People of the Bible · Tribe of Issachar

Issachar, son of Israel

The name Issachar means “reward; recompense.” Issachar is mentioned in 38 verses of the Bible, first in Genesis 30:18.

Family of Issachar

Father

Mother

Siblings

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Children

Who was Issachar?

Hired (Gen. 30:18). “God hath given me,” said Leah, “my hire (Heb. sekhari)...and she called his name Issachar.” He was Jacob’s ninth son, and was born in Padan-aram (comp. 28:2). He had four sons at the going down into Egypt (46:13; Num. 26:23, 25).

Issachar, Tribe of, during the journey through the wilderness, along with Judah and Zebulun (Num. 2:5), marched on the east of the tabernacle. This tribe contained 54,400 fighting men when the census was taken at Sinai. After the entrance into the Promised Land, this tribe was one of the six which stood on Gerizim during the ceremony of the blessing and cursing (Deut. 27:12). The allotment of Issachar is described in Josh. 19:17-23. It included the plain of Esdraelon (=Jezreel), which was and still is the richest portion of Palestine (Deut. 33:18, 19; 1 Chr. 12:40).

The prophetic blessing pronounced by Jacob on Issachar corresponds with that of Moses (Gen. 49:14, 15; comp. Deut. 33:18, 19).

Biography adapted from Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897), public domain, linked via Theographic Bible Metadata.

Key verses about Issachar

  • Genesis 30:18

    And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.

  • Genesis 35:23

    The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:

  • Exodus 1:3

    Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

  • 1 Chronicles 2:1

    These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,

  • 1 Chronicles 12:32

    And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.

  • 2 Chronicles 30:18

    For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one

Timeline of Issachar's life

DateEvent
1751 BCBirth of Issachar
1727 BCJoseph sold to Egypt
1707 BC7 years of famine
1705 BCJoseph's brothers return to Egypt
All 38 verses mentioning Issachar

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