.e. Israelites were always noted for their musical talents. They improved on and created many of the musical instruments used today. These include wind instruments, string instruments, and all types of percussive instruments (ref. Psalm 150). Photo Source: http://sarabe3.tripod.com/israeliteimages.html

Patriarchal Period - The history of ancient Israel from Adam and Eve to the Egyptian bondage, this section covers the Patriarchs before and after the flood, the migration and population by the sons of Noah , the trip to Egypt, and the following enslavement.

Mosaic Period - This section covers Ancient Israel from Moses through Joshua, including the deliverance of the Israelites, and their Exodus out of Egypt, and the subsequent conquest of Canaan.

Period of the Judges - This covers the history of Israel contained in the books of Judges and 1 Samuel.

The Monarchy - Also called The United Kingdom. It was established under Saul, David, and Solomon, and was the Golden Era in all of ancient Israel. Israelite culture flourished like never before as they dominated the Promise Land.

The Divided Kingdom - This period in Ancient Israel follows the death of Solomon when the unified kingdom broke into 2 separate kingdoms. (Editor's insertion: These two separate kingdoms were Israel and Judah. Read 1 Kings, chapter 12, for the details.) This section of Israel history covers the break up, and the eventual Babylonian Captivity.

The Captivity - This is the first destruction of Ancient Israel and Jerusalem. Many Israelites were taken captive to Babylon.

Post Captivity - The Old Testament covers this part of the history of Israel in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, and the last of the minor prophets. It was during this period that a migration back to Israel took place. It was in this period of Ancient Israel history that the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt by Nehemiah.

The Use of Genealogies

Ancient Israel preserves its traditions through the use of genealogies. The history of Israel builds these genealogies in the old testament book of Genesis.

Genesis is the first book in the Bible, and tells the story of creation, as well as unfolding the history behind the creation of Israel.

An understanding of the Bible is critical when studying it in a historical perspective. Though not a history book, the Bible is one of the most ancient sources of history, providing names of Kings and cities once thought made up. Many of the names mentioned in Jewish literature have been proven to exist through archaeological finds.

In fact, not one archaeological finding has contradicted the Bible. It is a divinely inspired book, invaluable as a resource for the examination of God's relationship with man, from ancient Israel to the present.

Source: http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/ancient-israel.html

The Ancient Hebrews

The Ancient Hebrews and the Habiru

The term "Hebrew", and its use in designating the ancient Hebrews associated with the Israelites of the Old Testament, is a term somewhat shrouded in mystery.

When the Amarna Letters were discovered, the term Habiru surfaced frequently for the first time. Bible scholars and historians were quick to determine a connection between the two, primarily based on the obvious linguistic similarity. However, this initial connection was premature.

The Habiru have widely been accepted by scholars as representing a social element only. This is one distinct difference between the Habiru and the ancient Hebrews.

Habiru held no ethnic importance. It was used to designate a new social element of displaced people forming new tribes. These people had been displaced for a number of reasons (war, famine, debt, etc.) from their native tribes and societies.

They were forced into exile, and would form up with other outcast individuals of similar fates.

These bands may include runaway slaves, overthrown kings, exiled individuals, bandits and outlaws, deserters, or migrants.

This tribes were internally composed of complex social elements from diverse backgrounds and cultures, united under the common theme of being forced from home.

Some Habiru bands became mercenary like units. Some individual Habiru became mercenaries. Habiru are found integrating themselves into their new societies at every level of society.

They ranged from domestic work, to government work, manual labor, artisans, metal workers, musicians, indentured servitude, mercenaries, farmers, etc.

They were found in every society of the ancient Middle East and Near East. The term Habiru, and related terms, were first identified around 3000 B.C., and cease to exist after 1000 B.C.

The ancient Hebrews connection to the Habiru is less easier to define. What becomes clear in the Old Testament is that there are two appellations used to denote the Israelites; with one being "Israelite", and the second being "Hebrew".

A clear understanding of the context of the word "Hebrew" and its use in ancient Hebrew culture is necessary in order to understand the difference between the two names.

The first appearance of the word "Hebrew" appears in Genesis 14:13 in association with Abraham.

"Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were allies with Abram."

Interestingly enough, a fugitive is mentioned in this particular passage as coming to find Abram. Fugitives are a distinct and agreed upon element found within the Habiru.

