Issachar and Zebulun

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Categories: Men in the Old Testament

After her handmaid bore two sons, life was still difficult for Leah.
God hearkened to her, and she bore a fifth son.
She names her son “Issachar,” meaning either “my reward” or “my hire.”
It would be akin to saying, "God has paid me."
She relates this to the fact that she had given her handmaiden to Jacob.
She feels that she has been rewarded for her good deed.
On his deathbed, Jacob prophesied: “Issachar is a rawboned donkey, lying down between two burdens; He saw that rest was good, and that the land was pleasant; He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden, and became a band of slaves.”
A “rawboned” donkey is generally thought to be a strong donkey.
A donkey lying between its burdens is thought to be resting.
It suggests the Tribe of Issachar will have a prosperous life, but the “band of slaves” suggests otherwise. Yet, there is no record of them ever being forced into slavery.
Issachar has four sons: Tola, Pubah, Lob, and Shimron.
During the initial census at Sinai, the Tribe of Issachar numbers 54,000.
In the second census, they have grown to 64,300. During the time of David, they number over 87,000.
They are given a small allotment of land just north of Manasseh and west of the Jordan that includes the town of Shunem.
Though small, this is some of the most fruitful land in Canaan.
I Chronicles 12:32 describes 200 chiefs that were loyal to David during his difficulty with Saul as those who “understood the times and knew what Israel should do.”
This suggests they were either politically astute or learned in science and religion.
The Tribe of Issachar is part of the northern kingdom. The Assyrians conquer them in 722 BCE. The tribe is exiled or assimilated.
There is no further mention of them after that.
Shortly after the birth of Issachar, Leah gives birth to Zebulun.
She says, “God has bestowed a great gift upon me.”
Another meaning for the name, Zebulun, is “honor or exalt me.” It appears to have a double meaning; God has given her a great gift; now her husband will exalt her. Whether or not this happens is not stated.
However, this child would always be a reminder of divine justice in the face of human injustice. She has received divine justice.
On his deathbed, Jacob states, “Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for a haven of ships; and his border shall be upon Sidon.”
This has caused problems since Zebulun’s territory is not along the sea.
Zebulun’s allotment of land is just west of Issachar’s, in the area that becomes known as Galilee. It is in Northern Israel.
Scholars have devised multiple solutions for this discrepancy in Jacob’s prophesy.
The most realistic is that perhaps the territories were more fluid in the beginning.
Another is that the Tribe of Zebulun might have benefited from sea trade, though indirectly.
Most scholars have ruled out forgery intended to discredit the Genesis text.
Some scholars believe that the Tribes of Zebulun and Issachar operate symbiotically.
Issachar has many scholars; Zebulun financially supports them while reaping the benefit of their knowledge.
The names of the two tribes become a euphemism for such relationships. [Although recent scholarship might be calling into question some of these assumptions.]
Zebulun has three sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
In the first census, they number 57,400. At the second census, they number 60,500.
In the Song of Deborah, they are praised for their army and their willingness to fight to the death.
50,000 men follow David to Hebron. They are so certain of victory that they bring celebratory food and drink.
Like the other tribes of the Northern Kingdom, they are conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE.
Their leaders are exiled, and their tribe is lost.

Bible Characters