Tribes of Israel facts for kids

Location of the Israelite tribes

The Israelites were an ancient group of people. They were divided into twelve main family groups, called tribes. These tribes were named after the twelve sons of a very important person in the Bible named Jacob.

The Twelve Tribes of Israel

The idea of the twelve tribes comes from the Bible. It describes how the descendants of Jacob grew into large groups. Each group became a tribe. These tribes lived together in the ancient Land of Israel.

Jacob's Family and the Tribes

Jacob was also known as Israel. His twelve sons became the leaders of these tribes. Each tribe was like a big family group. They shared a common ancestor. This helped them stay connected.

Land for the Tribes

The Land of Israel was later divided. Most of the tribes received their own areas of land. This land was for their families and their animals. It was where they built their homes.

Special Cases for Land Division

There were a few special rules for some tribes:

• The tribe of Levi did not get any land. Instead, they had important duties. They worked in the temple and served as priests.
• The tribe of Joseph was split into two smaller tribes. These were named after Joseph's two sons:
  • Ephraim
  • Manasseh

This meant that even though there were twelve tribes, thirteen names are sometimes mentioned. This is because Joseph's two sons each led a tribe.

Images for kids

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  Parentage of Jacob's twelve sons, per Genesis 35

• 

  The dying Jacob blesses his twelve sons (Adam van Noort)

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  Map of tribal territories in the Land of Israel (Charles François Delamarche, 1797)

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  Asher

• 

  Benjamin

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  Dan

• 

  Ephraim

• 

  Gad

• 

  Issachar

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  Judah

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  Manasseh

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  Naphtali

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  Reuben

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  Simeon

• 

  Zebulun

See also

In Spanish: Tribus de Israel para niños