Stones of the Tribes
See Also: URIM AND THUMMIM
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Contents:
1. The Tabernacle and Breastplate.
2. Tribes and Stones.
3. Tribal Stones and Symbols.
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1. The Tabernacle and Breastplate.
The Israelites built a Tabernacle or traveling Sanctuary which became the model for the Temple at a later date. The High Priest served in the Tabernacle and wore special garments that included the breastplate with twelve precious stones embedded in it. Each stone represented one of the Tribes. The Commentators disagree as to what order the stones were arranged. In this article we have followed the opinion of Maimonides who said the order followed that of their birth.
In the Book of Exodus it says concerning the breastplate worn by the High Priest:
Exodus (NASB) 28:
15 "YOU SHALL MAKE A BREASTPIECE OF JUDGMENT, THE WORK OF A SKILLED EMBROIDERER; LIKE THE WORK OF THE EPHOD YOU SHALL MAKE IT: OF GOLD, OF VIOLET, PURPLE, AND SCARLET MATERIAL, AND FINE TWISTED LINEN YOU SHALL MAKE IT. 16 IT SHALL BE SQUARE AND FOLDED DOUBLE, A SPAN IN LENGTH AND A SPAN IN WIDTH.
There follow 4 verses (Exodus 28: 17-20) describing 4 rows of stones with 3 stones in each row. The names given inthe English Translations in somce cases conflict with our impressions. We will therefore list the Hebrew names and give what stones we think they are to identified as.
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28:17 1st row:
Odem (Ruby), Reuben.
Pitda (Emerald), Simeon.
Barekat (FLASHING-STONE) Levi. which was white, black, and red possibly a type of garnet spessartine.
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28:18 2nd row.
Nofech a sky-blue garnet. Yehudah.
Sapir - a very dark-blue sapphire, Issachar.
Yaholom - diamond. Zebulon.
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28: 19 3rd row.
Leshem - Orange yelow, or bright yellow. Possibly a type of amber. Dan.
Shevo - A mauve-pinkish stone. Gad. Possibly a type of amethyst.
Ochlamah - A greyish-blue stone possibly a type of agate. Naphtali.
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28:20 4th row
Tarshish - Possibly a sea-green stone, like an apatite. Asher.
Shoham - A black stone (though some identify it as an emerald) possibly an onyx. Joseph
Yashpeh - Jasper, colors of the rainbow, a type of jasper stone. Benjamin
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Exodus (NASB) 21 THE STONES SHALL BE ENGRAVED ACCORDING TO THE NAMES OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL: TWELVE, ACCORDING TO THEIR NAMES; THEY SHALL BE LIKE THE ENGRAVINGS OF A SIGNET, EACH ACCORDING TO HIS NAME FOR THE TWELVE TRIBES.
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Each Tribe had its own stone: The actual stones used were not necessarily those given in the above English translation. Which particular stone pertained to which Tribe is uncertain. Different traditions and views are extant on the matter. In the Midrash (BaMidbar Rabah: BaMidbar 2:7) quoted below each stones is equated with a specific tribe. This is according to one opinion. Other views exist and should also be considered.
Midrash Numbers Rabah: BaMidbar 2:7: # Each Tribe had its own sign and colour on its standard. The color was the same as that of the Tribes precious stone (on the Ephod on the heart of Aaron).
Each Row had 3 Tribes.
Reuben, Ephraim, Judah and Dan were the heads of the tribes. Each dominated a different direction: Reuben in the south (over Simeon and Gad): Ephraim in the west (over Manasseh and Benjamin): Judah in the east (over Issachar and Zebulon): and Dan in the north over Naphtali and Asher.
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Row 1:
Reuben had the Odem (Ruby) stone (in Hebrew Odem means red) and his flag was red. Dudaim (mandrakes) were depicted on it.
Reuben had the Odem stone which was red.
Some identify this with the ruby. The Dictionary says that the name ruby is derived from the Old French rubi from the Latin rubeus meaning red. Even so Ruby is a nickname for Reuben.
Nachmanides (Numbers 2:2) quotes other sources:
Nachmanides says:
"The Standard of Reuben depicted the form of a man as well as Dudaim (Mandrakes). {Some say that Dudaim were the root of a plant. The root was in the shape of a man. This would allow for both Dudaim and the form of man to be represented}. Ephraim had a bull. Judah had a lion. Dan had an eagle. These four figures (man, bull, lion, eagle) represented the four angelic forms in the Chariot of Ezekiel" (Ezekiel 1:10).
The Standard of Reuben depicted Dudaim (Mandrakes). Reuben dominated France the old symbol of France was the fleur-de-lis or water lily whose flower is similar to that of the mandrake.
Shimeon had the pitda stone, his flag was colored green and depicted the city of Schechem.
