T w e l v e T r i b e s

Historical Information

Twelve Tribes of Israel

One can hardly find the people to various, dispersed all over the world and speaking almost 100 languages. The people managed to preserve its religion, language, culture and its solidarity, although it didn't have the state for more than 2000 years, it suffered persecution, discrimination, massacre and sometimes even spiritual and physical annihilation. Nowadays, when 5 million Jewish people live in their own state and the majority of others live in freedom and emancipation, the phenomenon of Jewish people isn't solved. The history of Jewish people is unique and it's impossible to comprehend it with dialectics only.

In the Book of Books we are told about the origin of the Jewish people. The name Israel derives from Jacob who got it from God for ability to stand against the God's Angel. Many peoples come from Abraham and Itshak and only from Jacob and his sons derived the Jewish people so various but united in its spirit and belief. When the united kingdom broke into Israel and Jew, 10 sons found themselves in Israel (the centre - Shompon) and only 2 (Ieguda and Benjamin) in Jew.

With the assyrian onslaught Shompon was destroyed (721 B.C.) and so was the kingdom of Israel.

Exportation of 10 tribes started and they were considered to be the lost. No wonder that some tribes in Africa or Peru announce themselves the Jews, those Jews disappeared 2700 years ago.

Etymology of Names of Our Forefathers and Their Families

Abraham - the father of many peoples. Abram - a tall father

Sarah - the God's servant. Saray - my servant

Ishmael - God hears (doesn't belong to forefathers)

Hagah - new-comer (doesn't belong to forefathers)

Itshak - laugh

Rivka - goat

Esav - Edom - red (doesn't belong to forefathers)

Jacob - following

Lea - tired

Rachel - sheep

Hagar - Sarah's servant, Ismael's (Ismail) mother

The Sons and Their Mothers. Etymology of Names.

Reiven (Lea) - look, son

Shimon (Dea) - God heard

Levi (Lea) - accompanying

Iehuda (Lea) - grateful to God

Dan (Bilha) - judge

Naphtaly (Bilha) - hesitations, fight

Gad (Zilpa) - happiness, luck

Asher (Zilpa) - happiness

Issachar (Lea) - reward, payment

Zvulun (Lea) - present

Joseph (Rachel) - adding

Behjamin (Rachel) - the right son

Bilha - Lea's servant

Zilpa - Rachel's servant