The Gospel in the Names of the 12 Tribes

It says in Proverbs:

Pr 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. (NKJV)

A name in the Hebrew language is more than just a name, it has a meaning. The names of each of the sons of Jacob (Israel) all have a meaning. There is a message to be found in their names. In Revelation chapter 7, where the “number of those who were sealed” is listed, a specific order of the names is presented. This is not the order in which they were born. They are listed in this order for a reason. Lets look at the passage in Revelation 7:

Re 7:2-8 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed: 5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed; 6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed; 7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed; 8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed. (NKJV)

Now lets look at the names in this order.

Judah (Praise the LORD) Gen 29:35

And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing. (KJV)

Strongs #3063 Y’huwdah, yeh-hoo-daw' from 3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory:--Judah.

Ruben (Look a Son) Gen 29:32

And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. (KJV)

#7205. Re'uwben, reh-oo-bane' from the imperative of 7200 and 1121; see ye a son; Reuben, a son of Jacob:--Reuben.

Gad (Good Fortune) Gen 30:11

Ge 30:11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. (KJV)

#1409. gad, gawd from 1464 (in the sense of distributing); fortune:--troop.

Asher (Happiness/Blessed) Gen 30:13

And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher. (KJV)

# 836 'ashar, aw-shar' or rasher {aw-share'}; a primitive root; to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy); figuratively, to go forward, be honest, proper:--(call, be) bless(-ed, happy), go, guide, lead, relieve.

Naphtali (My Wrestlings) Gen 30:8

And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. (KJV)

#5320 Naphtaliy, naf-taw-lee' from 6617; my wrestling; Naphtali, a son of Jacob, with the tribe descended from him, and its territory:--Naphtali.

Manasseh (To Forget) Gen 41:51

And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. (KJV)

#4519. Menashsheh, men-ash-sheh' from 5382; causing to forget; Menashsheh, a grandson of Jacob, also the tribe descended from him, and its territory:--Manasseh.

Simeon (To Hear and Obey) Gen 29:33

And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. (KJV)

#8095. Shim`own, shim-one' from 8085; hearing; Shimon, one of Jacob's sons, also the tribe descended from him:--Simeon.

Levi (Joined) Gen 29:34

And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. (KJV)

#3878. Leviy, lay-vee' from 3867; attached; Levi, a son of Jacob:--Levi. See also 3879, 3881.

Issachar (Reward) Gen 30:18

And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. (KJV)

#3485. Yissaskar, yis-saw-kawr' (strictly yis-saws-kawr'); from 5375 and 7939; he will bring a reward; Jissaskar, a son of Jacob:--Issachar.

Zebulun (Dwell) Gen 30:20

And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun. (KJV)

#2074. Z@buwluwn, zeb-oo-loon' or Zbuluwn {zeb-oo-loon'}; or Zbuwlun {zeb-oo-loon'}; from 2082; habitation; Zebulon, a son of Jacob; also his territory and tribe:--Zebulun.

Joseph (Add) Gen 30:24

And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son. (KJV)

#3130. Yowceph, yo-safe' future of 3254; let him add (or perhaps simply active participle adding); Joseph, the name of seven Israelites:--Joseph. Compare 3084.

Benoni / Benjamin (Son of my Sorrow / Son at the Right Hand) Gen 35:18

And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. (KJV)

#1126. Ben-'Owniy, ben-o-nee' from 1121 and 205; son of my sorrow; Ben-Oni, the original name of Benjamin:--Ben-oni.

#1144. Binyamiyn, bin-yaw-mene' from 1121 and 3225; son of (the) right hand; Binjamin, youngest son of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory:--Benjamin.

When the meaning of these names as stated in the Genesis scriptures are connected together in the order of the listing in Revelation 7, something amazing happens:


Now will I praise the LORD, Look a SON, Good fortune and happiness comes! With great wrestlings have I wrestled, For God, said he, hath made me to forget all my toil! Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me a son. At this time will my husband be joined unto me. God hath given me my hire, now will my husband dwell with me. The LORD has added to me another son, the son of my sorrow, the son at the Right Hand of the Father!

Shalom and Be Blessed