In this material, will be revealed some highlights of each of the 12 Tribes of Israel. The entire story of each tribe will not be followed through in their entirety but points will be reviewed to better gather background information to better understand the tribes and their trials and tribulations. We will show key factors and express their meaning in our every day Christian walk today. You see, we do understand that the Bible was written over two thousand years ago for history and the preparation for today as well as an accurate account of tomorrow.

Let us bring you up to this point from the beginning. God had and always will have a perfect plan in motion.  We will see that there is nothing by chance that was done so that there could be know doubt that it was and always was God’s perfect plan.  The Bible says, “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 1:5)  Our factors in God’s plan has always been to glorify Him even as the enemy tries to remove us from God’s anointed place and time for us.  Destruction does not have to occur physically.  The enemy also destroys from within, so let us begin.

In the beginning God created Adam and Eve which bore many of children.  After their down fall in sin; this was told in the beginning of the book of Genesis. Down the line of their generations, Noah was born who lived for 950 years and fathered a number of children. His children produced after the flooding of the earth fore which in their generation, fathered a grandson named Terah who lived for 205 years, which in his generation fathered children and grandchildren.

In Terah’s generation produced a son named Abram. Later his name changed to Abraham which represented "the father of faith". Due to his unselfish act of giving all that was given unto him back from which it came. Fore which Abraham married, The Bible says: “And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. (Genesis 11;29) and her name was Sarai which was barren. Up in years Abraham was told by God that he would bare a son. A seed fore which a promise was made that he would be the father of many nations. But Sarai being up in age believes she could not bare a child told her husband to take her hand maiden. Go into her and she will deliver the child on Sarai lap. The customs at that time gave rights to the owner of the servants, their children born within a particular style, fore which would give ownership at that time to Sarai. Abraham did as instructed by his wife and fathered a child which was named Ishmael.

Hagar was Ishmael’s mother, the handmaiden by birth, but Sarai’s by law, The Bible says: And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.  And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.  But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.  And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.  And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?  Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.  And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.” (Genesis 16: 1-16)  The child that she bared was not the promise fore which God had told Abram.  The Lord appeared unto him again when he was 99 years of age, giving him a covenant between him and God that he would be the father of many nations changing his name from Abram to Abraham, changing his wife’s name from Sarai to Sarah," mother of many nations". God also told Abraham that Sarah would produce a child at the age of 90 and him being 99 Abraham fell on his face and laughed. But the Lord assured him that this would happen and name that seed Isaac, and the Lord's covenant would be establish with him. (Genesis 17)

But as the story goes rivalry came upon the household between the two ladies. Hagar and Sarah both fighting for the heir of Abraham’s seed, ultimately Hagar and Ishmael were driven out into the wilderness by order of Sarah.  Where she prayed, Hagar and her son in the wilderness an angel appeared to her, and told her that God heard her prayers. Ishmael was going to become a mighty nation as well.

 But in the meanwhile Isaac grew up and married a woman named Rebekah which bared him two sons named Esau and Jacob. Jacob became the barer of the promise. This through his trials and tribulations met Abraham’s brother Laban, The Bible says: “And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.” (Genesis 24:15, 29)  His journey begins which through trickery, as well as deception. Jacob had been blessed with God's riches. He had received through his trials the mother's of his children and the fulfillment of the covenant. Unknown to him, the women were Leah his first wife, Rachel his second wife and two hand maidens Bilhah, Rachel's handmaiden and Zilpah, Leah's handmaiden. Which within these four women would bare Jacob, (Named changed to Israel, The Bible says: “And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.  And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”Genesis 32:27-28), 12 sons, these 12 sons would be known through out history, up till this present day as the 12 Tribes of Israel.

Now just a little background on the women and we will get started on the East Side. Leah means: 1. tired, exhausted, the one who is making her effort in vain. 2. Wild cow, and she bore six sons named Reuben, Levi, Simeon, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun. Bilhah means: fear, dread, (is God), timidity, modesty, tenderness, and she bore two sons, Dan, Naphtali. Zilpah means: drop, tear, closeness, intimacy, maybe also, wet with myrrh, and she bore two sons also. Gad and Asher. Rachel means: mother sheep, sheep, lamb, mother of sheep, she bore two sons Joseph and Benjamin. (Emphraim and Manasseh are Joseph’s children; we will get to that part of the story as well soon.)

  Understanding the meanings of their names will come useful. After studying the different trials and tribulations, each woman went through which she passed on to the child. So now we are all caught up to being ready to research material and enjoy the book on the Tribes of Israel. Be sure to go and read the book of Genesis while going through the next pages.  See if you can get some of the keys out of the tribes. As well right down questions about the tribes which you do not understand, and see if this material helps you find the answers. So Enjoy and be blessed through this book.