What are the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Ten Lost Tribes?
The Nation of Israel has historically been divided into twelve tribes dating back to its ancestral roots and these tribes were assigned twelve sections of land within the nation. Jews trace their ancestral heritage concerning the twelve tribes back to the sons of Jacob, who was named "Israel" by God after Jacob wrestled with angel of the Lord (Genesis 32:22-32) and the people became known as the "Israelites." The twelve tribes include:
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh).
The Nation of Israel grew significantly during captivity in Egypt and the population became more than 600,000 grown men. Upon returning to their ancestral homeland, the twelve tribes eventually took control of the land of Canaan, which was promised by God. Levi was given no land, but was given the tithes of the people of Israel. Land was given to Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh to preserve the 12 tribes. (Joshua 14:3-4 and Genesis 48:5).
In 930 B.C. the ten northern tribes split from the two southern tribes and the northern tribes were called the "Kingdom of Israel" while the southern tribes were called "Judah". The ten northern tribes were eventually taken over by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. and became known as the "ten lost tribes of Israel." These ten tribes became scattered throughout the earth and assimilated with other nations while academic scholars describe these tribes as "disappeared from history." However prophetic Biblical verses mention the eventual reuniting of these ten tribes (Revelation 7:1-8, Matthew 10:6, Acts 26:7, Ezekiel 37) with the other tribes. The two remaining tribes of Israel known as Judah and Benjamin were defeated by the Babylonians by 587 B.C. and were exiled away but were allowed to return their homeland under Persian rule in 538 B.C. and were able to keep their identity. The 1948 establishment of the modern nation of Israel enabled the descendants of the lost tribes to return to their ancestral homeland.
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh).
The Nation of Israel grew significantly during captivity in Egypt and the population became more than 600,000 grown men. Upon returning to their ancestral homeland, the twelve tribes eventually took control of the land of Canaan, which was promised by God. Levi was given no land, but was given the tithes of the people of Israel. Land was given to Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh to preserve the 12 tribes. (Joshua 14:3-4 and Genesis 48:5).
In 930 B.C. the ten northern tribes split from the two southern tribes and the northern tribes were called the "Kingdom of Israel" while the southern tribes were called "Judah". The ten northern tribes were eventually taken over by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. and became known as the "ten lost tribes of Israel." These ten tribes became scattered throughout the earth and assimilated with other nations while academic scholars describe these tribes as "disappeared from history." However prophetic Biblical verses mention the eventual reuniting of these ten tribes (Revelation 7:1-8, Matthew 10:6, Acts 26:7, Ezekiel 37) with the other tribes. The two remaining tribes of Israel known as Judah and Benjamin were defeated by the Babylonians by 587 B.C. and were exiled away but were allowed to return their homeland under Persian rule in 538 B.C. and were able to keep their identity. The 1948 establishment of the modern nation of Israel enabled the descendants of the lost tribes to return to their ancestral homeland.
