Didn’t all Israel sin? Why are Dan and Zebulun missing? No answer is given, but one warning is clear: Let’s not neglect salvation, lest we too drift away! Let’s look at 1 Chronicles 7.
Who were the descendants of Issachar and how large was their army?
The four sons of Issachar were Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron. The sons of Tola were Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel. Each of them was the leader of an ancestral clan. At the time of King David, the total number of mighty warriors listed in the records of these clans was 22,600. The son of Uzzi was Izrahiah. The sons of Izrahiah were Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah. These five became the leaders of clans. All of them had many wives and many sons, so the total number of men available for military service among their descendants was 36,000. The total number of mighty warriors from all the clans of the tribe of Issachar was 87,000. All of them were listed in their genealogical records. (1 Chronicles 7:1-5 NLT)
Who were the descendants of Benjamin and how large was their army?
The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, and Jediael, three. The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of fathers’ houses, mighty men of valor; and they were listed by genealogy twenty-two thousand thirty-four. The sons of Becher: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher. They were listed by genealogy, after their generations, heads of their fathers’ houses, mighty men of valor, twenty thousand two hundred. The son of Jediael: Bilhan. The sons of Bilhan: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. All these were sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ households, mighty men of valor, seventeen thousand two hundred, who were able to go out in the army for war. So were Shuppim, Huppim, the sons of Ir, Hushim, and the sons of Aher. (1 Chronicles 7:6-12 WEB)
Who were the descendants of Naphtali and West Manasseh?
Naphtali’s family: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum. These were Bilhah’s family. Manasseh’s family: Asriel, to whom his Aramean secondary wife gave birth. She gave birth to Machir, Gilead’s father. Machir married Huppite and Shuppite women. His sister’s name was Maacah. The second descendant’s name was Zelophehad, who had only daughters. Machir’s wife Maacah gave birth to a son and named him Peresh. His brother’s name was Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem. Ulam’s family: Bedan. This was the family of Gilead, Machir’s son and Manasseh’s grandson. His sister Hammolecheth gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer, Mahlah, and Shemida. The members of Shemida’s family were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam. (1 Chr 7:13-19 CEB)
Who were the descendants of Ephraim, the other tribe of Joseph?
Ephraim was the father of Shuthelah and the ancestor of Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Tahath, Zabad, and Shuthelah. Ephraim had two other sons, Ezer and Elead. But they were killed when they tried to steal livestock from the people who lived in the territory of Gath. Ephraim mourned for his sons a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him. Some time later his wife gave birth to another son, and Ephraim named him Beriah, because he was born during a time of misery. Ephraim's daughter was Sheerah. She built the towns of Lower Beth-Horon, Upper Beth-Horon, and Uzzen-Sheerah. Ephraim also had a son named Rephah, and his descendants included Resheph, Telah, Tahan, Ladan, Ammihud, Elishama, Nun, and Joshua. The descendants of Ephraim took over the territory as far south as Bethel, as far east as Naaran, and as far west as Gezer. Their territory included all the villages around these towns, as well as Shechem, Ayyah, and the nearby villages. The descendants of Manasseh settled in the territory that included Beth-Shan, Taanach, Megiddo, Dor, and the nearby villages. The descendants of Joseph lived in these towns and villages. (1 Chr 7:20-29 CEV)
Who were the descendants of Asher and how large was their army?
The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber, and Malchiel, who fathered Birzaith. Heber fathered Japhlet, Shomer, Hotham, and their sister Shua. The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the sons of Japhlet. The sons of Shemer his brother: Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram. The sons of Helem his brother: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal. The sons of Zophah: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah. Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. The sons of Jether: Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara. The sons of Ulla: Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia. All of these were men of Asher, heads of fathers' houses, approved, mighty warriors, chiefs of the princes. Their number enrolled by genealogies, for service in war, was 26,000 men. (1 Chr 7:30-40 ESV)
If we ask why two tribes are missing, do we hear a personal warning?
We must, therefore, pay even more attention to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? (Hebrews 2:1-3a HCSB)
Didn’t all Israel sin? Why are Dan and Zebulun missing? No answer is given, but one warning is clear: Let’s not neglect salvation, lest we too drift away! You decide!
