Friday, December 27, 2013

Jesse

Samuel was a prophet to King Saul. Saul was rejected by the Lord as King over Egypt, and the Lord told Samuel to go to the house of Jesse the Bethlehemite and anoint a new king for He had chosen one of Jesse’s sons (he had eight sons). Samuel was afraid to go, fearful that Saul would find out and kill him. The Lord instructed Samuel to take a heifer with him and go to the town and tell the people he had come to sacrifice. He was to invite Jesse to the sacrifice and the Lord would show him what to do. So Samuel went and he consecrated Jesse and his sons.

When Jesse’s sons passed before Samuel, the Lord told him not to look at appearance or stature, because God sees not as man sees but He looks at the heart – 1 Sam 16:7.  Seven of them passed before Samuel, yet not any of them were chosen. Samuel asked Jesse if this were all his children. Jesse told him the youngest, David, hadn’t come but was tending sheep in the field, so Samuel sent for him and when he came in Samuel anointed him as king.

At one time, an evil spirit was torturing King Saul and he asked for someone who was skillful at playing the harp. One of his servants told him a son of Jesse played beautifully, so Saul sent messengers to Jesse asking for David to be sent to the King. Jesse sent him, along with a donkey loaded with bread, a jug of wine, and a goat.

When Jesse was old, the Philistines came against Israel and Jesse’s three oldest sons went to battle. Jesse sent grain, bread, and cheese with David to their camp for them and their leader and asked David to check on them. While he is there, David hears the challenge of Goliath, the Philistine, and rises to defeat him when no other Israelites would stand up to him.


David is many times referred to as “the son of Jesse” and Isaiah talks about Jesus coming from the line of Jesse, so he is no doubt a prominent figure in the bible. Isaiah 11:1-2 says, “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” In verse 10, Isaiah calls Jesus “the root of Jesse” when referring to His future reign. This is quoted in the New Testament in Romans 15:12 - “Again Isaiah says, “There shall come the root of Jesse, And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles hope.”” 

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Obed

Obed was the son of Boaz and Ruth and the father of Jesse.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Boaz and Ruth

The lifespan of Boaz (means Man of Valor/Strength) and Ruth (means Friendship) was during the days of the judges, most likely during the judge of Jair, approx 1126 – 1105 BC.

There had been a famine in the land of Judah, so Elimelech and Naomi, whose son would be Ruth’s husband, traveled to Moab and stayed there. Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. Then both of the sons died. Naomi encouraged her daughters-in-law to return to their families for she would not be able to provide a husband for them. Orpah agreed, but Ruth stayed loyal to her mother-in-law and said “…where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people, shall be my people and your God, my God.” Ruth 1:16

So Naomi and Ruth returned to Bethlehem. Ruth suggests that she go glean in the field of Boaz, a kinsman of Naomi’s husband. While she is in the field, Boaz asks about her and one of the servants tells him she is the Moabitess that returned with Naomi. So he told Ruth to not go to any other field but to stay there with his maids. He commanded his servants not to touch her, and he allowed her to drink from his well. She was surprised at his kindness but he said he had heard of her loyalty to Naomi and blesses her.

At mealtime he called her over to eat with he and the reapers and he also told his servants to purposes leave behind some grain for her to gather. When she was done, she beat out what she had gleaned and it was about an ephah of barley, which is 30-40 lbs. So she took it to Naomi, who immediately noticed Ruth had been blessed, and continued to live with her and glean in Boaz’s field.

Naomi then suggests to Ruth that since Boaz is a kinsman, maybe he could redeem her. It was during the evening when Boaz would be threshing, so Naomi told Ruth to put on her best clothes and go down to the threshing floor after he had eaten. She instructed Ruth that when Boaz lay down to go uncover his feet and lay down and that Boaz would then tell her what to do.

So she did, and Boaz told her he would do whatever she asked. She told him he was a close relative, suggesting she was hoping he would marry her. He agreed, but he knew there was one relative still alive that was a closer relative than he, so he said they must give him opportunity first since that was the right thing to do.

