the sixth son of Jacob and Leah, Gen. xxx, 20. He was born in
Mesopotamia, about A. M. 2256. His sons were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel,
Gen. xlvi, 14. Moses acquaints us with no particulars of his life; but
Jacob, in his last blessing, said of Zebulun, “Zebulun shall dwell at
the haven of the sea; and he shall be for a haven of ships; and his
border shall be unto Zidon,” Gen. xlix, 13. His portion extended along
the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, one end of it bordering on this sea,
and the other on the sea of Tiberias, Joshua xix, 10, &c. In the last
words of Moses, he joins Zebulun and Issachar together, saying, “Rejoice
Zebulun, in thy going out, and Issachar in thy tents. They shall call
the people unto the mountain, there shall they offer sacrifices of
righteousness. For they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of
treasures hid in the sand,” Deut. xxxiii, 18; meaning, that these two
tribes being at the greatest distance north, should come together to the
temple at Jerusalem, to the holy mountain, and should bring with them
such of the other tribes as dwelt in their way; and that being situated
on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, they should apply themselves to
trade and navigation, and to the melting of metals and glass, denoted by
those words, “treasures hid in the sand.” The river Belus, whose sand
was very fit for making glass, was in this tribe. When the tribe of
Zebulun left Egypt, it had for its chief Eliab the son of Elon, and
comprehended fifty-seven thousand four hundred men able to bear arms,
Num. i, 9–30. In another review thirty-nine years afterward, this tribe
amounted to sixty thousand five hundred men of age to bear arms, Num.
xxvi, 26, 27. The tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali distinguished
themselves in the war of Barak and Deborah against Sisera, the general
of the armies of Jabin, Judges iv, 5, 6, 10; v, 14, 18. It is thought
these tribes were the first carried into captivity beyond the Euphrates
by Pul and Tiglath Pileser, kings of Assyria, 1 Chron. v, 26. They had
also the advantage of hearing and seeing Jesus Christ in their country,
oftener and longer than any other of the twelve tribes, Isa. ix, 1;
Matthew iv, 13, 15.
Mesopotamia, about A. M. 2256. His sons were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel,
Gen. xlvi, 14. Moses acquaints us with no particulars of his life; but
Jacob, in his last blessing, said of Zebulun, “Zebulun shall dwell at
the haven of the sea; and he shall be for a haven of ships; and his
border shall be unto Zidon,” Gen. xlix, 13. His portion extended along
the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, one end of it bordering on this sea,
and the other on the sea of Tiberias, Joshua xix, 10, &c. In the last
words of Moses, he joins Zebulun and Issachar together, saying, “Rejoice
Zebulun, in thy going out, and Issachar in thy tents. They shall call
the people unto the mountain, there shall they offer sacrifices of
righteousness. For they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of
treasures hid in the sand,” Deut. xxxiii, 18; meaning, that these two
tribes being at the greatest distance north, should come together to the
temple at Jerusalem, to the holy mountain, and should bring with them
such of the other tribes as dwelt in their way; and that being situated
on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, they should apply themselves to
trade and navigation, and to the melting of metals and glass, denoted by
those words, “treasures hid in the sand.” The river Belus, whose sand
was very fit for making glass, was in this tribe. When the tribe of
Zebulun left Egypt, it had for its chief Eliab the son of Elon, and
comprehended fifty-seven thousand four hundred men able to bear arms,
Num. i, 9–30. In another review thirty-nine years afterward, this tribe
amounted to sixty thousand five hundred men of age to bear arms, Num.
xxvi, 26, 27. The tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali distinguished
themselves in the war of Barak and Deborah against Sisera, the general
of the armies of Jabin, Judges iv, 5, 6, 10; v, 14, 18. It is thought
these tribes were the first carried into captivity beyond the Euphrates
by Pul and Tiglath Pileser, kings of Assyria, 1 Chron. v, 26. They had
also the advantage of hearing and seeing Jesus Christ in their country,
oftener and longer than any other of the twelve tribes, Isa. ix, 1;
Matthew iv, 13, 15.