The Order and Grouping of The Twelve Tribes.

This Is Appendix 45 From The Companion Bible.

   There are twenty different lists given of the Twelve Tribes. These vary according to the different objects with which they are given, and the different connection in which they stand, according to : mothers, encampment, numeration, blessing, geographical relation, etc. All are worthy of attention and study 1. They may be thus presented :-

  GENESIS. EX. NUMBERS DEUT. JOSH. JUDGES. I CHRONICLES. EZEK. REV.
  29, 35 46 49 1 1:1-15 1:20-43 2:7, 10 13 26 34 27 33 13, &c. 5 2:1- 2:3-8 12 27 48 7
1 Reuben       Reuben Reuben Judah Reuben Reuben ‡ Simeon Reuben Reuben Ephraim Reuben Judah Judah Reuben Dan Judah
2 Simeon       Simeon Simeon Issachar Simeon Simeon Judah Levi Judah Gad Benjamin Simeon Simeon Simeon Simeon Asher Reuben
3 Levi       Judah Gad Zebulun Judah Gad   Judah Levi Man. E. Machir = Man. Levi Reuben Levi Levi Naphtali Gad
4 Judah       Issachar Judah Reuben Issachar Judah Simeon Issachar Benjamin Judah   Judah Gad Benjamin Aaron = Levi Man. Asher
5 Dan Issachar Zebulun Issachar Zebulun Issachar Simeon Ephraim Issachar Benjamin Joseph Joseph Ephraim Zebulun Issachar Man. = E. Ephraim Judah Ephraim Naphtali
6 Naphtali Zebulun Issachar Zebulun Ephraim Zebulun Gad Benjamin Zebulun Dan Benjamin Zebulun Man. = W. Issachar Zebulun Levi Man. = E. Issachar Reuben Man.
7 Gad   Dan Benjamin Man. Ephraim Ephraim Zebulun Man. Man. Reuben Issachar Benjamin Reuben Dan Issachar Issachar Zebulun Judah Simeon
8 Asher   Gad Dan Benjamin Man. Man. Man. Ephraim Ephraim Gad Gad Simeon   Joseph Benjamin Zebulun Naphtali Levi Levi
9 Issachar Joseph Asher Naphtali Dan Benjamin Benjamin Dan Benjamin Zebulun Asher Dan Zebulun Gilead = Gad Benjamin Naphtali Naphtali Ephraim Benjamin Issachar
10 Zebulun Benjamin Naphtali Gad Asher Dan Dan Asher Dan Issachar Zebulun Naphtali Issachar Dan Naphtali Man. = W. Dan Man. = W. Simeon Zebulun
11 Joseph Dan Joseph Asher Gad Asher Asher Naphtali Asher Asher Dan Asher Asher Asher Gad Ephraim Asher Man. = E. Issachar Joseph
12 Benjamin Naphtali Benjamin * Naphtali Naphtali Naphtali Gad Naphtali Naphtali Naphtali   Naphtali Zebulun Asher Asher Reuben Benjamin Zebulun Benjamin
13         † † ‡ † † ||   § Dan Naphtali     Gad Dan Gad  
14                         §§   ** Man. = W. ††    ‡‡

   * Joeseph omiited, he being in Egypt.
   † Levi omitted.
   ‡ This is the only order which occurs three times. Levi mentioned in chapter 2:17 after Gad. The order is that of importance.
   || Eastern Tribes omitted.
   § Simeon omitted. Benjamin before Joseph, because the order is geographical.
   §§ Here the Tribes are in the four groups which are to furnish cities for the four classes of Priests.
   ¶ Judah and Simeon omitted.
   ** Zebulon and Dan omitted, unless Dan is read in 7:12.
   †† Gad and Asher omitted.
   ‡‡ Dan omitted.

NOTE

   1 Two orders mentioned but not detailed. (1) The order "according to birth", on the two stones on the High Priest's shoulders (the place of strength). (2) The order on the twelve stones of the High Priest's breastplate (the place of love). this was according to their tribes, as chosen by Jehovah's love.

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