Then Boaz went to the city gate and spoke to the close relative. He began by telling him of Elimelech’s death and that there was land to be redeemed and he was the closest relative so he had the first opportunity to buy it. Boaz tells him if he does not buy it, he would because he was the next closest relative. So the relative says he will redeem it. Then Boaz says on the day he buys it, he will also acquire Ruth in order to raise up the name of the deceased in the inheritance. So the relative denies redeeming it for fear of losing his own inheritance (having to split his wealth/land between his children and Ruth’s potential children) and tells Boaz to redeem it.

According to custom, the relative removed his sandal and gave it to Boaz, this was the former way to legally and symbolically transfer property rights. So Boaz redeems the land and acquires Ruth. The elders bless him, saying may Ruth be like Rachel and Leah, who built the house of Israel, may he become wealthy and famous in Bethlehem, and may his house be like the house of Perez.

So they married and Ruth became pregnant. The women called Naomi blessed because of the offspring of Ruth, which would become Naomi’s redeemer and take care of her, and because of her daughter-in-law who loved her. The firstborn was named Obed, and Naomi took him and became his nurse. Obed is David’s grandpa, the father of Jesse.


Interesting note: My bible commentary recognizes firstborns in the blessing by the elders. Tamar, the widow of Judah’s first born son who was denied marriage to Judah’s remaining son. Perez, the firstborn of Tamar who was born out of deceit. If her firstborn would have been conceived properly, it would have been considered her first husband’s son. And Ruth’s first son would be considered the first born of Mahlon, her first husband, the rest of their children would be considered Boaz’s. Similar to Christ, Mary’s firstborn son was not considered Joseph’s son but God’s.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Be Still for a Minute

Just a quick note....

I got out of bed late this morning. My usual routine (or maybe should say ideal instead of usual) is to get up, pray and read my bible before the kids get up. Lately I've been getting up a little late though and so I haven't had as much time. I feel like I rush through my prayer list and hope to skim over some scripture. Then I rush to work, where like everyone else I'm crazy busy all day, then I rush to get the kids, rush to an activity or if we don't have an activity rush to get a workout in and cook supper, rush to pick up the house a little, throw in a load of laundry. Rush to get the kids homework done and everyone in bed....you get the picture.

As I sat down and started looking over my prayer list this morning I just felt it wasn't right. I really felt God speak to my spirit and say slow down. With eyes closed almost immediately a praise song came into my head and I stopped and just prayed it to God. Then Silent Night, and I sat with those peaceful words going through my mind fully aware of God's presence and thinking about what He did for us on that night. Sending His Son, who I have the privilege of praying to every day. I get to have a relationship with the creator of the universe. That's awe inspiring itself.

I heard the boys alarm go off and looked over my prayer list. One in particular means a lot to me, and so I did say to God to please watch over my friend today, then I thanked Him for the time we got to spend today and for knowing what is on my list so I don't have to rush through each one before the kids come in but can enjoy the peaceful spirit He had given.

I encourage you during this especially busy time of year to slow down and let God wash peace over you. I feel like I have been refreshed and have a better perspective this morning, just by allowing God a few minutes to instill peace into my spirit. I highly recommend you take some time to do the same. We all need it! Be blessed today and this Christmas. I hope wherever you are God's presence and peace will be apparent to you today and in this season!


Monday, December 16, 2013

Salmon and Rahab

Most of the information I found in the bible about this couple is about Rahab. She is one of the five women listed in the genealogy in Matthew. She is also one of the women mentioned in the hall of faith in Hebrews chapter eleven. Rahab was a harlot in the land of Shittim (Jericho). She trusted the Lord and hid the spies sent into the land by Joshua. She told them she had heard of how the Lord had dried up the Red Sea and how the Israelites had conquered the Amorites.

When they were about to leave, she told the spies where to go to hide so that their pursuers would not find them. They told her to tie a scarlet cord in the window in which they left and they would spare anyone who was in the house with her when Israel invaded.

When Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, attached Jericho, Rahab and her father’s household, including her belongings, were spared and she lived in the midst of Israel because she had helped the spies. Ultimately she saved her entire family.

Rahab is also mentioned in James 2:25 – “In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?” in reference to man being justified by works through faith. James says “Faith without works is dead”


Other notes about Rahab: Psalm 87:4 “I shall mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me….” – According to my bible commentary “Rahab” is a monster of ancient pagan mythology and also a figurative word for Egypt. The commentary says this means even the enemies of Israel will one day worship the Lord.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Nahshon

Nahshon was the leader of the sons of Judah…the leader of the tribe of Judah and its army during the time of Moses (74,600 men). He presented offerings after Moses completed the tabernacle, moreover he was the first to present an offering, which was completed one tribe per day.

