Tribes of Israel

The twelve divisions of ancient Israel. According to tradition, each are descended from one of the twelve sons of Jacob. The twelve tribes are Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Gad, Issachar, Judah, Levi, Manasseh, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, and Zebulun.

Ten of the twelve tribes were deported to captivity in Assyria (c. 720 BCE), and are known as the Lost Tribes, leaving only the tribes of Benjamin and Judah.

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