Difference between revisions of "Tribe"

<p> A. Nouns. </p> <p> <em> Maṭṭeh </em> (מַטָּה, Strong'S #4294), “staff; rod; shaft; branch; tribe.” This noun is a distinctively [[Hebrew]] word. It occurs 251 times; the first usage is in Gen. 38:18: “And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, [[Thy]] signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand.” The word appears most frequently in Numbers and Joshua, generally with the meaning “tribe” in these books. </p> <p> The basic meaning of <em> maṭṭeh </em> is “staff.” The use of the “staff” was in shepherding. [[Judah]] was a shepherd and gave his “staff” to his daughter-in-law, Tamar, as a pledge of sending her a kid of the flock (Gen. 38:17-18). [[Moses]] was a shepherd when he saw the vision of the burning bush and when the Lord turned his “staff” into a snake as a sign of His presence and power with Moses’ mission (Exod. 4:2ff.). His “staff” figured prominently throughout the wilderness journeys and was known as “the staff of God” because of the miraculous power connected with it: “And Moses said unto Joshua, [[Choose]] us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand” (Exod. 17:9). The “staff” was also a token of authority. The [[Egyptian]] magicians had “staffs” as symbols of their authority over the magical realm by which they duplicated several miracles (Exod. 7:12). [[Aaron]] had a “rod,” which alone sprouted and put forth buds, whereas eleven rods “from all their leaders according to their father’s household” (Num. 17:2, NASB) did not put forth buds. </p> <p> The “staff” further signifies authority or power over another nation: “For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian” (Isa. 9:4). God gave to [[Assyria]] His “staff”; they received His authority, divine permission, to wield the sword, to plunder, and to destroy: “O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets” (Isa. 10:5-6). The psalmist, in his expectation that the messianic rule included God’s authority and judgment over the Gentiles, views the messianic rule as a strong “staff”: “The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies” (Ps. 110:2). Similarly, the prophet Ezekiel said, “Fire is gone out of a <em> rod </em> of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong <em> rod </em> to be a scepter to rule” (Ezek. 19:14). The figurative usage of <em> maṭṭeh </em> occurs in the idiom <em> maṭṭeh-lehem </em> , “staff of bread.” This poetic idiom refers to the food supply, and it is found mainly in Ezekiel: “Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat [rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair]” (Ezek. 4:16; cf. 14:13). </p> <p> A derived sense of <em> maṭṭeh </em> is “tribe,” which is used as many as 183 times. The “tribes” of [[Israel]] are each designated as <em> maṭṭeh: </em> “And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which [[Eleazar]] the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them” (Josh. 14:1). It is possible that the <em> maṭṭeh </em> (“staff”), as a symbol of authority, first applied to the tribal leader and thereafter by extension to the whole “tribe.” </p> <p> The several meanings of <em> maṭṭeh </em> are reflected in the Septuagint: <em> phule </em> (“tribe; nation; people”) and <em> rabdos </em> (“rod; staff; scepter”). </p> <p> <em> Shêbeṭ </em> (שֵׁבֶט, Strong'S #7626), “tribe; rod.” In modern Hebrew this word mainly denotes “tribe” as a technical term. In [[Akkadian]] the related verb <em> shabatu </em> signifies “to smite,” and the noun <em> shabbitu </em> means “rod” or “scepter.” A synonym of the Hebrew <em> shêbeṭ </em> is <em> maṭṭeh </em> , also “rod” or “tribe,” and what is applicable to <em> maṭṭeh </em> is also relevant to <em> shêbeṭ. </em> </p> <p> The “rod” as a tool is used by the shepherd (Lev. 27:32) and the teacher (2 Sam. 7:14). It is a symbol of authority in the hands of a ruler, whether it is the scepter (Amos 1:5, 8) or an instrument of warfare and oppression: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Ps. 2:9; cf. Zech. 10:11). The symbolic element comes to expression in a description of the messianic rule: “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth …” (Isa. 11:4). </p> <p> The word <em> shêbeṭ </em> is most frequently used (143 times) to denote a “tribe,” a division in a nation. It is the preferred term for the twelve “tribes” of Israel (Gen. 49:16; Exod. 28:21). Jeremiah referred to all of Israel as the “tribe”: “The portion of [[Jacob]] is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the Lord of hosts is his name” (51:19). </p> <p> The [[Septuagint]] translations are: <em> phule </em> (“tribe; nation; people”); <em> rabdos </em> (“rod; staff”); and <em> skeptron </em> (“scepter; tribe”). </p> <p> B. Verb. </p> <p> <em> Nâṭâh </em> (נָטָה, Strong'S #5186), “to stretch out, spread out, extend.” This root occurs in biblical, mishnaic, and modern Hebrew and in Arabic with the same meaning. One occurrence of <em> nâṭâh </em> is in Exod. 9:22: “Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven.…” </p>