He camped at Sinai in the wilderness with Moses and the Israelite people. Thirteen months after the Exodus from Egypt and after eleven months of staying in Sinai, they began their march to the promised land. Nahshon led the sons of Judah, who led the entire march, as they set out.


The Israelites crossed over the Jordan and into the promised land sometime between Nahson and Salmon.

Amminadab

The daughter of Amminadab, Elisheba, marries Aaron (brother of Moses)

Ram

I did not find much mention of Ram in the bible. It is possible the friend of Job, Elihu, was from Ram’s family, but I could not validate that 100%.

Hezron

Son of Perez. Family is the Hezronites.


Of note: Both Perezites and Hezronites were part of the census of Moses that occurred at the end of the forty years in the wilderness after leaving Egypt just before entering the promised land. Both families had inheritance in the promised land. 

Perez (Pharez)

Perez was born out of incest and prostitution to Judah and Tamar. The name means “breach or pushing through”due to the way he bypassed his twin brother at childbirth. His descendants are the Perezites. Generations later, the elders bless Boaz that his house may be like the house of Perez. The Perezites are the main ancestors of the Ephrathites and Bethlemites. I was not able to find much information in the bible about Perez, but it seems like he overcame despite entering the world through deceit and sin.

Judah and Tamar

Judah is the son of Leah and the brother of Joseph. When Israel sent the brothers unknowingly to Joseph in Egypt to get grain during the famine, one requirement Joseph made of them was for them to bring Benjamin, the younger brother, to him. Joseph held Simeon hostage to ensure the brothers would bring Benjamin, and Judah offered to stay in his place but Joseph did not accept his offer. Judah is the one who convinced Israel, his father, to send Benjamin because Israel did not want him to go.

Gen 38 - Before this, during the time after he and his brothers sold Joseph to the Egyptians, Judah moved away from them and married a Canaanite woman named Shua and had three sons. He took a wife, Tamar, for his first son Er. But Er was evil in the sight of the Lord so the Lord took his life. According to custom, Onan went in to Tamar for the purpose of producing an offspring that would bear Er’s name. He knew the offspring would not be considered his, so he “wasted his seed on the ground” so that Tamar would not become pregnant. This was displeasing to the Lord, so He took Onan’s life too.

The third son, Shelah, was not old enough to be with Tamar yet, so Judah told Tamar to go live in her father’s house as a widow until he was old enough. After a while, Shua died and Judah made his way to Timnah. Tamar heard of it and she also knew that Shelah had reached the proper age and she had not been given to him, so she took off her widow’s garments and disguised herself as a prostitute and sat on the side of the road where they would pass. Judah stopped and asked to be with her. She required him to give her a young goat as payment and he said he would send it. She required his seal, cord and staff as a pledge so he gave them to her.

Judah then sent the goat to her by the way of his Adullamite friend expecting to receive his pledge back but when the Adullamite asked where the temple prostitute was the people there said there was not one. The Adullamite went and told Judah he could not find her, so Judah told him to not search for her anymore (commentary says, apparently, “it is not good for ones reputation to keep asking for the whereabouts of a prostitute).


Three months later Judah was informed it was Tamar who played the role of the prostitute and she was now pregnant. Judah exclaims to have her burned for spreading lies, but she shows the seal, cord and staff he left as a pledge and he admits he was unfair to her to not give her Shelah. Judah did not have relations with her again. She gave birth to twins, Perez and Zerah. Zerah started to come out first, his hand was the first out when she was giving birth, but he withdrew his hand and Perez ended up being the firstborn. 

Friday, December 13, 2013

Jacob

Jacob is the twin son of Isaac and Rebekah. He was born second, holding onto his brother Esau’s heel. His mom could feel them struggling in her womb and asked the Lord about it. He responded, “Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body, And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.” Gen 25:23. The nations referenced are Edom (Esau) and Isreal (Jacob). The name Jacob according to Strongs means “heel-catcher, ie supplanter”. It is from the root word aqab, meaning to swell out or up, to seize by the heel or restrain.

