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Names of the 12 Tribes of Israel

Names of the 12 Tribes of Israel
The Tribes of Israel

Need to Know the Names of the 12 Tribes of Israel

If you are wondering about the 12 tribes of Israel are, and what are the names of the 12 tribes of Israel; I have them listed below. Jacob was adopted by the Most-High and given the ALMIGHTY’s name (Israel). He had twelve sons and one daughter.

It is often a mistake to think Israel is the original name of this family. Israel is God’s name and that is why throughout scripture, the God of Israel reiterates that they are called by His name.

So below are the names of the 12 tribes of Israel!

Leave a comment below if you’d like to know any additional information regarding the tribes of Israel

Names of the 12 Tribes of Israel

  1. Reuben
  2. Simeon
  3. Levi
  4. Judah
  5. Dan
  6. Naphtali
  7. Gad
  8. Issachar
  9. Asher
  10. Zebulan
  11. Joseph (Ephraim & Manasseh)
  12. And Benjamin

There are the 12 sons and Di’nah is the 13th child, the only daughter.

We have the 12 Tribes of Israel… but today they are more commonly known as Jews even though they come from ONE family. Do you have any idea why they more popularly known as Jews? It is because the 12 tribes split as a nation. But why?

You can find out in the link below!

Why Did Israel Split into Two Kingdoms?

Click here to Learn Why

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Why Did Israel Split into Two Kingdoms?

Click here to Learn Why

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24 Comments

  1. Clan of Levites Clan of Levites

    No, the 12 tribes of Isreal was named after Jacob who the lord changed his name to Isreal. Gen 35:10, “And God said unto him, thy name is Jacob : thy name shall not be called anymore Jacob, but Isreal shall be thy name: and he called his name Isreal”. God is known as “The Most High”. ~ Shalom

    • Definitely appreciate your comment although I’m sure we are saying the same thing. God was known as the Most High, but when the Most High changed Jacob’s name to Israel, the Most High gave Jacob and Jacob’s seed His name. Look at 2 Kings 17:34
      “…they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;”

      Then compare that with 2 Chronicles 7:14
      If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, …

      Therefore, Israel is the Most High’s name… at least one of them and the one the Most High gave Jacob! Thanks brother, Shalom.

      • SimplyMe713 SimplyMe713

        You are either misreading the verse or mistranslating. Jacob is not named nor known as the Most High, God is. FYI: I’m using caps on some words for emphasis, not yelling nor disrespecting anyone. We are unable to bold or underline. Thank you

        2 Kings 17:34; “…they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;”

        “which the LORD commanded THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL”: The children of Israel are Jacob’s 12 sevens (tribes)

        (COMMA)

        WHOM HE NAMED ISRAEL.

        The comma separates the person “whom he NAMED Israel”, which is Jacob. Jacob/Israel was not named Most High, Jacob is a human being not our Creator. God is our MOST HIGH, no one on this earth has that aurthority nor divine power to be called Most High, but Him.

        I hope it made sense and thank you for your time.

        • Grace and peace my friend. The KJV (King James Version) of 2 Kings 17:34 reads:

          34 Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;

          the LORD ALMIGHTY commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel.

          I concur with what you’re saying. The Most-High, not Jacob, gave Jacob the name Israel. The children of the Most-High are also called the children of Israel.

          Now see Deuteronomy chapter 28:10:

          10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.

          They are called by the name of the LORD! What people are called Jesus or Yahweh? To further verify this visit 2 Chronicle 7:14:

          14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

          If My people who are called by My name!! The children of Israel are called by the name of the Sovereign LORD. This means one of His many names is Israel. It is by deduction we come to this conclusion. I pray you’ve been edified!

          Elder Ishe

          • G G

            I fear utilizing isogesis to conclude Israel is one of the literal names of God, when not expressly saying so in scripture, would merely be speculation.

