How do we determine Which Tribe is Which?
Tribal Affiliation:
The Exiled Israelites were destined to settle in groups retaining much of their original Tribal cohesion or later through some kind of "homing" instinct members of the same Tribe tended to converge together.
We should therefore be able to at least tentatively identify specific national groups with specific Israelite Tribes and show how the Tribal Characteristics came through.
Hosea 8:
10 # Yes, though they have hired [Hebrew: yitnu i.e. will have given themselves over] among the nations, Now I will gather them; #
The first part of this verse in the Hebrew may be understood to say,
# Even though they will have given themselves over to be like the Gentiles: In their place of Exile, I will gather them together.#
They will be identifiable by their Tribes and this is how we find them?
[Isaiah 11:12] HE WILL RAISE AN ENSIGN FOR THE NATIONS, AND WILL ASSEMBLE THE OUTCASTS OF ISRAEL, AND GATHER THE DISPERSED OF JUDAH FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH.
OUTCASTS OF ISRAEL, = The Lost Ten Tribes who will be found gathered together in specific areas (Abarbanel).
THE DISPERSED OF JUDAH i.e. the Jews who are scattered all over the world.
Here we have Israel (paralleled by Ephraim in the next verse) meaning the Ten Tribe described as Outcasts.
Judah is not referred to as outcast but rather as Dispersed. Judah was destined to be scattered. Judah will return before the Ten Tribes and prefer the way for them.
Isaiah 56:
8 The LORD God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says,
'Yet I will gather to him
Others besides those who are gathered to him.'
Here the Outcasts of Israel are the Ten Tribes who will be gathered to he (i.e. Judah) who has already began to be gathered (Kalischer).
[Isaiah 11:12] HE WILL RAISE AN ENSIGN FOR THE NATIONS, AND WILL ASSEMBLE THE OUTCASTS OF ISRAEL, AND GATHER THE DISPERSED OF JUDAH FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH.
OUTCASTS OF ISRAEL, = The Lost Ten Tribes who will be found gathered together in specific areas [Midrtash Tehillim, Schocher Tov, 147] [Malbim] .
THE DISPERSED OF JUDAH i.e. the Jews who are scattered all over the world.
The Midrash (Numbers Rabah 1;6, Eichah Rabah 2;9, Jerusalemi Sanhedrin ch.17, L.6,29) comments:
~Rabbi Berachiah and Rabbi Chelbo in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: To three places was Israel exiled, one to beyond the Sambation River, one to Daphneh of Antiochia, and one to where the Clouds came down and covered them; in the same way that they [i.e.the northern Israelites west of the Jordan River] were exiled to three places, so too were the Tribes [east of the Jordan River] of Reuben, Gad, and half Menasseh, exiled to three places. When they shall return so too will Reuben, Gad, and half Menasseh return with them. How do we know all this?
~` From the verse, "Say to the prisoners go forth" (Isaiah 49:9):These are those exiled beyond the Sambation River.
"To them that are in darkness, shew yourselves" (Isaiah 49:9): These are those whom the cloud descended upon and covered.
"They shall feed in the ways, and in all high places their pastures" (Isaiah 49:9):
These are those who were exiled to Daphne of Antiochea.~'
Which Tribe for Each Country?
We cannot say to individuals what specific tribe they belong to.
That is one of the tasks of the Messiah.
We may however tentatively say that in certain areas where the Tribes where to be found certain specifci Tribes predominated.
Notes Towards Criteria to Determine the Tribal Identity of Every Israelite Nation.
(1. CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN POSITION OF COUNTRY IN RELATION TO OTHER ISRAELITE STATES AS COMPARED TO LOCATION OF TRIBE VIS-A-VIS OTHER ISRAELITE TRIBES IN THE WILDERNESS ENCAMPMENT AND IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
(2. SIMILARITY OF NAMES OF ISRAELITE PEOPLES WHO SETTLED IN COUNTRY TO NAMES OF TRIBE AND TRIBAL CLANS.
(3. NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AS COMPARED TO TRIBAL CHARACTER AS FOUND IN THE BIBLE, RABBINICAL STATEMENTS, AND MAJOR COMMENTATORS.
(4. NATIONAL SYMBOLS AND POPULAR REPRESENTATIONS , etc., AS COMPARED TO ISRAELITE TRIBAL EMBLEMS, COLORS, TOTEM ANIMALS, etc
(5. BIBLE CODE INDICATIONS. NOT USED AS A PRIORI EVIDENCE BUT RATHER TO CONFIRM AND ENHANCE RESULTS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE 4 PREVIOUS METHODS LISTED ABOVE.