that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon . Gen 29.33 When we think about the purpose of the tribes of Israel to become a nation that outnumbers the stars. We connect to the disciples who were to spread the gospel throughout the world. Both instances were connected to the building of the family of God. What Happened to the 12 Tribes of Israel? During their captivity in Egypt, God heard their cries and called Moses to rescue his fellow Israelites from their plight. Along their escape from Egypt they stopped at Mount Sinai, where God gave them the Ten Commandments which are still followed by Jews and Christians today. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea and were guided by God through the wilderness where they wandered for forty years due to disobedience and unbelief. During these forty years, God still provided for them with manna which rained from heaven. After the forty years, they were led into the Promised Land by Joshua. Moses died in the wilderness along with other adults except for Caleb and Joshua. In the Promised Land Psalm 22:12 speaks about the "bulls of Bashan" surrounding the future Savior. So, Bashan is often used to depict a place of idolatry and rebellion against God. The Bible Odyssey shares, “The southern kingdom consisted only of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and thus became the kingdom of Judah, with Jerusalem as its capital. The northern kingdom consisted of the remaining tribes and was called Israel.”

The other nine and a half tribes were assigned territories by drawing lots to divide the land on the west bank of the Jordan River ( Joshua 14:2 and 18:6,8). After King Solomon died, Israel split into two kingdoms. Judah, to the south, included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The other tribes combined to make the kingdom of Israel in the north. In the ensuing years, many Israelites in the north emigrated to Judah in the south to flee the apostasy in their homeland (see 2 Chronicles 11:16; 15:9). Eventually, Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians, and most of the Israelites were either killed or deported; the Israelites who remained most likely integrated with Judah as many of the faithful before them had. Birnbaum is unique in his outlook in that as a dayan, his approach goes beyond ideology and is deeply rooted in practicality. “It is clear that the only way they can join the Jewish nation is through giyur [ conversion to Judaism].” What this looks like is unique to the individual, as for many it is just “finishing the process” as they are already learned in Torah and mitzvot. So, if someone asks you: Who are the patriarchs and matriarchs of Israel and what is their significance? Explain to them that those patriarchs and matriarchs are the founding fathers and mothers of the Old Testament nation of Israel, and Israel was born because God found among them a people wishing to follow Him and worship Him, a people with a heart for God, unlike the other surrounding nations and the known world of that time that were in rebellion against God. THE IDEA of conversion is a salient point in the discussion of “if” and “how” these communities will integrate into the wider Jewish people. Rabbi Eliahu Birnbaum, also known as the Yehudi Olami –“the wandering Jew”– is a world-renowned expert in the field of Jewish communities throughout the globe: lost tribes, descendants of Jews and emerging communities. He is the director of the Straus-Amiel and Ohr Torah-Nidchei Yisrael Institutes, part of the Ohr Torah network of institutions.

Isaac is depicted in Scripture as a man of great faithfulness to the Lord. God told Abraham to sacrifice him ( Genesis 22), and Isaac submitted to God faithfully, but later a ram was chosen in his place for the sacrifice and he was spared. Rebekah was chosen as a wife for Isaac ( Genesis 24). Like Sarah, she was barren and later conceived, becoming pregnant with twins. Isaac was sixty years old when she gave birth to them. Then Leah said, "I am happy , for the daughters will call me blessed." So she called his name Asher . Gen 30.13

He continued in his faith and trust in the Lord even when he was thrown in prison for a crime he did not commit. In his struggles, he remained strong thanks to God who fortified him. Jacob said that Joseph's blessings would surpass those of his forefathers because of his faithfulness to God. This article helps you understand Biblical history and God's relationship with mankind that started in the Old Testament.For New Testament believers, this is picture of a man who recognized his mistakes and repented wholeheartedly making amends for the evil he had done. This characteristic of his made him eligible to become the forefather of the future Messiah. Zebulun Those holding to the theory that the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea into Arabia identify El Maser as the place where the Israelites murmured (Exodus 17:7, Deut. 6:16, 9:22, 33:8).