Genesis 29,30,35: The spiritual significance of Israel’s children – their names.

From Leah (From La’ah – weary/impatient) with delicate (rakkoth) eyes (Gen 29:31-35)

1. Reuben –  Rabah saw + b’Ani to my troubles
2. Simeon – Shma heard + Shnuah hated
3. Levi – Lvah- attached to / joined
4. Judah (Odeh from Yada – to cast on / praise)

 

From Bilhah (Rachel’s maidservant) (Gen 30:5-8)

1. Dan (Dani – God has judged my case – from Dheen – justice)
2. Naphtali – Nifal (passive) of Fathal (twisting) – with godly wrestling I am twisted/wrestled with my sister and have won (Gen 30:8)

 

From Zilpah (Laban and then Leah’s maid servant Gen 30:9-12)

1. Gad – Good luck
2. Asher – I am happy (from Ashar – to go ahead / advance)

 

From Leah again (Gen 30:17-21)

1. Issachar – from Yiktol (incomplete active) of Sakar – this is God’s hire / wages (Gen 30:18)
2. Zebulun – from Zabal – dwell – with my 6^th son, Jacob will now dwell with me
3. Dinah – from Dheen – to judge

 

From Rachel (ewe)

1. Joseph- from Yasaph – to add but also Asaph – to take away ‘kharaf’ (reproach) Gen 30:23,24
2. Benjamin –   Son of right hand Ben + Yamin (even though Rachel, dying in childbirth, called him son of trouble –  Benoni = Ben + Aven Gen 35:18).

 

These became 12 tribes in Numbers 1:4-16 (Not Levi, Dinah and Joseph).

But Revelation 7:4-8 instead lists the tribes as:

Judah

Reuben

Gad

Asher

Naphtali

Manasseh

Simeon

Levi

Issachar

Zebulun

Joseph

Benjamin

Why does the list in the Revelation differ from the one in Numbers? The above are not the tribes of natural Israel, because there was never a tribe of Joseph, the tribes of Dan and Ephraim are not included in the list, and the Levites were set aside for service in the temple and where never considered as one of the twelve tribes.

(Additional reference for the list is https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/29138/what-is-the-significance-that-the-twelve-tribes-of-the-sons-of-israel-rev-74-8 )

 

What does all this mean for us today?

The reference for us, non Jews, is the (previously non-existent) tribe of Joseph – “added on” to the tribes of Israel.

But even elder Manasseh and younger Ephraim might tell us more about the typology:

1. Manasseh (from Nashah – Piel perfect – Forgot) – because he forgot all his labour (Amali) and all his father’s house Gen 41:51.
2. Ephraim could be from Apher – Covered one or what Joseph says is his reason for the name in Gen 41:52 from Hiphrani – Hifil (causative) of Phara – to cause to be fruitful).

And so the tribe which was covered and made fruitful disappears and the tribe which is added on replaces it.

The tribe which did not “remember” its works or generational blessings stayed.

Prayer:

Lord – when we are hated, even by family, You see, You hear. We praise you.

Lord – May we never depend on our works or lineage for our salvation. May we never consider our fruitfulness and your blessings in our lives as a surrogate of salvation. Our reproach can only be taken away if You add us to your ‘Joseph’ tribe through our saviour, our Yshua.