Jacob raised all his sons in the fear of God, and taught them the ways
of a pious life, using severity when there was need to make his lessons
impressive. He reaped the fruits of his labor, for all his sons were
godly men of stainless character.[1] The ancestors of the twelve tribes
resembled their fathers in piety, and their acts were no less
significant than those of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Like these three,
they deserve to be called the Fathers of Israel.[2] God made a covenant
with them as He had made with the three Patriarchs, and to this
covenant their descendants owe their preservation.[3]
The very names of the tribes point to the redemption of Israel. Reuben
is so called, because God "sees" the affliction of His people; Simon,
because He "hears" its groaning; Levi, He "joins" Himself unto His
people when Israel suffers; Judah, Israel will "thank" God for its
deliverance; Issachar, it will be "rewarded" for its suffering with a
recompense; Zebulon, God will have a "dwelling-place" in Israel;
Benjamin, He swore by His "right hand" to succor His people; Dan, He
will "judge" the nation that subjugates Israel; Naphtali, He bestowed
the Torah upon Israel, and she drops sweetness like the "honeycomb";
Gad, the Lord gave manna unto Israel, and it was like "coriander" seed;
Asher, all nations will call Israel "happy"; and Joseph, because God
will "add" a second redemption of Israel to the first—redemption from
the wicked kingdom at the end as from Egypt in former times.[4]
Not only the names of Jacob's sons are significant, but the names of
their sons as well. Thus the names of the sons of Issachar express the
activities of the tribe known for its learning above all the others.
The oldest was called Tola, "worm"; as the silk worm is distinguished
for its mouth, with which it spins, so also the men of the tribe of
Issachar for the wise words of their mouth. The second is Puah, "madder
plant"; as this plant colors all things, so the tribe of Issachar
colors the whole world with its teachings. The third is Jashub, "the
returning one," for through the teachings of Issachar Israel will be
turned back to its Heavenly Father; and Shimron, the fourth, is "the
observing one," to indicate that the tribe of Issachar observes the
Torah.[5]
The names of the sons of Gad likewise interpret the history of the
tribe. During Israel's sojourn in Egypt, it had strayed from the right
path, but when Aaron appeared as prophet and monitor, and called unto
the Israelites to cast away the abominations of their eyes and forsake
the idols of Egypt, they hearkened unto his words. Hence the double
name Ozni and Ezbon borne by one of the sons of Gad, for this tribe
"hearkened" to the word of God, and fulfilled His "will."
The grandsons of Asher bear the names Heber and Malchiel, because they
were the "associates" of kings, and their inheritance yielded "royal
dainties."
Partly the history of the tribe of Benjamin can be read in the names of
its chiefs. It consisted originally of ten divisions, descended from
Benjamin's ten sons, but five of them perished in Egypt on account of
their ungodly ways, from which no admonition availed to turn them
aside. Of the five families remaining, two, the descendants of Bela and
those of Ashbel, had always been God-fearing; the others, the
Ahiramites, the Shephuphamites, and the Huphamites, repented of their
sins, and in accordance with the change in their conduct had been the
change in their names. Ehi had become Ahiram, because the breach with
the "Exalted" One was healed; Muppira was called Shephupham, because
they "afflicted" themselves in their penance; and Huppim was turned
into Hupham, to indicate that they had "cleansed" themselves from sin.
As a reward for their piety, the family springing from Bela was
permitted to have two subdivisions, the Ardites and the Naamites. Their
names point them out as men that know well how the fear of God is to be
manifested, whose deeds are exceedingly lovely.
Naphtali was another tribe of steadfast piety, and the names of his
sons testify thereto: Jahzeel, because the tribesmen raised a
"partition wall" between God and the idols, inasmuch as they trusted in
God and contemned the idols; Guni, because God was their "protection";
and Jezer and Shillem designate the Naphtalites as men devoted to God
with all their hearts.[6]