The interpretation of the Hebrew word rendered "Hebrew", has been brought into question as well. The association of Abraham with a fugitive, and the questionable interpretation of the word "Hebrew", pose interesting questions. Though "fugitive" in this passage may indicate a broad spectrum of meanings, it is generally agreed upon the word in antiquity implied someone separated from his tribe and home.



Scripture seems to imply he immediately sought out Abraham, as if he had some sort of acquaintance with him. The Habiru are known to have existed throughout the later parts of the third millennium, and all throughout the second.

It is not an illogical presumption to claim Abraham may have been viewed as a Habiru cheif. He did have soldiers in his household.

He was the head of a large household, eventually splitting into two, with Lot separating himself. He did migrate from another land. However, the use of the word "Ibriy" clearly distinguishes him from the Habiru.

This first reference to Abraham must pull into the equation a brief discussion on the linguistic similarities between the Habiru and the ancient Hebrews.

The actual word used in the Hebrew language in this passage is, "Ibriy", pronounced ib-ree.

In the Strong's Dictionary of the Biblical Hebrew and Chaldee this word derives from a family name. In other words, it is a surname, from the Hebrew word Eber, and designates an Eberite.

The Hebrew word Eber indicates "a region beyond". Eber is mentioned as a descendant of Shem, and ancestor of Abraham. Genesis 10:21 makes mention of Eber.

"Unto Shem, also the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born."

Interestingly enough, the word Eber finds its origins in the Hebrew word translated as "Abar". Abar is a primitive Hebrew root, found over 550 times in the Old Testament.

Two different meanings are taken from this root. One meaning is to pass over, through, by, or pass on. The second meaning is to violate a law, to be arrogant, become angry, or to transgress.

The significance of the above concerning the Habiru and the ancient Hebrews emerges from the languages found throughout the land of Canaan.

In short, many of the languages in Canaan are thought to have originated from one, or a group of, similar unknown language(s) of Semitic origin. This takes on significance when viewed in context with the appearance of the word Habiru.

The ancient Hebrews were a West Semitic tribe in the days of Abraham. Abraham, however, was the only one of the ancient Hebrews to dwell permanently in Canaan. As has been shown, much of his family dwelt in Haran and the surrounding villages and cities.

The ancient Hebrews, however, were not the only West Semitic people living in Canaan. The Phoenicians and Amorites are just a couple of the nations claiming West Semitic descent.

The Arameans were close relatives of Abraham and Jacob. The Edomites would become the West Semitic descendants of Esau. The ancient Hebrews would not become known as Israelites until God renamed Jacob such.

As shown in the previous sections, the earliest reference to Habiru is found in ancient Sumerian sources. The term appears at the same time large numbers of native Akkadian speaking people appear in Sumeria.

These Akkadians became a new element in Sumerian society, and the terms Habiru and Habiri begin appearing. Thus the earliest known reference of the word is Akkadian in nature.

The word Habiru stems from an Akkadian root scholars have been unable to identify with certainty.

The origin of languages remains one of the most bothersome mysteries to historians and scholars. The ancient Hebrew alphabet is the oldest language still in use today. Hebrew is a Semitic language, very different from the Indo-European based languages of today. Some scholars have suggested the word Habiru stems from the same West Semitic root as Ibriy.

This would account for the linguistic similarities between the words. Both words, as they are, seem to indicate a state of passing over, or, to cross over.

The Habiru consist of the criminal element of the word. Many of their members crossed over into a life of crime, and were forced to flee legal authorities.

Many of the references regarding the Habiru involve legal disputes. It is important to note that not all Habiru were criminals or law breakers.

The Hebrews

The Hebrews, on the other hand, crossed over from a migratory sense. Abraham and his family crossed over into the land of Canaan from Mesopotamia. They literally had to cross over the desert to achieve this, by way of Haran and Aram - Naharaim. In this sense, Abraham the Hebrew, may have also been called, Abraham the Habiru.

Along these same lines, the ancient Hebrews could have been viewed as part of the Habiru. It seems logical the ruling authorities would have cared less about the Hebrew lineage, and presumably would have grouped them in with the other "outcast" and "troublesome" elements found amongst the Habiru of the Amarna Letters.
The ancient Hebrews, however, took careful pains to clarify their ethnicity as being pure. Hebrew was an ethnic term. Habiru, as stated earlier, was purely a social term.