<p> Jacob having twelve sons, who were the heads of so many great families, which altogether formed a great nation; every one of these families was called a tribe. But Jacob on his death bed adopted [[Ephraim]] and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, and would have them also to constitute two tribes of Israel, [[Genesis]] 48:5 . Instead of twelve tribes, there were now thirteen, that of [[Joseph]] being divided into two. However, in the distribution of lands to each which Joshua made by the order of God, they counted but twelve tribes, and made but twelve lots. For the tribe of Levi, which was appointed to the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, had no share in the distribution of the land, but only some cities in which to dwell, and the first fruits, tithes, and oblations of the people, which was all their subsistence. The twelve tribes continued united under one head, making but one state, one people, and one monarchy, till after the death of Solomon. Then ten of the tribes of Israel revolted from the house of David, and received for their king Jeroboam, the son of Nebat; and only the tribes of Judah and [[Benjamin]] continued under the government of Rehoboam. </p> <p> This separation may be looked upon as the chief cause of those great misfortunes that afterward happened to those two kingdoms, and to the whole Hebrew nation. For first, it was the cause of the alteration and change of the old religion, and of the ancient worship of their forefathers. [[Jeroboam]] the son of [[Nebat]] substituted the worship of golden calves for the worship of the true God; which was the occasion of the ten tribes forsaking the temple of the Lord. Secondly, this schism caused an irreconcilable hatred between the ten tribes, and those of Judah and Benjamin, and created numerous wars and disputes between them. The Lord, being provoked, delivered them up to their enemies. [[Tiglath-Pileser]] first took away captive the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Naphtali, and the half tribe of Manasseh, which were beyond Jordan, and carried them beyond the Euphrates, 2 Kings 15:29; 1 Chronicles 5:26; A.M. 3264. Some years after, [[Shalmaneser]] king of Assyria took the city of Samaria, destroyed it, took away the rest of the inhabitants of Israel, carried them beyond the Euphrates, and sent other inhabitants into the country to cultivate and possess 2 Kings 17:6; 2 Kings 18:10-11 . Thus ended the kingdom of the ten tribes of Israel, A.M. 3283. As to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, who remained under the government of the kings of the family of David, they continued a much longer time in their own country. But at last, after they had filled up the measure of their iniquity, God delivered them all into the hands of their enemies. [[Nebuchadnezzar]] took the city of Jerusalem, entirely ruined it, and took away all the inhabitants of Judah and Benjamin to Babylon, and the other provinces of his empire, A.M. 3416. The return from this captivity is stated in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. See JEWS . </p>

<div> 1: Φυλή (Strong'S #5443 — Noun [[Feminine]] — phule — foo-lay' ) </div> <p> "a company of people united by kinship or habitation, a clan, tribe," is used (a) of the peoples of the earth, Matthew 24:30; in the following the RV has "tribe(-s)" for AV, "kindred(-s)," Revelation 1:7; 5:9; 7:9; 11:9; 13:7; 14:6 (b) of the "tribes" of Israel, Matthew 19:28; Luke 2:36; 22:30; Acts 13:21; Romans 11:1; Philippians 3:5; Hebrews 7:13,14; James 1:1; Revelation 5:5; 7:4-8; 21:12 . </p> <div> 2: Δωδεκάφυλον (Strong'S #1429 — Noun Neuter — dodekaphulos — do-dek-af'-oo-lon ) </div> <p> an adjective signifying "of twelve tribes" (dodeka, "twelve," and No. 1), used as a noun in the neuter, occurs in Acts 26:7 . </p>

<p> TRIBE, n. L. tribus. </p> 1. A family, race or series of generations, descending from the same progenitor and kept distinct, as in the case of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of Jacob. 2. A division, class or distinct portion of people, from whatever cause that distinction may have originated. The city of [[Athens]] was divided into ten tribes. Rome was originally divided into three tribes afterward the people were distributed into thirty tribes, and afterwards into thirty five. 3. A number of things having certain characters or resemblances, in common as a tribe of plants a tribe of animals. <p> Linneus distributed the vegetable kingdom into three tribes, viz. monocotyledonous, dicotyledonous, and acotyledonous plants, and these he subdivided into gentes or nations. </p> <p> By recent naturalists, tribe has been used for a division of animals or vegetables, intermediate between order and genus. Cuvier divides his orders into families, and his families into tribes, including under the latter one or more genera. Leach, in his arrangement of insects, makes his tribes, on the contrary, the primary subdivisions of his orders, and his families subordinate to them, and immediately including the genera. </p> <p> Tribes of plants, in gardening, are such as are related to teach other by some natural affinity or resemblance as by their duration, the annual, biennial, and perennial tribes by their roots, as the bulbous, tuberous, and fibrous-rooted tribes by the loss or retention of their leaves, as the deciduous and ever-green tribes by their fruits and seeds, as the leguminous, bacciferous, coniferous, nuciferous and pomiferous tribes, &c. </p> 4. A division a number considered collectively. 5. A nation of savages a body of rude people united under one leader or government as the tribes of the six nations the Seneca tribe in America. 6. A number of persons of any character or profession in contempt as the scribbling tribe. <p> TRIBE, To distribute into tribes or classes. Not much used. </p>