            Be wary of proclaiming such things as Truth. I speak out of Christ-like love, and not spite. Blessings!

          • Thank you G; I will adhere to your wisdom.

  2. Lenny Farmer Lenny Farmer

    What is the purpose of the two tribes attributed to Joseph?

    • Hey brother Lenny, the purpose of the two tribes attributed to Joseph is the first born blessings he receives as the first born! Reuben was the first born, but sinned and the blessings were passed to Joseph. God bless you brother.

  3. Michael Smith Michael Smith

    Where do the Gentiles fit into the 12 Tribes. I’ve heard that they have ties to Ephraim & Manasseh?

    • Hey brother Michael, the Gentiles are not actually part of the 12 tribes of Israel. The Gentiles are the sons of Japheth, son of Noah. View http://biblestudyministry.com/?s=Gentiles posts for clarity. Praise God for you in Jesus name, and thank you for your question.

      • Leia Leia

        I don’t think Gentiles are from Noahs son.
        Remember Jacob had twin Esau called Edomites. Before Israelites enter to the promised land, there are people already live in that land. But they need to fight to be able to get the land. They took most of the land but I don’t think they capture Edom for they have many chariots and horses.
        Jacobs tribe went to Egypt but never mention Esau.

        • Hey Leia, Gentiles is a word that means the nations. The LORD drowned the entire world except for Noah and his sons. The nations were made from Noah’s sons. Shem Ham and Japheth. Israel and Esau came later and they became nations, but the LORD’s nation became Israel.

          https://biblestudyministry.com/gentiles/ see this article for clarification on the gentiles.

          Elder Ishe

  4. Ayn Ayn

    12 Tribes of Israel

    Mnemonic device a friend taught me when I was in college.

    BALD RINGS JJZ

    Benjamin
    Asher
    Levi
    Dan

    Reuben
    Issachar
    Naphtali
    Gad
    Simeon

    Judah
    Joseph-(Ephraim and Manasseh)
    Zebulon

  5. Ayn Ayn

    Please add the “S”
    Simeon

    Sorry —I left that one out

  6. Chika Chika

    I meant to understand that after the reign of Solomon the 12 tribes are divided into two.The tribe of Judah and the tribe of Israel. And under the tribe of Judah base on what I read from the website. Judah, Levi and Benjamin made up the tribe of Judah. Why did the other sons of Leah Reuben, Simeon,Issachar and Zebulun not join their brother Judah as a tribe?

    • The Lord did not want the Israelites to worship foreign gods, so he had warned them not to marry anyone who was not from Israel. Solomon loved his wife, the daughter of the king of Egypt. But he also loved some women from Moab, Ammon, and Edom, and others from Sidon and the land of the Hittites.

      Seven hundred of his wives were daughters of kings, but he also married three hundred other women. As Solomon got older, some of his wives led him to worship their gods. He wasn’t like his father David, who had worshiped only the Lord God. Solomon also worshiped Astarte the goddess of Sidon, and Milcom the disgusting god of Ammon.

      Solomon built shrines on a hill east of Jerusalem to worship Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Molech the disgusting god of Ammon. The Lord God of Israel had appeared to Solomon two times and warned him not to worship foreign gods. But Solomon disobeyed and did it anyway. This made the Lord very angry. The Lord said to Solomon: You did what you wanted and not what I told you to do.

      Now I’m going to take your kingdom from you and give it to one of your officials. But because David was your father, you will remain king as long as you live. I will wait until your son becomes king, then I will take the kingdom from him. When I do, I will still let him rule one tribe, because I have not forgotten that David was my servant and Jerusalem is my city (the above from 1 Kings 11 CEV). The Lord stirs up enemies for Solomon.

      Hadad was from the royal family of Edom, and the Lord made him Solomon’s enemy: God made Rezon son of Eliada an enemy of Solomon: Jeroboam was from the town of Zeredah in Ephraim. His father Nebat had died, but his mother Zeruah was still alive. Jeroboam was one of Solomon’s officials, but even he rebelled against Solomon. One day when Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, he met Ahijah, a prophet from Shiloh.