Thus, though the two may stem from the same West Semitic root, one was distinctly different from the other. Though in later Old Testament stories, as will be seen, Hebrew became a derogatory term, in the time of Abraham it was not so.

Something set Abraham apart as "Ibriy", as opposed to, "Habiru". Ibriy is Abraham's family name, thus consistent with Hebrew as an ethnic term.

This lineage is seen in the lines of Shem and Eber. Scripture lists five sons of Shem. One of these sons is Arphaxad. Arphaxad is said to have had a son named Salah.

Salah, in turn, gives birth to a son named Eber. Eber was one of the earliest post-flood members of this divine family. He was the great-grandson of Shem.

Eber was the last man of the Bible to live an exceptionally long, though still reduced, life. He lived to be 464 years old. Pelug, Eber's son, died at 239. Ages continued to significantly reduce from that point.

From the line of Eber emerges the ancient Hebrews, and eventually Abraham. By the time Abraham is referred to as the "Hebrew"(or Habiru ?) in Genesis, he is the sixth generation removed from Eber.

Eber (from root Abar) is recognized by many Bible scholars as the father of the ancient Hebrews (from root Eber), through the lineage described.

The distinguishable characteristic of the line of Eber, which from Shem can be traced to Adam, and extends to Abraham, was their worship of God Almighty.

Scripture makes it clear, however, that Abraham's forefathers worshiped other gods, and God Almighty may have just been one of their many gods.

The line of Eber perhaps held fast to the true God moreso than other family tribes. Scripture indicates the ancient Hebrews, such as Terah, previously had practiced idolatry from time to time.

Abraham, thus, fully established God Almighty as the Hebrew God by answering His call faithfully, and living a life dedicated to the worship of one God.

The linguistic similarities of the two words, coupled with the unknown origins of the Akkadian root for Habiru, seem to lend credence to theories supposing a fundamental connection between the two words.

Though different, perhaps, they may have stemmed from the same language at some point in time. The ancient Hebrews were distinguishable as an ethnic group.

Further connection between the ancient Hebrews and the Habiru were found in ancient Hittite documents attributing special divine powers to certain Habiru groups.

These Habiru groups were given special mention because of their god, and their divine presence. The ancient Hebrews indeed possessed a special Hebrew God, and a special Hebrew name for God.

It was this belief in God which separated the holy family from the other tribes of its day. However, any further connections are but speculation as to the linguistic and religious nature of the words.

The word translated as "Hebrew", "Ibriy", according to Scripture, was the term used to designate Abraham. It appears to be used in a similar way as Amorite is used to describe Mamre.

Hebrews, thus, predated the term Israelite. This term did not surface until Jacob, the son of Isaac. Jacob was renamed Israel by God. Thus, the sons of Israel became the foundation upon the Israelite bloodline. This bloodline obviously included the Hebrew line from Abraham.

The ancient Hebrews shared many similar traits to the Habiru. The two shared similar linguistic traits, and Abraham may have been considered as Habiru as well.

The unknown origin of the Akkadian root of Habiru indicates the two words may have been related to the same West Semitic language.

However, Hebrew was a distinctly different appellation used to designate a select ethnic group. Habiru designated a social element of society, of which the Hebrews were most likely a part of.

It was only after the Israelites appeared, that "Hebrew" began to take on a negative connotation. This only strengthened the connection between the Habiru and the ancient Hebrews.

The Hebrew Israelites became a separate designation for Israelites which found themselves in certain circumstances. The stories of David found in I and II Samuel best illustrate the differences between these two groups of Israelites.

These stories also serve to strengthen the identification of the Habiru with the ancient Hebrews in ways other than purely linguistic.

Source: http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/ancient-hebrews.html

First Photo Details: ISRAELITES GOING INTO EXILE "Therefore, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight..." (ref. Ezek.12:3) The Assyrians conquered and relocated the Israelites of the Northern Kingdom into what is now known as Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait. Those Israelites who escaped the Assyrians fled south into the lands of Judah, and into Egypt.
Source: http://sarabe3.tripod.com/israeliteimages.html

The 12 Tribes of Israel

He created Adam , He walked with Enoch , He saved Noah , and He called Abraham. In the case of Abraham, God had taken one man, uprooted him from home and family, moved him hundreds of miles away into a foreign and dangerous land, and established him in the land of Canaan.