Jacob and Esau were very different from each other. Esau was an outdoorsman, a hunter, headstrong, hairy and rugged. He was favored by his father, Isaac. Jacob was favored by his mother, Rebekah, and was a peaceful man preferring the indoors. When they were older, Jacob cooked some stew and Esau came in from the field hungry. He asked for a bite of that red stew, for he was famished, therefore he was called Edom (red). Gen 25:30. Jacob responded by telling Esau to first swear to him his birthright. Esau gave it to him, showing he did not value it. This attitude of carelessness toward his own birthright is condemned in Heb 12:16 which states, “that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.”

When Isaac was old, he called to Esau and told him to go hunt game and prepare a savory dish for him so that he may eat it and then bless him before he died. Rebekah overheard, and since she favored Jacob she told him to go into their flock and get two choice young goats that she might prepare for Isaac so that Jacob could bring it into him pretending to be Esau and take the blessing from Esau. Jacob was afraid Isaac would know, for Esau was hairy and he was sure his father would tell the difference and see him as a deceiver and curse him. Rebekah assures him she will take the curse if so, and she prepares the meal and disguises Jacob in Esau’s clothes and goatskins, for Esau was hairy and Jacob was not.

So Jacob takes the meal Rebekah had prepared into Isaac and requests his blessing as Esau. Isaac questions, he can tell it is Jacob’s voice, but when he feels the goatskins on Jacob’s arms and neck and smells Esau’s scent on his clothes, he believes Jacob is Esau and so blesses him with the blessing intended for Esau. The blessing is as follows, found in Gen 27:27-29 – “See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed; Now may God give you of the dew of heaven, And of the fatness of the earth, And an abundance of grain and new wine; May peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you; Be master of your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse you, And blessed be those who bless you.”

Then, Esau came in from hunting, prepared Issac a meal and went in to receive his blessing. Isaac asks who he is and when he realizes what has happened he trembles. When Isaac tells Esau he gave his blessing to Jacob in error, Esau cries for him to bless him too and says Jacob is rightly named, for he supplanted him twice – taking away his birthright and his blessing. Isaac says there is nothing he can do and gives him his secondary blessing: “Behold, away from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling, And away from the dew of heaven from above. By your sword you shall live, and your brother you shall serve; But it shall come about when you become restless, that you will break his yoke from your neck” Gen 27:39-40.

So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob and vowed to kill him once Isaac passed away. Rebekah knew Esau was going to try to kill Jacob and wanted to get Jacob out of Esau’s reach, so she deceives Isaac again by portraying she is most worried about Jacob choosing a Canaanite wife and so Isaac sends Jacob to Paddanaram to chose a wife from the daughters of Laban, Rebekah’s uncle.

So Jacob goes on his way and comes to Haran where he goes to sleep and dreams of angels going up and down a ladder that extends from earth to heaven with the Lord standing over it. He tells Jacob He is the God of his father Isaac and Abraham and that He will give him the land in which he lays, that he will have many descendants, and that He will be with him everywhere he goes and will bless him. Jacob wakes up knowing the Lord was surely there and he was afraid. He made a vow that if the Lord remains with him until he returns safely to his father’s home the Lord will be his God and he set up a pillar in that spot and promises to give God a tenth of everything he is blessed with. Gen 28

Jacob continues on his journey and comes to Laban’s home. He meets Rachael and is falls in love with her. He tells Laban he will serve him for seven years to have Rachael and Laban agrees. But after seven years, Laban tricks Jacob and gives him Leah. When Jacob wakes the next morning to discover Leah instead of Rachel he is disappointed and confronts Laban, who says he could not marry the younger before the older. So Laban gives Rachel to Jacob also after the week of celebration of the marriage to Leah and requires Jacob to serve him another seven years.
Jacob loves Rachel and not Leah. The Lord sees Leah is unloved and He blesses her with a fruitful womb while Rachel remains barren. Leah conceives four sons before Rachel has any children: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah. Rachel burns with jealously and blames Jacob, who becomes angry and says he is not God and cannot himself make her conceive. So she gives him her maid Bilhah that through her she may have children. Bilhah conceives twice, both sons, Dan & Naphtali.