      Suddenly, Ahijah took off his new coat and ripped it into twelve pieces. Then he said: Jeroboam, take ten pieces of this coat and listen to what the Lord God of Israel says to you. “Jeroboam, I am the Lord God, and I am about to take Solomon’s kingdom from him and give you ten tribes to rule. Then you can read 1 Kings chapter 12 to learn how the split officially became established.

      On a side note Chika, The reason why Benjamin and Levi came back and not the remaining brothers of Judah, is because (and these are my thoughts, not the scriptures) Benjamin was the original royal line beginning with king Saul. When the sceptre was transferred to the house of David, the house of Benjamin helped transfer it through Saul’s general Abner. This officiated the move and in addition, the house of David took care of all the royal seed and family of benjamin.

      They remained together for a long time. The Levites returned to the house of David because Jeroboam made structural changes to the priesthood (1 Kings 12:25-33), which was to be for the house of Aaron and Levi forever. Therefore the Levites came back. Also the Lord said the sceptre and lawgiver will not leave Judah; the sceptre is Judah, the lawgiver is Levi (Gen 49:10). I pray this edifies you some in Jesus name.

      Brother Nehemiah
      Elder Ishe
      BibleStudyMinistry

  7. Umoh Offiong Umoh Offiong

    Pls tell me about gentiles

    • Grace to you Umoh. The Gentils are the nations outside of the families of Jacob. In plain, it engulf those who are not part of the 12 tribes of Israel! Recently, it is also suggested to be the sons of Japheth. You can view this video to learn why that is a consideration or suggestion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzf2fRaHg_o

      Salud in the name of the Lord

  8. em the seeker of ALL TRUTH em the seeker of ALL TRUTH

    Coincidental that the 12 tribes of Israel are marked and are named in the Constellations that God put in our sky, even before the time of Abraham? Astronomy. Not astrology. Today, there are Christians prophesying all over the earth in the name of Jesus. And they are kind, gentle, loving, Godly and righteous people, who love Jesus – and their neighbors. Not astrology – or is it? What is the difference between following the constellations that God put in the sky for signs, seasons & wonders – and what John in Revelations wrote about the dragon chasing the mother & child into the wilderness. Or, was he simply reading the zodiac, the constellation Draco, the dragon, who, when the time is right on earth, with earth tilting, will chase The Virgin into the wilderness (out of the view of the naked eye). He didn’t know whether he was ‘in spirit’ or ‘out of spirit’ – (out of body experience!) The Islams feel Christianity is a myth – because Christianity literally follows The Zodiac (research it, you will find amazing accuracies that churches tell us are evil! Islam feels Christianity follows the zodiac!) – or The Mazaroth, mentioned in the Old Testament. And no Christian knows this. This is not coincidental. We have rejected the cornerstone that was Jesus Christ, who puts all knowledge together, like the Apostle Paul said: ‘I know all things. I understand all things.’ How so? Coincidentally, the 12 tribes of Israel: are exactly the zodiac constellations – named long before Abraham was born. Coincidental? This may be why The Holy Bible is so SACRED – and HOLY! Unfortunately, churches have not put this together – yet, the rest of the religions have, and they hate Christians for following the zodiac – and we Christians don’t even know that we are following Gods Word! Amazing!

    • Very nice em the seeker of ALL TRUTH… the constellations are for signs, but not to go to for our wellbeing as many people attempt to do. Seek the ALMIGHTY for answers; use the zodiac for signs. Great insight.

  9. Connie Connie

    Is there any references in the Torah concerning the Messiah?

    • Hi Connie;
      Genesis 49:
      10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

      11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:

      12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

      Numbers 24:
      17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

      18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

      Deuteronomy 33
      2 And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

      3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.

      I pray this helps.

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