The death of Abraham in Genesis 25:8 signaled a change in the course of direction God would take with His people.

The Bible next turns to Abraham's son, Isaac. From Isaac comes Jacob. Jacob produces twelve sons, and the 12 tribes of Israel begin to emerge and take shape. God was moving in stages, and one must keep in mind the formation of these tribes took place over the course of hundreds of years.

Modern day scholarship dismisses the notion that the 12 tribes of Israel are divisions of a larger group, the nation of Israel. They also deny the Biblical account of these tribes all developing naturally, over an extended period of time, from the patriarchal origins.

Many scholars feel the twelve tribes of Israel were joined together out of a joint historical need, whether the threat of invasion, famine, or some other happening. The Habiru formed just out of such circumstances.

Some claim the tribes were formed once they were inside of Canaan, toward the end of the Judges, and the beginning of Saul's reign. Still others claim the 12 tribes of Israel "may", in fact, have been formed in some sort of desert wandering. However, Canaan was certainly not conquered simultaneously by these twelve tribes. This school believes the conquest of Canaan took place over the course of multiple, smaller infiltrations, rather than one large invasion.

These differing schools of thought, however, cannot agree on when these tribes formed, or, when these tribes united. They are unable to provide an explanation which accounts for the formation of the 12 tribes of Israel at their earliest stages. The Torah, on the other hand, provides just that.

The root origin of the 12 tribes of Israel rests in the emphasis placed on genealogical records throughout all of the Old Testament. Scholars simply dismiss the notion of detailed family records being kept in ancient Israel when assessing the validity of Scripture. The ancient Hebrews /Israelites maintained family records with excruciating detail. It is within these genealogies the birth of the 12 tribes of Israel may be found.

The Tribe

The fundamental social and familial unit of the ancient world was the tribe. Tribes of the ancient world were composed of a number of different elements.

Tribes consisted of families, typically extended families, and individuals not of blood relation. Oftentimes tribes would intermarry, and thus larger tribes, over years, may absorb lesser tribes.

Tribes were more defined by geographical regions, and territories, than by social position, or blood. Tribes served to unite diverse families and members of society from all stratas. The tribe was the social, religious, political, and military backbone of Canaanite society.

Abraham, however, strayed from this tribal pattern. He refused to intermarry and intermingle. He obtained a wife for Isaac from their own people, maintaining the integrity and purity God demanded.

The Hebrew tribe, thus, was founded upon pure blood relation. It would maintain its own autonomy and individuality. This distinguished Abraham from his Canaanite neighbors.

However, Abraham also possessed a number of servants, perhaps slaves, and fighting men in his household. It is more than likely all of these were not of Hebrew descent, and probably some were even non-Semitic. Thus, in this aspect, the tribe, or household of Abraham was composed of many different elements as well. Isaac produces two twin boys; Esau, the oldest, and Jacob, the youngest. It is through the youngest son, Jacob, and his twelve sons, that the Bible begins to deal with twelve distinct tribes.

The birth of the 12 tribes of Israel begins with the birth of the twelve sons of Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.

From Joseph would come two tribes, each descended from one of his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. This will account for much of the inconsistency when dealing with the Biblical lists of the 12 tribes.

The Levites were a particular tribe, set aside for God, thus did not receive any allotment of land, only cities throughout the whole of the land.

The 12 Tribes of Israel
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Jacob and Esau : The story of Jacob and Esau has fascinated and puzzled scholars for centuries. The struggle between Jacob and Esau would later manifest itself in the struggle between their respective countries; Israel and Edom.

Jacob & The Tribes of Israel : The triumphs and tragedies of Jacob and his son's in Canaan would lay the foundation for the development of the tribes of Israel. The land of Canaan was new to them, as all but one of Jacob's sons were born in Haran.

Organization of the Twelve Tribes of Israel : The twelve tribes of Israel fled Egypt in haste. They possessed no means of settling disputes, maintaining law and order, or set chain of command. God, however, would use the time in the wilderness to establish an organized and efficient government.

