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Person · Tribe of Issachar

Issachar

Jacob's son living at the time of the Patriarchs

Issachar was the ninth son of Jacob and fifth by Leah, and he became the forefather of the Israelite tribe of Issachar.

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Issachar was the ninth son of Israel (or 'Jacob') and the fifth son of Leah (Gen. 30:18; 35:23; 46:13; 1Chr. 2:1). His name means "man of reward" or "there is reward", referring to Leah's belief that God rewarded her for giving her maidservant to Jacob (Gen. 30:18).

Issachar had four sons: Tola, Puvah, Job (or Jashub), and Shimron (Gen. 46:13; Num. 26:23-24; 1Chr. 7:1). His descendants became one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

In Jacob's blessing, Issachar was described as a "strong donkey" and "resting between the sheepfolds", indicating his tribe would be hardworking and content with an agrarian life (Gen. 49:14-15).

During the wilderness years, the tribe of Issachar was led by Nethanel son of Zuar (Num. 1:8; 2:5; 7:18; 10:15). They encamped on the east side of the tabernacle under the standard of Judah (Num. 2:5).

In the census taken in the wilderness of Sinai, the tribe of Issachar numbered 54,400 men aged 20 and over (Num. 1:28-29). In the second census on the plains of Moab they numbered 64,300 (Num. 26:25).

Issachar's allotment in Canaan included the fertile Jezreel Valley and was bordered by Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun and Jordan (Josh. 19:17-23). The Levitical cities in Issachar's territory were Kishion, Daberath, Jarmuth and En-gannim (Josh. 21:28-29).

The tribe of Issachar was commended for providing wise leadership during the time of David (1Chr. 12:32). One of David's officers, Omri son of Michael, was from Issachar (1Chr. 27:18). The tribe is also noted for being faithful to Hezekiah's Passover invitation (2Chr. 30:18).

In Ezekiel's vision of the division of the restored land, Issachar is allotted the sixth portion (Ezek. 48:25-26). In John's apocalyptic vision, Issachar is one of the tribes sealed by God (Rev. 7:7).

Family

Father
Israel
Mother
Leah
Siblings
ReubenSimeonLeviJudahDanNaphtaliGadAsherZebulunDinahJosephBenjamin
Children
TolaPuahJashubShimron

Connections

Part of: The patriarchal families

Leah's sons and daughter

FamilyStated in the text

Leah bore Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun and Dinah. Her sons include the priestly tribe (Levi) and the royal tribe (Judah); Reuben, Simeon and Levi are all set back in Jacob's final words.

LeahSister of RachelReubenSon of IsraelSimeonSon of IsraelLeviSon of IsraelJudahSon of IsraelIssacharSon of IsraelZebulunSon of IsraelDinahJacob's daughter
Where the text shows it: Gen 29:31-35 — Reuben, Simeon, Levi, JudahGen 30:17-21 — Issachar, Zebulun, DinahGen 49:3-7 — Jacob rebukes Reuben, Simeon and Levi

Sources: Gen 29:31-35 · Gen 30:17-21 · Gen 49:3-7

More background: search Wikipedia ↗

Bible dictionary

Issachar Easton Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

Hired (Gen. 30:18). “God hath given me,” said Leah, “my hire (Heb. sekhari)...and she called his name Issachar.” He was Jacob’s ninth son, and was born in Padan-aram (comp. 28:2). He had four sons at the going down into Egypt (46:13; Num. 26:23, 25). Issachar, Tribe of, during the journey through the wilderness, along with Judah and Zebulun (Num. 2:5), marched on the east of the tabernacle. This tribe contained 54,400 fighting men when the census was taken at Sinai. After the entrance into the Promised Land, this tribe was one of the six which stood on Gerizim during the ceremony of the blessing and cursing (Deut. 27:12). The allotment of Issachar is described in Josh. 19:17-23. It included the plain of Esdraelon (=Jezreel), which was and still is the richest portion of Palestine (Deut. 33:18, 19; 1 Chr. 12:40). The prophetic blessing pronounced by Jacob on Issachar corresponds with that of Moses (Gen. 49:14, 15; comp. Deut. 33:18, 19).

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Issachar Smith Smith’s Bible Dictionary (1863)

(reward). I. The ninth son of Jacob and the fifth of Leah. (Genesis 30:17,18) (B.C. 1753-45) At the descent into Egypt four sons are ascribed to him, who founded the four chief families of the tribes. (Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:23,25; 1 Chronicles 7:1) The number of the fighting men of Issachar, when taken in the census at Sinai, was 54,400. During the journey they seem to have steadily increased. The allotment of Issachar lay above that of Manasseh. (Joshua 19:17-23) In the words of Josephus, “it extended in length from Carmel to the Jordan, in breadth to Mount Tabor.” This territory was, as it still is, among the richest land in Palestine. It is this aspect of the territory of Issachar which appears to be alluded to in the blessing of Jacob.

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Issachar Hastings Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible (1898)

IS'SACHAR (God hath given me my hire). The fifth son of Jacob and Leah. Gen 30:18. The prophetical description of him uttered by his father, Gen 49:14-15, was fulfilled in the fact that the posterity of Issachar were a laborious people and addicted to rural employments, and were subject to the tributes of marauding tribes. See Tribes. A Korhite Levite. 1 Chr 26:5.

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Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.

Where Issachar appears

40 verses in 11 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H3485

Genesis4
Exodus1
Numbers10
Deuteronomy2
Joshua6
Judges2
1 Kings2
1 Chronicles8
2 Chronicles1
Ezekiel3
Revelation1

Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.