<p> <b> TRIBE </b> <b> ( </b> φυλή) is used mostly in the special OT sense of an [[Israelitish]] tribe, composed of the descendants of one of the sons of Jacob. The prophetess Anna belonged to the tribe of [[Asher]] (Luke 2:36). The Messianic claims of Jesus were strengthened by the fact that He sprang from the royal tribe of Judah (Hebrews 7:14). [[Galilee]] comprised the territories allotted in OT times to the tribes of [[Zebulun]] and [[Naphtali]] (Matthew 4:13; Matthew 4:15). The promise to the Twelve [[Apostles]] that they should judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28 || Luke 22:30) may be regarded as an instance of the way in which Jesus sometimes expressed His teaching in the language of popular apocalyptic conceptions of the [[Kingdom]] of God (cf. Revelation 7:4 ff.). Less probable is the explanation of Weiss, that ‘their judging the twelve tribes is only the reverse side of their being sent to the twelve tribes, which are exposed to judgment just because the offer of salvation was made to them through the Apostles’ ( <i> NT Theol. </i> , English translation i. 154). In Matthew 24:30 (quoted from Zechariah 12:12) ‘tribe’ has the wider sense of a branch of the human race. </p> <p> James Patrick. </p>

<p> Jacob having twelve sons, who were heads of so many families, which together formed a great nation, each of these families was called a tribe. But this patriarch on his death-bed adopted Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, and would have them also to constitute two tribes in Israel, Genesis 48:5 . Instead of twelve tribes, there were now thirteen, that of Joseph being two. However, in the distribution of lands by Joshua under the order of God, they reckoned but twelve tribes and made but twelve lots; of the tribe of Levi, being appointed to the sacred service, had no share in the distribution of the land, but received certain cities to dwell in, with the first-fruits, tithes, and oblations of the people. Each tribe had its own leaders and tribunals; and the whole twelve, in their early history, constituted a republic somewhat resembling the United States. In the division made by Joshua of the land of Canaan, Reuben, Gad, and half of [[Manasseh]] had their lot beyond Jordan, east; all the other tribes, and the remaining half of Manasseh had their distribution on this side the river, west. </p> <p> The twelve tribes continued united as one state, one people, and one monarchy, till after the death of Solomon, when ten of the tribes revolted from the house of David, and formed the kingdom of Israel. See Hebrews . </p>

<p> (1): (n.) A division, class, or distinct portion of a people, from whatever cause that distinction may have originated; as, the city of Athens was divided into ten tribes. </p> <p> (2): (n.) A nation of savages or uncivilized people; a body of rude people united under one leader or government; as, the tribes of the Six Nations; the Seneca tribe. </p> <p> (3): (v. t.) To distribute into tribes or classes. </p> <p> (4): (n.) A family of animals descended from some particular female progenitor, through the female line; as, the Duchess tribe of shorthorns. </p> <p> (5): (n.) A number of species or genera having certain structural characteristics in common; as, a tribe of plants; a tribe of animals. </p> <p> (6): (n.) A family, race, or series of generations, descending from the same progenitor, and kept distinct, as in the case of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of Jacob. </p>

Matthew 24:30 Revelation 7

<p> ''''' trı̄b ''''' (in the Old [[Testament]] always for מטּה , <i> ''''' maṭṭeh ''''' </i> , 183 times, or שׁבט , <i> ''''' shēbheṭ ''''' </i> , 145 times, also spelled שׁבט , <i> ''''' shebheṭ ''''' </i> ; [[Aramaic]] שׁבט , <i> ''''' shebhaṭ ''''' </i> ( Ezra 6:17 )): Both words mean "staff," and perhaps "company led by chief with staff" ( <i> OHL </i> , 641) is the origin of the meaning "tribe." In the [[Apocrypha]] and New Testament always for φυλή , <i> '''''phulḗ''''' </i> , from φύω , <i> '''''phúō''''' </i> , "beget," with δωδεκάφυλον , <i> '''''dōdekáphulon''''' </i> , "twelve tribes," in Acts 26:7 . Of the two Hebrew words, <i> '''''shēbhet''''' </i> appears to be considerably the older, and is used in Psalm 74:2; Jeremiah 10:16; Jeremiah 51:19 of the whole people of Israel, and in Numbers 4:18; Judges 20:12 (Revised Version margin); 1 Samuel 9:21 (Revised Version margin) of subdivisions of a tribe (but the text of most of these six verses is suspicious). Further, in Isaiah 19:13 , <i> '''''shēbheṭ''''' </i> is used of the "tribes" (nomes?) of [[Egypt]] and <i> '''''phulē''''' </i> in Matthew 24:30 of "all the tribes of the earth," but otherwise <i> '''''shēbheṭ''''' </i> , <i> '''''maṭṭeh''''' </i> and <i> '''''phulē''''' </i> refer exclusively to the tribes of Israel. In 2 Samuel 7:7 for <i> '''''shibheṭē''''' </i> , "tribes," read <i> '''''shōpheṭē''''' </i> , "judges" (of the Revised Version margin). </p>