The Twelve Tribes

Jacob had twelve sons, and from them came the twelve tribes of Israel, whose names were engraved on the stones of the Choshen, the breastplate worn over the heart of Aharon the Kohen. Each tribe has its own stone, its own flag and its own blessing, yet all of them camp together around one centre.

  1. ReuvenJacob’s firstborn.
  2. ShimonA tribe of zeal and fierce loyalty, remembered for defending the honour of their sister Dinah.
  3. LeviThe tribe set apart for sacred service: the Kohanim and Levites, who served in the Mishkan and in the Temple.
  4. YehudaThe tribe of kingship and leadership.
  5. Dan‘Dan shall judge his people’: the tribe of judgment, from which Shimshon the judge arose.
  6. Naftali‘A hind let loose’: the tribe of swiftness and grace, giving ‘goodly words’.
  7. GadA tribe of warriors.
  8. AsherA tribe of abundance and blessing.
  9. YissacharThe tribe of Torah scholars.
  10. ZevulunA tribe of seafarers and merchants, dwelling ‘at the shore of the sea’.
  11. YosefYosef the righteous, the ‘fruitful vine’: a tribe of fruitfulness and blessing.
  12. BinyaminThe youngest of Jacob’s sons, and the only one born in the Land of Israel.

וְהָאֲבָנִים תִּהְיֶיןָ עַל־שְׁמֹת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה עַל־שְׁמֹתָם פִּתּוּחֵי חוֹתָם אִישׁ עַל־שְׁמוֹ תִּהְיֶיןָ לִשְׁנֵי עָשָׂר שָׁבֶט

And the stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, every one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.

Exodus 28:21