Simeon was prominent in Ireland and Wales. Green is the national color of Ireland and together with red and white appears on the standard of Wales.
Levi had the bareket (flashing) stone and his flag was one third white, one third black, one third red. The Urim and Tummin were depicted on it.
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Row 2:
Judah had the nophech stone, identified as a blue garnet. the color of his flag was like the sky. It showed a lion.
Judah had a lion. The lion and the unicorn appear on the coat-of-arms of Britain.
Issachar had the sapir stone (a dark blue sapphire), it depicted the sun and moon, as it says AND OF THE CHILDREN OF ISSACHAR, WHICH WERE MEN THAT HAD UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIMES (1-Chronicles 12:32).
Traditionally the stone of Issachar was a very dark (almost black) blue.
Issachar had the sun and moon and his people were known for computing the calendar. Swiss watches still tell people the time.
Zebulon had the yeholam (diamond) stone. His flag was whitish and a ship was depicted on it as it says, ZEBULON SHALL DWELL ON THE SHORES OF THE SEA (Genesis 49:13).
The diamond of Zebulon recalls Dutch descended Boers who controlled South Africa the major source of diamonds and the Fleming section of Belgium that cuts and markets diamonds for all the world.
Also Amsterdam in the Netherlands (identified with Zebulon) for centuries has been known as a center for diamond cutting and trading.
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Row 3:
Dan had the leshem stone. It was probably orange-yellow, or yellow.
The colour of his flag was like a sapphire and it depicted a snake as it says, DAN SHALL BE A SNAKE BY THE WAYSIDE (Genesis 49:17).
Dan also had an eagle. Another source says that the symbol of Dan was a gryphon meaning a kind of winged serpent. The gryphon was the symbol of the Hyksos Hebrews in Egypt amongst whom Dan was prominent. Dan (together with Simeon) became prominent in Ireland. Irish legends emphasize the association of their ancestors with the Hyksos-Israelites in Egypt. Dan was also represented by a serpent or snake. Dan gave rise to the Viking Danes who frequently had the figure of a snake or serpent on the masthead of their ships. Dan was also prominent in Wales whose symbol is a serpent-like dragon.
Naphtali had the shevo stone. The colour of his flag was not white and not black but mixed black and white.
A hind was depicted on it, as it says, NAPHTALI IS A HIND LET LOOSE: HE GIVETH GOODLY WORDS (Genesis 49:21).
Gad had the achlama stone. The colour of his flag was like clear wine, reddish but not strongly so. It depicted an encampment, as it says, GAD SHALL BE A TROOP: BUT HE SHALL OVERCOME AT THE LAST (Genesis 49:19).
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Row 4:
Asher had the tarshish stone. The colour of his flag was like that of the precious stone women use to decorate themselves. An olive tree was depicted on it: OUT OF ASHER HIS BREAD SHALL BE FAT, AND HE SHALL YIELD ROYAL DAINTIES (Genesis 49:20).
Joseph had the shoham stone. The shoulder claps were also of shoham (onyx) and the names of 6 tribes were inscribed on one and 6 tribes on the other. The "Bais Yisroel" explained that this symbolized Joseph supporting all the other Tribes and they receiving sustenence through him.
The color of his flag was the deepest black. On the flag of Joseph for the two princes of Ephraim and Manasseh was depicted a representation of Egypt since their origins were in Egypt.
On the flag of Ephraim was depicted a bull: HIS GLORY IS LIKE THE FIRSTLING OF HIS BULLOCK (Deuteronomy 33:17). This was exemplified by Joshua who was from the Tribe of Ephraim.
On the flag of Manasseh was depicted a Raem (Unicorn) as it says:
AND HIS HORNS ARE LIKE THE HORNS OF UNICORNS (Deuteronomy 33:17). This was exemplified by Gideon who was from Manasseh.
(The complete verse says:
# HIS GLORY IS LIKE THE FIRSTLING OF HIS BULLOCK, AND HIS HORNS ARE LIKE THE HORNS OF UNICORNS: WITH THEM HE SHALL PUSH THE PEOPLE TOGETHER TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH: AND THEY ARE THE TEN THOUSANDS OF EPHRAIM, AND THEY ARE THE THOUSANDS OF MANASSEH (DEUTERONOMY 33:17).
Benjamin had the Yaspa (Jasper) stone. The colour of his flag was like all the 12 colors. A wolf was depicted on it: BENJAMIN SHALL RAVIN AS A WOLF: IN THE MORNING HE SHALL DEVOUR THE PREY, AND AT NIGHT HE SHALL DIVIDE THE SPOIL (Genesis 49:27).
All of the above symbols are those of peoples and nations whom we have identified as possessing a large proportion of Israelites amongst them.
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