Zebulun was the tenth son of Jacob, the sixth and last of Leah, and his descendants formed one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Zebulun was the tenth son of Israel (or 'Jacob') and the sixth and last son of Leah. He was born in Paddan-aram, and his name is derived from the Hebrew word meaning "honor" or "dwelling." The tribe of Zebulun played a significant role in Israel's history, being one of the twelve tribes that settled in the Promised Land. During the wilderness wanderings, the tribe of Zebulun was led by Eliab, son of Helon, and was positioned with the tribes of Judah and Issachar on the east side of the tabernacle. In the census taken in the wilderness, the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400 men of fighting age.
The territory allotted to Zebulun was in the northern part of Canaan, bordered by Asher, Naphtali, and Issachar. It included the fertile plain of Jezreel and the coastal region along the Mediterranean Sea. The tribe of Zebulun was commended for their bravery and willingness to fight, as evidenced by their participation in the battles against Sisera and the Midianites. They were also known for their maritime skills and engaged in trade and commerce.
Notable members of the tribe of Zebulun include Elon, who judged Israel for ten years, and Ibzan of Bethlehem, who was buried in the territory of Zebulun. The prophet Jonah also hailed from Gath-hepher, a town within Zebulun's borders.
In the future distribution of the land described by Ezekiel, Zebulun is allocated a portion in the far north of Israel, with its boundaries stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. The tribe of Zebulun is also mentioned in the book of Revelation as one of the twelve tribes sealed by God.
Zebulun Hastings Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible (1898)
ZEB'ULUN (habitation), Gen 30:20; Rev 7:8, the sixth son of Jacob and Leah, Gen 49:13, and the father of three sons who became the heads of large families.
ZEB'ULUN (a habitation), the territory possessed by the tribe of Israel descended from the sixth and last son of Leah and the tenth-born of Jacob, Gen 30:20; Gen 35:23, lay in the North of Canaan and between those of Issachar, Asher, and Naphtali. At the census of the wilderness Zebulun numbered 57,400. Num 1:30-31. In the encampment their position was to the east of the tabernacle. Num 2:7-8, and on the march they followed third under the standard of Judah. Num 10:14-16. At the second census their number was 60,500. Num 26:26. Zebulun was one of the six tribes stationed on Ebal to pronounce the curses. Deut 27:13. They joined Barak and Deborah against the army of Jabin. Jud 5:18. Situation and Extent. - In the prophetic blessing upon Zebulun. Jacob declared that "his border should be unto Zidon." Gen 49:3. The boundaries of the tribe are given in Josh 19:10-16, but many of those landmarks cannot be traced, and hence the exact limits of Zebulun are hard to determine. Asher lay to the west and north-west. Naphtali to the north-east, the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan on the east, and Issachar on the south. Some writers suppose that Zebulun did not touch the Sea of Galilee at any point, but others are of the opposite opinion, and suppose the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali to have met on the Sea of Galilee, not far from Capernaum. Matt 4:13, Ex 17:16. The territory included the great plain of Esdraelon and Mount Carmel and the plain of Acre, thus bringing it into immediate connection with the trade of Phoenicia and fulfilling the prophecy of Jacob. Gen 49:13. The territory was rich and fertile. It belonged to the…
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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.
48 verses in 13 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H2074