The Tribes of Israel

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delraebecker

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Why are they called the 12 tribes of Israel if there are actually 14 tribes? I was just reading in Numbers today about how they conducted a census and how there were 12 tribes…if I’m not mistaken Jacob had 12 sons and then adopted Joseph’s 2 sons for a total of 14. So why are the tribes always referred to as 12?
 
newadvent.org/cathen/15039a.htm

The tribe of Levi, Levites or the Levitical priesthood, held no land and were provided for by the other tribes.

"Thus, in reality, there were thirteen tribes in all but they are habitually referred to as twelve, doubtless because in the distribution of the land after the conquest of Palestine only twelve tribal territories were assigned, the tribe of Levi being distributed among the others because of its priestly functions and Divine inheritance.

To this may be added the fact that the sons of Jacob or Israel were twelve, to say nothing of the probable artificial influence of this mystic number. According to this traditional view the origin of the tribes was due to the fact that the descendants of each of these thirteen fathers or eponyms kept together, forming as many social groups which were to some extent augmented by the inclusion of foreign slaves and wives."
 
The tribe of Joseph is made up of the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim.
 
In the beginning of Exodus, there were 12 tribes.

At the foot of Mt. Sinai, during Calf-Gate, the tribe of Levi was split off from the 12 and set aside to be priests. This was because the tribe of Levi alone refrained from the revelling going on at the foot of the mountain during Moses’ 40 day Sabbatical with God.

This left 11 tribes.

To reconstitute the number of tribes back to 12, the 1 tribe of Joseph was split into 2 tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh. As mentioned above, these two tribes were the 2 sons of Joseph.

When the 12 Tribes (plus Levi) entered the promised land, the Levites weren’t given a territory like the other tribes. Instead, the Levites were given cities in each of the other tribe’s territories, so that they could serve as priests among the people.
 
The twelve tribes are composed of the twelve sons of Jacob. Levi is considered a full tribe, though priestly and not landed. The confusion arises because the tribe of Joseph was split into two sub-tribes, descendants of his sons Ephraim and Manasseh.
 
roveau said:
The twelve tribes are composed of the twelve sons of Jacob. Levi is considered a full tribe, though priestly and not landed. The confusion arises because the tribe of Joseph was split into two sub-tribes, descendants of his sons Ephraim and Manasseh.
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Which would give 13. So the explanation of “not counting Levi” is still correct.
 
delraebecker said:
Why are they called the 12 tribes of Israel if there are actually 14 tribes? I was just reading in Numbers today about how they conducted a census and how there were 12 tribes…if I’m not mistaken Jacob had 12 sons and then adopted Joseph’s 2 sons for a total of 14. So why are the tribes always referred to as 12?
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What’s your reference for Jacob adopting Joseph’s two sons? I’ve never heard that before. Is it in the Bible?

There are 12 tribes of Israel, just as there are 12 Apostles that Jesus called during His earthly ministry.
 
NHInsider said:
Genesis 48:5-6
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Even though they are adopted by Jacob, they still remain a part of the “Tribe of Joseph” until that little incident at Sinai: Calf-Gate. From then on, there is no “Tribe of Joseph” referenced. Instead its “Menasseh” and “Ephraim”.

Again, this was so God could re-balance the tribes back into 12.
 
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