The Tribe of Zebulun — the name, the blessing and the land

זְבוּלוּן

Zᵉbûwlûwn · pronounced zeb-oo-loon' · Strong's H2074 · named 43 times

The haven of ships — rejoicing in the going out

What the tribe was

'Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea' — a tribe of traders and seafarers whose lot in lower Galilee sat astride the great road between the coast and Damascus. 'Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out': commerce, courage (Zebulun 'jeopardized their lives unto the death in the high places of the field,' Judg 5:18), and fifty thousand who could keep rank with an undivided heart (1Chr 12:33). Jonah's Gath-hepher lay in Zebulun, and Nazareth itself — the Messiah grew up on Zebulun's soil, as Isaiah 9:1-2 foretold.

Jacob's blessing — Gen 49:13

זְבוּלֻ֕ן לְח֥וֹף יַמִּ֖ים יִשְׁכֹּ֑ן וְהוּא֙ לְח֣וֹף אֳנִיּ֔וֹת וְיַרְכָת֖וֹ עַל צִידֹֽן

Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

Moses' blessing — Deut 33:18-19

וְלִזְבוּלֻ֣ן אָמַ֔ר שְׂמַ֥ח זְבוּלֻ֖ן בְּצֵאתֶ֑ךָ וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר בְּאֹהָלֶֽיךָ

And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.

עַמִּים֙ הַר יִקְרָ֔אוּ שָׁ֖ם יִזְבְּח֣וּ זִבְחֵי צֶ֑דֶק כִּ֣י שֶׁ֤פַע יַמִּים֙ יִינָ֔קוּ וּשְׂפוּנֵ֖י טְמ֥וּנֵי חֽוֹל

They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.

Who came out of Zebulun

Jonah of Gath-hepher — 2Kgs 14:25Elon the judge — Judg 12:11

Moments in the story

Gen 49:13The haven of ships

Judg 5:18Zebulun jeopardized their lives

2Kgs 14:25Jonah the prophet of Gath-hepher

Matt 4:15Light dawns on Zebulun's land

Every mention

Gen 30:20Gen 35:23Gen 46:14Gen 49:13Exod 1:3Num 1:9Num 1:30Num 1:31Num 2:7Num 7:24Num 10:16Num 13:10Num 26:26Num 34:25Deut 27:13Deut 33:18Josh 19:10Josh 19:16Josh 19:27Josh 19:34Josh 21:7Josh 21:34Judg 1:30Judg 4:6Judg 4:10Judg 5:14Judg 5:18Judg 6:35Judg 12:121Chr 2:11Chr 6:481Chr 6:621Chr 12:341Chr 12:411Chr 27:192Chr 30:102Chr 30:112Chr 30:18Ps 68:28Isa 8:23Ezek 48:26Ezek 48:27Ezek 48:33

After the allotments of Joshua 13–19 · outlines adapted from the “12 Tribes of Israel” map (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0).

Open Hebrew Explorer — 30+ free study tools →