The Tribe of Reuben : The tribe of Reuben descended from the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah, Reuben. As the firstborn son, Reuben played a prominent role in the early accounts. However, his role as a tribe would diminish significantly as a consequence of transgressions.

The Tribe of Simeon : The tribe of Simeon was descended from the second born son of Jacob and Leah, Simeon. This tribe dwelt in relative obscurity, and had very little impact on the history of Israel.

The Tribe of Levi : The tribe of Levi was descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. Through an act of faithfulness in the wilderness, this tribe would become set apart by God.

The Tribe of Judah : The tribe of Judah became one of the most prominent tribes in all of Israel. The Davidic Dynasty emerged from this tribe, a lineage which culminated in Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

The Tribe of Dan : The tribe of Dan is perhaps the most enigmatic of the twelve tribes of Israel. The Danites failed to drive out their Philistine and Canaanite neighbors. As a result, they migrated to another land, in the northernmost limits of Canaan.

The Tribe of Naphtali : Naphtali was the sixth son of Jacob, and the second produced by Bilhah. Naphtali was blessed by Jacob on his deathbed. The tribe of Naphtali was a tribe of great warriors, and took part in some of the Old Testament's most important battles.

The Tribe of Gad : Gad was the seventh son of Jacob and Zilpah, Leah's maiden. Gad became the Marines of the 12 tribes of Israel. They were fierce, athletic, and skillful on the battle field. They played lead roles in the conquest of Sihon and Og, then led the Israelites across the Jordan to Jericho and beyond.

The Tribe of Asher : The tribe of Asher proved to be a tribe of contradictions and vagaries. Influenced by the pagan religion of Phoenicia and chastised by Deborah, the tribe also came to the aid of Gideon, and supplied king David with one-third of his army in Hebron.

Source: http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/12-tribes-of-israel.html

EDITOR'S NOTE: The compiler(s) of this article left out the details of the following tribes:

The Tribe of Issachar: "Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: and he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute." (Genesis 49:14-15)

The Tribe of Zebulun: "Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for a haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon." (Genesis 49:13)

The Tribe of Benjamin: "Benjamin shall raven as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil." (Genesis 49:27)

The Tribe of Joseph: "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel: Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren." (Genesis 49:22-26)

SUPPLEMENT:

Question: "What are the twelve tribes of Israel?"

Answer: The Bible lists the twelve tribes of Israel in several locations: (Genesis 35:23-26; Exodus 1:2-5; Numbers 1:20-43; 1 Chronicles 2:2; Revelation 7:5-8). It is interesting that there are slight differences in some places. The 12 sons of Israel (Jacob) were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher and Joseph. These were the ancestors of the original twelve tribes. However, Reuben lost his rights as firstborn by defiling Jacob’s bed (Genesis 35:22; 49:3-4). In Reuben and Joseph's place, Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, became tribes of Israel (Genesis 48:5-6). As a result, the twelve tribes became Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim and Manasseh. In some other lists of the twelve tribes of Israel, Levi is not mentioned, presumably because the Levites were assigned to serve at the temple and therefore were not apportioned land of their own in Israel (Joshua 14:3).

Naming the twelve tribes is a confusing task. Revelation 7:5-8 lists the 12 tribes as: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. This is interesting…for the first time Joseph is listed as a tribe along with his son Manasseh. Why isn’t Ephraim listed? Why is Reuben listed, but not Dan? There are no perfect answers to these questions. Technically, there were more than twelve tribes if you count both of Joseph’s sons as tribes in addition to Joseph. Revelation 7 presents a list of 144,000 witnesses from twelve different tribes. It does not say why Ephraim and Dan are not listed. The best answer is that God decided not to choose any witnesses from those two tribes. Some Bible teachers understand Dan being left off the list in Revelation 7 because of what is said in Genesis 49:17, “Dan will be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse's heels so that its rider tumbles backward.”

With all of that said, what are the twelve tribes of Israel? Every list in the Bible contains Simeon, Judah, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin. In addition to those nine tribes, there are Ephraim, Reuben, Joseph, Dan, and Levi. Most Bible teachers would view Ephraim, Dan, and Levi as the additional three to result in twelve tribes. Whatever the case, God is free to re-adjust and re-account the twelve tribes of Israel as He sees fit.

Source: http://www.gotquestions.org/twelve-tribes-Israel.html