Leah had not conceived since the birth of Judah and sees the success of Bilhah, so she too gives Jacob her maid Zilpah, who bears a son Asher. A fierce childbearing competition continues. Leah bears two more sons, Issachar and Zebulun and a daughter, Dinah. God blessed Rachel to finally be able to children and she concieves a son, Joseph.

After Joseph was born, Jacob requests to leave Laban. Laban tries to get him to stay by offering him more wages, etc but Jacob wants to provide for his own household. Jacob agrees to stay a little longer, but asks that he be given the speckled and spotted animals from the flock as his wages so he could start building his own flocks. Laban agrees and separates the animals and puts three days difference between the flocks. Jacob watches over the mating process and greatly increases his flocks. The Lord blesses Jacob and he becomes prosperous with large flocks, servants, camels and donkeys.

Laban’s sons grumble about this and encite Laban and he was no longer friendly toward Jacob. Jacob tells his wives and family they are going to flee and that he will no longer stay with Laban, who has continually taken advantage of him and who is now hostile toward him. So he gathered all of his things and family and they secretly flee to Gilead. As they are leaving, Rachel steals the household idols of Laban and takes them with her.

Laban pursues him and catches up to him. He tells him he could harm him if he wanted to, but God had told him not to. He asks why he left without letting him tell his family goodbye and questions why he stole the idols. Jacob knew nothing of this so they search Leah and Rachel’s tents for the idols but find nothing. Rachel deceives them by sitting on the idols (they were in her saddle bag as she sat on her camel and said she could not rise because she was menstruating). Jacob is angry Laban is accusing him. He reminds Laban of all he has done for him, how he took nothing from him and how if it were Laban’s wish he would have nothing.

Laban disagrees and says everything he has is his, but they make a covenant and set up a pillar and agree not pursue each other across the pillar. Laban stays the night and kisses and blesses his sons and daughters in the morning and returns to his place.
The Lord had spoke to Jacob when he was leaving Laban to return to his family, so Jacob went on his way but was concerned about Esau. He sent messengers to him to try to win his favor. They return and tell him Esau and four hundred men are coming to meet him. Jacob prays to the Lord, he knows the Lord sent him back to his family and promised to prosper him but he is terrified of Esau.

He sends a present of livestock to Esau by way of his servants and sends his servants on ahead of him. He tells them when they see Esau to tell him that he is following behind them and perhaps after he receives the presents he will gain Esau’s favor. That night he took his two wives, two maids, and eleven children and when they came to the stream of Jabbock he sent them across and was left alone.

When Jacob was left alone, he wrestled with a man, who was really an angel of the Lord until daybreak. The angel realized that he was not prevailing, so touched Jacob’s thigh so the socket was dislocated. The angel asked to be let go, but Jacob said not unless you bless me. The angel changed Jacob’s name to Israel, which means wrestles with God. Jacob asked the angel’s name, but he would not tell it. He named the place Penuel and left limping due to his thigh. This is why Jews during that time would not eat the sinew of the hip.

Jacob meets Esau and bowed to the ground seven times in front of him. Esau greeted him with joy and offered help, but Jacob asked to just pass through and they parted ways. Jacob came to Shechem in Canaan and bought a piece of land and there he made it know that he worshiped the Lord.

Dinah, Leah’s daughter, goes out and is raped by the son of a Hivite prince named Shechem.  He wanted to marry Dinah, but to get revenge Jacob’s sons deceive him and the town by first convincing Shechem and his father, Hamor, to be circumsized. Shechem and Hamor then encouraged the entire town to be circumcised and once they had done this, Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi killed Shechem, his father Hamor, and all the men of the city to avenge Dinah. Jacob scolded them, for now the Canaanites would be against them and so God instructs him to leave for Bethel to live there.

So Jacob tells his family to spiritually prepare – put away foreign gods, purify themselves, and change clothes and they left for Bethel. As they traveled the cities were afraid of them and did not pursue him. So he came to Luz (Bethel) safely and built an altar there.

The Lord appeared to Jacob again and blessed him and called him by the name of Israel. He told him he would give him the land of his father Abraham and that a nation and a company of nations and kings would come from him. So he set up a pillar in that place and poured out a drink offering and an oil offering and carried on with their journey, now going toward Bethlehem.

