12 or 13 TRIBES OF ISRAEL?

For purposes of those who missed it, please understand that the sons of Jacob were twelve and from them, we have the twelve tribes of Israel. However, when you read Numbers 1:20-47 and you count, you will see 13. The reason for that is because the dead JOSEPH was replaced by his two sons (Mannaseh and Ephraim) and this tribe was called the TRIBE OF THE SONS OF JOSEPH (Numbers 36:5).

This is what we see explained in Numbers 1:32-35 and Numbers 2:18.

But how did these two boys become independent tribes among the league of Israel?

The story can be traced from Genesis 48:12-20. When Joseph took the two sons to be blessed by their grandfather Jacob, he did two things:

1. He owned the sons as his and took the fatherhood from Joseph to himself (Genesis 48:5)
2. He did the same thing to these boys that was done to him (Jacob) and his elder brother (Esau). According to Genesis 48:14, Manasseh was the firstborn, but the birthright was given to Ephraim by Jacob (Genesis 48:14,17-20)

This is how Ephraim, the young, ended up being the head of his camp that included himself, his elder brother Manasseh and the Benjamins (Numbers 2:18-24).

So the tribes are twelve and the names are:

1. Reuben
2. Simeon
3. Gad
4. Judah
5. Issachar
6. Zebulun
7. Ephraim
8. Manasseh
9. Benjamin
10. Dan
11. Asher
12. Naphtali

As you can see, Levi is not and no longer part of the 12 tribes of Israel since God took the tribe to be his firstborn and ransomed it from Jacob just as Jacob took Ephraim and Manasseh from Joseph so did God own the Levites and placed them at the center of the camp (Numbers 3:11-13, 40-45, 8:14).

So i thought it was important that we understand this issue since it will be helpful in the future as we read.

God bless you… I invoke TRUTH, REASON and FAITH

PR ITM WHITE
The Gospel Hawker