Page:Light and truth.djvu/34

32 seventy-six thousand five hundred souls.—(Gen. xxxviii; Num. xxvi.; 1 hron. ii.; 2 Chron. xiv. 9.)

Issachar, (Gen. xxx. 18,) was the fifth son of Jacob and Leah. The prophetical description of him uttered by his father, (Gen. xlix. 14, 15,) was fulfilled in the fact that the posterity of Issachar were a laborious people, and addicted to rural employments; hardy and patient to bear the burdens both of labor and war. The sons of Issachar, and their families, were Tola, of whom cometh the Tolaites; Pua, of whom cometh the Punites; Jashub, of whom cometh the Jashubites; Shimron, of whom cometh the Shimronites. These were the families of Issachar, and the number of them was sixty-four thousand three hundred souls.—(Gen. xlvi.; Num. xxvi.)

Zebulun, or Zabulon, the sixth son of Jacob by Leah, born about A.M. 2256, from whom sprang one of the tribes of Israel. When this tribe came out of Egypt, their fighting men amounted to 57,400, commanded by Eliab, the son of Elon. They increased 3100 in the wilderness. They had their inheritance between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean, and enriched themselves by fisheries, commerce, and the manufacture of glass. The sons of Zebulon, and their families, were Sered, of whom cometh the Sardites; Elon, of whom cometh the Elonites: Jahleel, of whom cometh the Jahleelites. These were the families of Zebulonites, and the whole number of them was sixty thousand five hundred souls.—(Gen. xlvi. 14.; Num. xxvi.)

Benjamin, (Gen. xxxv. 18,) was the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel. His mother died immediately after his birth, which took place near Bethlehem, when the family were on their journey from Padan-aram to Canaan. With her dying breath, she called him Benoni, [the son of my sorrow,] but his father gave him the name of Benjamin, [the son of my light hand.) The sons of Benjamin, and their families, [1732 B.C.] were Belah or Bela, of whom cometh the Belaites; Ashbel of whom cometh the Ashbelites; Becher, Gera, Ehi, Rosh; Ahiram, of whom cometh the Ahiramites; Muppim or Shupham, of whom cometh the Shuphamites; Huapim or Hupham, of whom cometh the Huphamites. The sons of Bela, and their families, were Ard, of whom cometh