As they were traveling, Rachel went into labor and struggled. She had a son Benjamin, but she did not survive the birth and was buried. Israel, mourning, set up a gravesite and then went on. When he was close to Bethlehem he set up his tent and dwelled there. While they were living here, Reuben his son lay with Bilhah, Israel’s concubine and he found out about it.

He then went to see his father Isaac, who was 180 years old. Isaac died and Esau and Jacob buried him. Jacob and Esau had both become very wealthy and the land of Isaac could not support them, their livestock and servants both. Esau moved to the hill country of Seir. Jacob stayed in Canaan with his family and belongings. This is where his favored son Joseph was sold to the Egyptians. They would have killed him instead of selling him, but Reuben talked them into selling him. Then they dipped Joseph’s tunic in blood and told their father he had been devoured by a wild beast. Jacob tore his clothes and could not be comforted he so mourned the death of Joseph.

But, despite this Joseph becomes a great man of God and has great success in Egypt, trusted by Pharaoh and being made a ruler there. He was also wise and discerning, and when he was put as a ruler over Egypt he realized there would be seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. So, in preparation he went through all of Egypt and for seven years stored up a great abundance of grain and food. When a severe famine came upon earth, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. Then people from all nations came to buy grain from Joseph.

During this time, Jacob and his family are also suffering from the famine and he sends his sons to Egypt to buy grain (still unaware Joseph is alive). Joseph recognizes his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Joseph takes care of his brothers but does not let them know who he immediately. Through a series of meetings and requirements of them, including them going back to their home and bringing their brother Benjamin back, he sees all of his brothers. He then makes it known to them that he is Joseph their brother. He deals kindly with them and Pharaoh instructs them to bring Jacob to Egypt where he will give them choice land. So they go back and tell Jacob about Joseph and Pharaoh and they move to Egypt. Jacob/Israel is overjoyed to see Joseph.

On their way to Egypt, God comes to Israel in a dream telling him He will be with him in Egypt and build him into a great nation there and that Joseph will be with him when he dies. So Israel is reunited with Joseph and lives in Egypt in the land of Goshen for seventeen years. He asks Joseph to not bury him in Egypt but to carry his bones back to where his fathers were buried and Joseph promised him he would.

When Israel becomes sick in Egypt, Joseph takes his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim to him to be blessed. Israel tells him of the promises God had made to him, to multiply his descendants, and he tells him he will bless his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, as his own. He places his hands on the two boys and Joseph bows to the ground. Israel blesses them, blessing the younger, Ephraim, as the older. When Joseph sees this he is upset, but Israel tells him they will both be great, but the younger will be greater than the older.

Israel was about to die and went to bless his sons. He told Joseph he had originally thought he would never see him again and he was overjoyed because not only get to see him, but his sons also. He gave Joseph one portion more than his brothers as a blessing.

These are the children of Israel and his blessing upon each of them:

Rueben (1st born) – his birthright was taken because he slept with Bilah. He would be “uncontrolled as water and not have preeminence”; unstable; (mother – Leah)

Simeon & Levi – because of their anger & cruelty will be scattered (see above Dinah). Simeon was stripped of Moses blessing. However, the Levites were shown grace by God & were loyal to God. Became priestly tribe but did not possess land. (mother Leah)

Judah – prominence & prosperity. As a young and old lion. Abundance. In the Messianic line. “Lion of Judah” On the march through the wilderness, Judah went first and had the largest population in Moses census. (Mother – Leah)

Zebulun – will dwell on the seashore; haven for ships – (mother – Leah)

Issachar – strong & industrious –(mother – Leah)

Dan – “Judge”; eventually abandons his land allotment; omitted in the list of tribes in Revelation; In the way, Falls backwards. (mother – Bilah)

Gad – valiant fighters. (Mother – Zilpah)

Asher – Rich in food & royal dainties. (mother – Zilpah)

Naphtali – beautiful words, military as graceful as a doe. (mother – Bilah)

Joseph  - most distinguished, most directly linked to the Lord for help and blessings, strong even in conflict – “bitterly attacked but remained firm” (mother – Rachel)

Benjamin – ravenous wolf; Both Saul’s are from this tribe – the first King of Israel & Paul. (mother – Rachel)


Israel dies at 147 after these blessings and is embalmed in Egypt and carried to the land of Canaan to be buried by his sons with his fathers as he had requested.