Articles
The sons of Jacob
The sons of Jacob
The children often sing: “Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Isaachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph and Benjamin..” This list is found in Exodus 1:1-4; 1 Chron. 2:1-2, among other passages. Yet, these are not the names of the twelve tribes! Those are listed as: Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Isaachar, Zeubuln, Gad, Asher, Dan, Naphtali, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh. Compare:
Exodus 1:1-4: 1 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob; they came each one with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
Numbers 1:20-43 lists the tribes as Reuben (vs. 21), Simeon (vs. 23), Gad (vs. 25), Judah (vs. 27), Issachar (vs. 29), Zebulun (vs. 31), Ephraim (vs. 33), Manasseh (vs. 35), Benjamin (vs. 37), Dan (vs. 39), Asher (vs. 41), and Naphtali (vs. 43). [See chart below for easier comparison]
Why the difference? The answer is here in Gen. 49. Jacob takes Joseph’s two eldest sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and claims them as his own (Gen. 49:5). Yet, that makes 13 sons! Later, we will see that Levi, the family of Moses and Aaron, is chosen to be the priestly family and is not counted among the other 12 tribes when partitioning the land (Josh. 21:1–3, 41).
Today, WE who are disciples of Christ and walk in the footsteps of Abraham ARE counted as the children (read Romans 4 and Gal. 3:26-29). We have been grafted into the ‘tree of blessing’, thus being joined with the believers from among the physical seed of Israel. We are the ones blessed in and through the promised seed of Abraham (Jesus). We have been given all spiritual blessings IN CHRIST (Eph. 1:3). God worked through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all these children to bring about HIS plan and purpose. We watch as the firstborn are ‘switched’, the barren conceive children, and God works. Even if you get lost in trying to figure out all these genealogies, remember: if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise! (Gal. 3:29). The important question: are you a disciple of Christ?
Hugh DeLong
