What are the twelve tribes of Israel?

In the early chapters of the book of Numbers we learn about this order. There were, as we know, twelve tribes all named after the sons of Jacob, making up the nation of Israel. The twelve tribes were numbered according to the men of war in each tribe. There was no tribe called after Joseph. He was represented by his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. The tribe of Levi was separated to serve; they were workers.

And Scripture confirms this. For instance, 1 Chronicles 5:2 tells us, concerning Israel, "the birthright was Joseph's," and verse 1 tells us Reuben's (the eldest son) birthright "was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel." We can see why Joseph had two sons and only two, so that he might have the double portion of the firstborn. So in the dividing up of territory, while each of Israel's sons (Levi excluded for obvious reasons) had single portions, that is one tribe each, Joseph had the double portion, two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh.

Reuben, Simeon and Levi show the character of the nation up to the time of Christ. Judah points clearly to the period of this nation when our Lord was on the earth. Zebulun and Issachar, where the sea and commerce, laziness and service are prominent, describes Israel scattered among the nations during this age. Dan shows Israel apostate under antichrist (Dan is left out in Revelation 7). Gad, Asher and Naphtali describe the godly remnant during the great tribulation. Joseph speaks of the second coming of Christ; and Benjamin, the son of the right hand, of the righteous rule of the King.

In the listings of the tribes throughout Scripture, of which there are about eighteen, the full representative number twelve is always given; but as Jacob had thirteen sons, one or other is always left out. Levi is more generally left out than any other. In the listing in Revelation, Dan and Ephraim are left out. Both these tribes were remarkable for being connected with idolatry in Israel, the probable reason for the blotting out of their names here. But in the end grace triumphs, and Dan is named first in the future distribution of the land among the tribes (Ezekiel 48:2).

Israel's twelve tribes were bound together and could not be separated. The twelve loaves on the golden table in the sanctuary formed the beautiful picture of this unity, and every true Israelite owned and rejoiced in this unity. The twelve stones in the Jordan's bed; the twelve stones on the Jordan's bank; Elijah's twelve stones on mount Carmel, all set out the same great truth. Paul, in his magnificent address before king Agrippa, bears witness to the same truth, when he says, "to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day" (Acts 26:7). And when we look forward into the bright future, the same glorious truth shines in the seventh chapter of Revelation, where we see the twelve tribes sealed and secured for blessing, rest and glory, along with a countless multitude of the Gentiles.

As far as is known they never returned, though no doubt individuals found their way back in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, and in the four hundred years that followed before the Lord appeared. Jews from those districts were present on the day of Pentecost; but as a body they are still commonly regarded as "the Lost Tribes." God knows where to find them when His set time of blessing arrives. The twelve tribes surely exist, and remnants of them will again come into the land.