Zebulun

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Zebulun (also Zabulon, Hebrew: זְבֻלוּן or זְבוּלֻן or זְבוּלוּן, Tiberian Hebrew Zəḇūlūn, Standard Hebrew Zəvulun, commonly זבולון Zvulun in Israel) was one Jacob's twelve sons, (the sixth by his wife Leah) and the ancestor of the tribe of the same name. (Genesis 46:14, Numbers 26:26)

1 Name and origin
2 History of the tribe
3 Division of the land
4 Other appearances of the name Zebulun
5 References
6 See also

[edit] Name and origin

The meaning of the name Zebulun is doubtful. There seems to be a play upon "זֵ֣בֶד zḗḇeḏ" in Leah's words of Genesis 30:20, "'God has granted me (זְבָדַ֨נִי zəḇāḏáni) a good gift (זֵ֣בֶד zḗḇeḏ) - this time my husband shall dwell with me (יִזְבְּלֵ֣נִי yizbəlḗni), because I have borne him six -sons;' she called him Zebulun."

The name occurs in the form זְבֻלוּן eighteen times, זְבוּלֻן twenty-six times and זְבוּלוּן once. (Septuagint) In post Biblical literature the name appears as Zabulon (Josephus, Antiquities II.7.4) and Zaboules. (Vulgate) Zabulon, the New Testament reading, is that of the Septuagint, from the Greek form Ζαβουλών.

Nothing is known of the individual Zebulun except that Sered, Elon, and Jahleel were his sons and the heads of three tribal families.

[edit] History of the tribe

The Tribe of Zebulun plays an important part in the early history of Israel. At the census of the tribes in the Desert of Sinai during the second year of the Exodus, the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400 men fit for war (Numbers 1:31). This army, under the command of Eliab the son of Heilon, encamped with Judah and Issachar east of the Tabernacle and with them made up the vanguard of the line of march (Numbers 2:3-9). Among the spies sent by Moses to view the land of Canaan, Gaddiel the son of Sodi represented Zebulun (Numbers 13:10).

At Shittim, in the land of Moab, after 24,000 men were slain for their crime, a second census was taken; Zabulon numbered 60,500 fighting men (Numbers 26:27). Elizaphan the son of Parnach was chosen to represent Zebulun at the division of the Promised Land (Numbers 34:25).

The tribe seems to have easily conquered its portion. During the rule of Joshua it received no special mention. While the judges ruled, its prowess was worthy of note. In the Song of Deborah, the tribe is specially singled out as having "offered their lives to death in the region of Merom," (Judges 5:18); and praised because there came "out of Zebulun they that led the army to fight," as in Hebrew, "they that carry the pen of the writer," i.e., such as recruiting and inspecting officers (Judges 5:14).

The reference is to Barak's campaign against Sisera, the commander of the forces of Jabin, King of Canaan (Judges 4:10). They answered the call of Gideon and joined in battle against Madian (Judges 6:35); and gave to Israel Elon, who judged it ten years (Judges 12:11). Among those that followed David to Hebron to make him king were 50,000 fully armed men of Zebulun with no double heart (I Chronicles 12:33), who brought with them, as sign of their hearty allegiance, bounteous supplies of meat and drink to celebrate the accession of their new ruler (I Chronicles 12:41). When Hezekiah made reparation for the abominations of his father Ahaz, he invited all Israel to keep the Passover in the house of the Lord. Mockery and ridicule met the emissaries of the reformer; yet some were true to the religion of their fathers, and, even from far away Zebulun, went up to Jerusalem, destroyed the idols, and kept the feast of the unleavened bread (II Chronicles 30:10-23).

[edit] Division of the land

At the division of the land of Israel between the seven tribes not yet provided for, the lot of Zabulun was third. The tribe's territory started with Sarid (Joshua 19:10), which is supposed to have been Tel Shadud,^[1] some five miles southwest of Nazareth. Zebulun's boundaries have not been made out. Of the nineteen proper names that the book of Joshua gives to guide us, only Bethlehem (Beit lahm, seven miles northwest of Nazareth) can be identified with certainty. The historian Josephus assigns to Zebulun the land near to Carmel and the sea, as far as the Lake of Genesareth.^[2] To its northwest lay Asher, to the southeast Issachar. It included a part of the Jezreel Valley, and the great highway from the sea to the lake. Within the territory of Zebulun, Christ was brought up, and did and said much that is narrated in the Gospels, especially in the Synoptics, about His Galilean ministry.