B'resheet 49:14-15 "Yissakhar is a strong donkey, Lying down between the sheepfolds. "When he saw that a resting place was good and that the land was pleasant, He bowed his shoulder to bear burdens, and became a slave at forced labor.
This tribe is associated with the donkey. This animal was valuable in service to mankind. Remember Issakhar means hire or wages.
D'varim (Deuteronomy) 33:18-19 And of Z'vulun he said, "Rejoice, Z'vulun, in your going forth, And, Yissakhar, in your tents. "They shall call peoples to the mountain; there they shall offer righteous sacrifices; for they shall draw out the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the sand."
Notice Yissakhar is dwelling in the tents of Z'vulun. Jewish tradition says that Yissakhar was a student of the torah while Z'vulun worked to support him.
To bear burdens - this refers to saddlebags.
It also symbolizes the region of the tribal land. They were placed between two mountains (burdens on either side). Mount Tabor in the north and Mount Gilboa in the South.
They are described as men of valor in the following passage.
Divrei-HaYamim Alef (1 Chronicles) 7:1-5 Now the sons of Yissakhar were four: Tola, Pu'ah, Yashuv (Jashub), and Shimron. And the sons of Tola were Uzi, Refayah (Rephaiah), Yeri'el (Jeriel), Yachmai (Jahmai), Yivsam (Ibsam), and Sh'mu'el (Samuel), heads of their fathers' households. The sons of Tola were mighty men of valor in their generations; their number in the days of David was 22,600. And the son of Uzi was Yizrachyah (Izrahiah). And the sons of Yizrachyah (Izrahiah) were Mikha'el (Michael), Ovadyah (Obadiah), Yo'el (Joel), Yishiyah (Isshiah); all five of them were chief men. And with them by their generations according to their fathers' households were 36,000 troops of the army for war, for they had many wives and sons. And their relatives among all the families of Yissakhar were mighty men of valor, enrolled by genealogy, in all 87,000.
B'resheet 49:16-18 "Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. "Dan shall be a serpent in the way, A horned snake in the path, That bites the horse's heels, So that his rider falls backward. "For Thy salvation I wait, O L-RD.
Dan means judge and here we see that his tribe will live up to their name and judge people.
Samson was from the tribe of Dan. Samson was used to bring judgment on the P'lishtim (Philistines).
Dan is associated with the serpent. The actions of this tribe would be cunning like a serpent. We see that in Samson's actions with the P'lishtim (Philistines), Especially in his death when he used his strength to collapse the roof of the house on P'lishtim (Philistines).
The serpent is also a symbol for Satan. The tribe of Dan had a great deal of satanic influence. They did not stay in the region that was allotted to them because of the neighboring P'lishtim (Philistines) and migrated north. There they set up an idol in the town of Dan.
Shof'tim (Judges) 18:30 And the sons of Dan set up for themselves the graven image; and Y'honatan (Jonathan), the son of Gershom, the son of M'nasheh (Manasseh), he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.
M'Lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 12:28-30 So the king consulted, and made two golden calves, and he said to them, "It is too much for you to go up to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem); Look your gods, O Isra'el, that brought you up from the land of Egypt." And he set one in Beit-El (Bethel), and the other he put in Dan. Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.
B'resheet 49:19 "As for Gad, raiders shall raid him, but he shall raid at their heels.
Gad's tribal inheritance was on the east side of the Yarden (Jordan) River. Because they were more isolated than the other tribes they suffered more attacks. They, therefore, became great warriors.
Y'hoshua (Joshua) 13:24-28 Moshe (Moses) also gave an inheritance to the tribe of Gad, to the sons of Gad, according to their families. And their territory was Ya'zer (Jazer), and all the cities of Gil'ad (Gilead), and half the land of the sons of Amon (Ammon), as far as Aroer which is before Rabbah; and from Heshbon as far as Ramot-Mitzpeh (Ramath-mizpeh) and B'tonim (Betonim), and from Machanayim (Mahanaim) as far as the border of Lidvir (Debir); and in the valley, Beth-haram and Beth-nimrah and Sukkot (Succoth) and Tzafon (Zaphon), the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, with the Yarden (Jordan) as a border, as far as the lower end of Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Chinnereth) beyond the Yarden (Jordan) to the east. This is the inheritance of the sons of Gad according to their families, the cities and their villages.
Shof'tim (Judges) 10:8 And they afflicted and crushed the sons of Israel that year; for eighteen years they afflicted all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Yarden (Jordan) in Gil'ad (Gilead) in the land of the Amorites.
Gilead - This is a name for the region east of the Jordan inhabited by Gad.
Jewish tradition teaches that Elijah was from this tribe.
B'resheet 49:20 "As for Asher, his food shall be rich, And he shall yield royal dainties.
Royal dainties - The tribe of Asher was known to produce good cooks.
His food shall be rich - This word for rich can also be translated "fat" or "oil".
D'varim (Deuteronomy) 33:24 And of Asher he said, "More blessed than sons is Asher; May he be favored by his brothers, And may he dip his foot in oil.
This word for oil is "shemen" Hebrew for "olive oil". Used in cooking.
The territory of Asher is known for its olive trees.
Anna was from the tribe of Asher.
