ZEBULUN TRIBE

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

 Zebulun was the tenth of Jacob's twelve sons. Zebulun is one of Israel’s twelve tribes.
 His mother was Leah, Jacob's secondary wife, which may have something to do with Zebulun's
name. Biblical scholars think the name comes from the word zabal, to dwell, dwelling or honour.
This would indicate that Leah was celebrating because the birth of a new son would mean Jacob
would be dwelling with her for a while, as opposed to her sister Rachel (Jacob's favorite wife).

Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my
husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons” (Genesis
30:20).

WHAT:

 The tribe was among one of the key figures in Israel’s early history. In fact, during the census
that was held in the Sinai Desert, there were about 57,400 men in the Tribe of Zebulun. These
men were also considered to be ready for battle because of the size and appearance of the
Army. Eliab was the head of this army, and he ordered his men to encamp at the east portion of
the Tabernacle, with Issachar and Judah. Also, Gaddiel was one of the spies who went to
Canaan, as ordered by Moses. Gaddiel served as one of the representatives of Zebulun.

https://amazingbibletimeline.com/blog/zebulun/

 Zebulun was one of six tribes chosen to stand on Mount Ebal and pronounce curses
(Deuteronomy 27:13). By means of these curses, the people promised God they would refrain
from certain behaviors. For example, one curse says, “Cursed is the man who carves an image or
casts an idol – a thing detestable to the Lord” (Deuteronomy 27:15). Another states, “Cursed is
the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow” (Deuteronomy
27:19).

 Zebulun’s territory was located in what later became known as Galilee, in Northern Israel.
Moses’ blessing on the tribe was that they would prosper in their overseas dealings with Gentile
nations (Deuteronomy 33:18-19).

https://www.gotquestions.org/tribe-of-Zebulun.html
WHERE:

 The tribe was named for the sixth son born of Jacob and his first wife, Leah. After the Israelites
took possession of the Promised Land, Joshua divided the territory among the 12 tribes,
assigning to the tribe of Zebulun a fertile section of land roughly northeast of the Plain of Jezreel
 In the time of Moses, Zebulun was divided into three clans: the Seredites, the Elonites, and the
Jahleelites, named after Zebulun’s sons (Numbers 26:26)

 Jacob’s blessings: Before his death, Jacob proscribed a blessing upon each of his sons. This
blessing not only described the son but established a prophetic vision for the tribe that each son
would father. Here's what Jacob said about his tenth son:

''Zebulun shall dwell toward the seashore; and he shall be a haven for ships, And
his flank shall be toward Sidon.''

So, what did Jacob's blessing mean? The tribe of Zebulun, composed of his descendants, would find out
after the Israelite conquest of Canaan. The land was divided into twelve lots for the twelve tribes. Guess
where the tribe of Zebulun ended up? Their territory bordered both the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea
of Galilee. Thus, Jacob's prophecy was fulfilled. They were by the seashore(s) and did in fact become a
haven for ships. In fact, it's how they made their money. The import/export business was good, and the
tribe of Zebulun prospered from it. That's why the symbol of the tribe was a boat.

https://study.com/academy/lesson/tribe-of-zebulun-history-symbol-characteristics.html