SG Heritage Dictionary

Zebulun Encyclopedia Britannica

ZEBULUN (זבולון), one of the twelve tribes of Israel, derived, according to Gen. xxx. 20, from the sixth son of Leah. The verse offers two etymologies of the name, from the roots ZBD, “give,” and ZBL, “inhabit.” The form Zα βoυλωv (LXX.), with d in the last syllable, agrees with the vocalization of the adjective זבול׳י, “Zebuionite.” The country of Zebulun lay in the fertile hilly country to the north of the plain of Jezreel, which forms the first step towards the mountains of Asher and Naphtali, and included the goodly upland plain of Battauf. The description of its boundaries in Josh. xix. 10 sq. contains few names that can be identified with any certainty: Chislothtabor is apparently the modern Iksâl, a little to the west of Tabor, Daberath the modern Dabûrîya, at the foot of Tabor, Gath-hepher (A.V. Gittah-hepher) the village of Al-Meshhed, and Remmon Rummâna. Thus the eastern boundary laid down in Conder and Kitchener’s reduced Ordnance Survey map comes too near the Lake of Tiberias. The west boundary is not defined in Josh. xix., but should agree with the somewhat vague east boundary of Asher in verse 27. At one period Zebulun must have reached the sea and bordered on Phoenician territory (Gen. xlix. 13, Deut. xxxiii. 18, 19). In the latter passage allusion is made to a feast upon a sacred mountain (Mount Tabor ?) held by Zebulun and Issachar in common, and to the wealth these tribes derived from commerce by sea. Zebulun had a chief part in the war with Sisera (Jud. iv. 6); it furnished one of the judges, Elon the Zebulonite (Jud. xii. 11, 12); and the prophet Jonah, who foretold the victories of Jeroboam II., came from the town of Gath-hepher (2 Kings xiv. 25). The captivity of the northern tribes under Tiglath Pileser (2 Kings ...

9th ed. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 24, p. 772
[340 words — estimated reading time: 2 minutes]

Zebulun Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

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 ...

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
[397 words — estimated reading time: 3 minutes]

King James Bible KJV Bible

Berean Standard Bible BSB Bible

44 KJV and 48 BSB verses contain “Zebulun” — showing the first 20. Show all 50 verses (searchable)

Genesis 30:20

And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.

“God has given me a good gift,” she said. “This time my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” And she named him Zebulun.

Genesis 35:23

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

The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.

Genesis 46:14

And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.

The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.

Genesis 49:13

Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships; his border shall extend to Sidon.

Exodus 1:3

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

Numbers 1:9

Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.

from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;

Numbers 1:30

Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

From the sons of Zebulun, according to the records of their clans and families, counting the names of all those twenty years of age or older who could serve in the army,

Numbers 1:31

Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.

those registered to the tribe of Zebulun numbered 57,400.

Numbers 2:7

Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun.

Next will be the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of the Zebulunites is Eliab son of Helon,

Numbers 7:24

On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer:

On the third day Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the Zebulunites, drew near.

Numbers 10:16

And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun.

Numbers 13:10

Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.

from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi;

Numbers 26:26

Of the sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of Elon, the family of the Elonites: of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.

These were the descendants of Zebulun by their clans: The Seredite clan from Sered, the Elonite clan from Elon, and the Jahleelite clan from Jahleel.

Numbers 26:27

These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.

These were the clans of Zebulun, and their registration numbered 60,500.

Numbers 34:25

And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.

Eli-zaphan son of Parnach, a leader from the tribe of Zebulun;

Deuteronomy 27:13

And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to deliver the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

Deuteronomy 33:18

And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.

Concerning Zebulun he said: “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys, and Issachar, in your tents.

Joshua 19:10

And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid:

The third lot came up for the clans of the tribe of Zebulun:

Joshua 19:16

This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.

This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Zebulun, including these cities and their villages.

Joshua 19:27

And turneth toward the sunrising to Beth-dagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthah-el toward the north side of Beth-emek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,

then turned eastward toward Beth-dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah-el, and went north to Beth-emek and Neiel, passing Cabul on the left.