What Tribes made up the Northern Kingdom of Israel?
Israel (Jacob) had 12 sons with his two wives and their two handmaids. They were born in order as follows:
- Reuben (born to Leah)
- Simeon (born to Leah)
- Levi (born to Leah)
- Judah (born to Leah)
- Dan (born to Bilhah/Rachel)
- Naphtali (born to Bilhah/Rachel)
- Gad (born to Zilpah/Leah)
- Asher (born to Zilpah/Leah)
- Issachar (born to Leah)
- Zebulun (born to Leah)
- Joseph (born to Rachel)
- Benjamin (born to Rachel)
The Ten Tribes of the Northern Kingdom
Of the 12 sons (tribes), ten eventually split off at the end of King Solomon’s reign and became the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
- Reuben
- Simeon (technically scattered and present in both Kingdoms)
- Levi (technically scattered and present in both Kingdoms)
- Dan
- Naphtali
- Gad
- Asher
- Issachar
- Zebulun
- Joseph
The Southern Kingdom of Judah
Judah and Benjamin became known as the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The Cohanim (Priests) of the Tribe of Levi were mainly present in the Land of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin, but they (Levi) nor Simeon received land inheritance because of their actions at Shechem (Genesis 49:5-7), but were instead scattered in the midst of both Kingdoms.
- Judah
- Benjamin
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