August 28

Among the reasons that all these tribes and names are listed is so that there is a public record of souls and that the land afforded to each tribe is designated in accordance with the matching names.  This was even important (perhaps more so) after the land is resettled when the Israelites return from exile in Babylon ca. 535 B.C. Land was not to be reapportioned or sold outside the family.  It was to be kept permanently.  It could be sold for a time but must be returned in Jubilee (Lev. 25).  There are a boat-load of names here and there are also some pithy words in between that served as gems as well as weighty reminders.

6 – The Levites are listed. You may recognize some of these names.  For what it’s worth if you noticed the name “Zadok”, that is the root form for the Hebrew word “righteous”. The Jews today who refer to themselves as “the righteous ones” are “Ha-tZid-dik”; the Hasidic Jews.  They are a distinctive group within the Jewish Community that are very committed to being attentive to the rigors of the Law, Wisdom, and Prophets.  Do notice that in v. 15 that it was God who used Nebuchadnezzar to take the disobedient Judeans as prisoners to Babylon.  The moral of the story is to think twice before any of us rise up and fight a process that seems overwhelming – the force behind it may turn out to be different than we think.  The first group of Levites listed tend to the Tabernacle.  The second tend to the music.  Then the third group of Levites are listed to do the rest of the work at the Tabernacle.  Then there are numerous verses telling which towns and areas belonged to which people.  It’s a specific study that my husband became immersed in when finishing his undergraduate degree in Jerusalem years ago. If you like maps, then you too will find it fascinating to read this material with a map of 1300-1400 B.C. Israel in hand.

7 – The vigorous tribes of Issachar and Benjamin are listed.  There is minimal text pertaining to Naphtali. Manasseh was referred to as the “half-tribe of Manasseh” and you can see why. They opted for women from pagan tribes v.s. the house of Israel. Ephraim includes a tale of grief within the listing of names – [a subtle hint against thievery.]  Ephraim and Manasseh were of Joseph and Joseph got his two wives when he was in Egypt. Notice that Moses’ assistant; Joshua comes from this line.

When we start the line of Asher, two of the first four names are Ishva and Ishvi.  “Ish” is Hebrew for “male”.  Gen. 1:27 …he created them “male and female” – the Hebrew is ” he created them ISH and ISH-AH“. The ending of the lineage of Asher here closes with a good report: “..they were leaders of their families…fine men…brave fighting men…outstanding leaders.”  When a country can say this about its men, it is a prominent country that is yet rising, it is well-to-do and/or becoming so. The women are secure and gracious, the children are happy and robust and respectful students as well as servants-in-training.

8 – The family/tribe of Benjamin gets a chapter of its own. Saul comes from the tribe of Benjamin. The tribes of Benjamin and Judah were the two that remained in the south and did not dive into idolatry as quickly – though they did succumb to debauchery and idolatry and one of the prophets said they became worse than the 10 tribes up north.  At any rate, Benjamin began as the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel <–who died while giving birth to Benjamin en route to Bethlehem. You can still see this place commemorated today just north of Bethlehem. The ending of the line of Benjamin is Ulam who ends up with 150 sons and grandsons who all were good with a bow/arrow.  Do you think Ulam felt protected?  Yes, he did, and it was a good thing.