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Remember The Twelve Tribes Of Israel ~ RSVJ

Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, worked for seven years to get Rachel for a wife. When the time was fulfilled he was tricked into marrying Leah instead.

Leah bore Jacob four sons; Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah. (4)

Jacob married Rachel also but Rachel was barren. Rachel drew jealous of Leah so she gave her maid Bilhah to Jacob that she might have children through her.

Bilhah had two sons; Dan and Naphtali. (2)

Leah was no longer having children so she gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob to compete with Rachel for Jacob^s love.

Zilpah had two sons; Gad and Asher. (2)

Then Leah started having children again.

Leah had two more sons; Issachar and Zebulun (2) and a daughter, Dinah.

Then Rachel had two sons; Joseph and Benjamin. (2)

Here are some more hints to help you remember.

RSVP modified, R for Reuben, S for Simeon, V for the V in Levi and exchange the P for a J as in Judah. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah. So RSVJ.

There are places where the alphabet sequence is useful.

The i in Levi is followed by the J in Judah.

Leah comes before Rachel alphabetically, in marriage and in having children.

Bilhah comes before Zilpah alphabetically. So Bilhah had children before Zilpah. These two names can easily get mixed up. Remember that H comes before P so it is Bilhah and Zilpah and not Bilpah and Zilhah in order of who gave birth first.

Bilhah had Dan and Naphtali. Dan is the fourth letter of the alphabet and Leah initially had four sons. So Dan is right next to Leah^s four sons. N is the last letter of Dan and the first letter of Naphtali. So Dan and Naphtali go together and in that alphabetical order.

Both Bilhah and Zilpah had two sons each. And both their first sons had three letter names.

Zilpah had Gad first. Gad follows Dan alphabetically. The second letter of Gad is A and it is the first letter of Asher the second son of Zilpah.

So Bilhah had Dan and Naphtali
and Zilpah had Gad and Asher.

Then Leah had Issachar and Zebulun. Issachar follows Gad and precedes Zebulun alphabetically. Issachar reminds us of Isaac, Jacobs father. And Zebulun is Leahs last son and the last letter of the alphabet. Then Leah had a daughter Dinah.

Lastly God remembered Rachel and she had two sons, the same as Bilhah and Zilpah. Most students of the Bible know them. They were Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph was the favourite of Jacob and Joseph^s sons got the birthrights handed down to them. Joseph became one of the Bible^s main characters. Rachel died when Benjamin was born.

In order of birth the twelve are: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin.

2015 Jacques Gauvin

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