Luke 2:36 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
B'resheet 49:21 " Naftaili is a doe let loose, He gives beautiful words.
Naftaili is compared with a female deer.
Jewish tradition teaches that Naftali was a swift runner.
This tribe was swift to answer the call to battle when necessary.
Shof'tim (Judges) 5:18 " Z'vulun (Zebulun) was a people who despised their lives even to death, And Naftali (Naphtali) also, on the high places of the field.
B'resheet 49:22-25 "Yosef is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a spring; its branches run over a wall. "The archers bitterly attacked him, And shot at him and harassed him; But his bow remained firm, And his arms were agile, From the hands of the Mighty One of Ya'akov (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), From the G-d of your father who helps you, And by the Almighty who blesses you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, "Blessings of the breasts" and of the womb. "The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills; May they be on the head of Yosef, And on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.
A fruitful bough - Yosef led a fruitful life and so did his descendants.
His second son Efrayim - means fruit
The archers bitterly attacked him, and shot at him and harassed him - This is a reference to his brothers attacking him and selling him into slavery.
But his bow remained firm, And his arms were agile, from the hands of the Mighty One of Ya'akov - Yosef, despite his circumstances, did not waver in his relationship with the Almighty. He is an example for us all to follow.
From there is the Shepherd- This is a reference to the "Shepherd of Israel"
Tehillim (Psalms) 80:1-2 Give ear, O Shepherd of Isra'el, You who lead Yosef (Joseph) like a flock; You who dwell between the k'ruvim (cherubim), shine forth! Before Efrayim (Ephraim), Binyamin (Benjamin), and M'nasheh (Manasseh) , Stir up Your strength, and come and save us!
Yeshua said He was the Shepherd. In other words he was saying he was the G-d of Israel.
John 10:14-15 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
The Stone of Israel - Is another reference to the Messiah.
Tehillim (Psalms) 118:22-23 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. This is the L-rd's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
Yesha'yahu (Isaiah) 28:16 Therefore thus says the L-rd G-D, "Look, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.
1 Peter 2:1-10 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the L-rd. And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of G-d, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to G-d through Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ). For this is contained in Scripture:" Look I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed." This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, "The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone," and, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for G-d's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of G-d; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Blessings of the "breast" -same root as El Shaddai
B'resheet 41:52 "And he named the second Efrayim (Ephraim), "For," he said, "G-d has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."
We learned in the last chapter that Yosef would receive a double inheritance and instead of producing 1 tribe he produced 2 tribes because his father adopted his two sons.
B'resheet 48:5 "And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Efrayim (Ephraim)and M'nasheh (Manasseh) shall be mine, as Re'uven (Reuben) and Shim'on (Simeon) are mine.
If we add the size of the tribes of Efrayim and M'nasheh together as the "tribe of Yosef" they out number the descendants of the next largest tribe. See B'midbar (Numbers) chapters 1 and 26.
B'resheet 49:27 " Binyamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, And in the evening he divides the spoil."
A ravenous wolf - the word for ravenous comes from the word "to tear"
The tribe of Binyamin would be vicious and war like.
The city of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) is located inside of the region assigned to Binyamin.
Y'hoshua (Joshua) 18:28 and Zelah, Haeleph and the Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, Kiriath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the sons of Benjamin according to their families.
D'varim (Deuteronomy) 33:12 Of Binyamin (Benjamin) he said, "May the beloved of the L-RD dwell in security by Him, Who shields him all the day, and he dwells between His shoulders."
This is a reference to the Temple of G-d being between the mountains in Yerushalayim.
One of the characteristics of the Binyaminites was left-handedness. Ehud was a left-handed warrior from the tribe of Binyamin. His life is recorded in Shof'tim (Judges) 3:12-30.
Shof'tim (Judges) 20:15-16 And from the cities on that day the sons of Binyamin (Benjamin) were numbered, 26,000 men who draw the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah who were numbered, 700 choice men. Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.
Israel's first king, Saul, was from the tribe of Binyamin.
Sh'mu'el Alef (1 Samuel) 14:47-48 Now when Sha'ul (Saul) had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, the sons of Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines; and wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment. And he acted valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them.
Another Sha'ul, who name was changed to Paul, was also from the tribe of Binyamin.
Romans 11:1 For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Avraham, of the tribe of Binyamin (Benjamin).
He was like a wolf in his pursuit of the followers of Yeshua.
Acts 8:1-3 And Sha'ul (Saul) was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution arose against the synagogue/church in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem); and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. But Sha'ul (Saul) began ravaging the synagogue/church, entering house after house; and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.
B'resheet 49:28-33 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him. Then he charged them and said to them, "I am about to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Avraham bought along with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a burial site. There they buried Avraham and his wife Sarah, there they buried Yitz'chak (Isaac) and his wife Rebekah, and there I buried Leah-- the field and the cave that is in it, purchased from the sons of Heth. " When Ya'akov finished charging his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
Ya'akov spirit would go to Avraham's bosom. Ya'akov, another type, is embalmed, mourned for and is taken out of Egypt (Even though he had died it is still a picture of his body rising) and he is brought over to the Promised Land. (Land of milk and honey; also symbolic of heaven above.) All this is symbolic of Yeshua's death, embalming, body rising and going to the Father above.