The Spangled Banners of the Twelve Tribes

Numbers 1:52, Standard [or banner]. Each tribe had its own flag or banner. Although the Torah doesn’t tell us what these flags looked like, Jewish oral tradition records this information. According to Numbers Midrash Rabbah, the flag of each tribe was the color of its stone in the high priests breastplate and is described as follows:

mosaics in cardo blvd, jerusalem, israel

  • Reuben’s stone was ruby and the color of the flag was red with embroidered mandrakes.
  • Simeon was topaz and his flag was green with the town of Shechem embroidered thereon.
  • Levi was smaragd (like an emerald) and the color of his flag was one third each of white, black and red and was embroidered with the urim and thummim.
  • Judah’s was carbuncle and the color of his flag was like the heavens and was embroidered with a lion.
  • Issachar’s was a sapphire and the color of his flag was black and embroidered on it was the sun and moon, which is an allusion to the text in 1 Chronicles 12:33 that the sons of Issachar understood times.
  • Zebulun’s was an emerald and the color of his flag was white with a ship embroidered on it in allusion to the text that Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea (Gen 49:13).
  • Dan’s stone was the jacinth and the color of his flag was similar to sapphire, and embroidered on it was a serpent in allusion to the text that Dan shall be a serpent in the way (Gen 49:17).
  • Gad’s was an agate and the color of his flag was a blend of black and white, and on it was embroidered a camp in allusion to text that says Gad shall be a troop (Gen 49:19).
  • Naphtali was an amethyst and the color of his flag was like clarified wine of not a very deep red, and on it was embroidered a dear in allusion to the text which says that Naphtali will be like a dear let loose (Gen 49:21).
  • Asher was beryl and the color of his flag was like the precious stone with which women adorn themselves, and embroidered with an olive tree in allusion to the text that says that Asher’s bread shall be fat (Gen 49:20).
  • Joseph was an onyx and the color of his flag was jet black and embroidered thereon for both princes, Ephraim and Manasseh, was Egypt because they were born in Egypt.
  • On Ephraim’s flag was embroidered a bullock in allusion to the text that says his firstling would be a bullock (Deut 33:17).
  • On Manasseh’s flag was embroidered a wild ox in allusion to the text which says his horns are that of a wild ox (Deut 33:13), which alludes to Gideon, the Joash, who came from that tribe.
  • Benjamin’s stone was jasper and the color of his flag was combination of all the twelve colors, and embroidered thereon was a wolf in allusion to the text that says that Benjamin is ravenous like a wolf (Gen 49:27).

Now compare this list of precious and semiprecious stones with the list of stones that will comprise the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:19–21). There are a lot of similarities.

 

7 thoughts on “The Spangled Banners of the Twelve Tribes

  1. Hi.

    There are fourteen tribal flags [Strong’s # H1714, Degel.] including those of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh

    Since the Exodus the use of the term armies [Tsaba, Strong’s # 6635,] signifies a permanent Israelite army (Exodus 6: 26, 7: 4, 12: 17, 12: 51.) In the organization of tribes in the wilderness, each tribe was assigned a specific location in respect to the tabernacle, three tribes assigned to each side with the tabernacle at the center. Each of the four groupings [east/south/west/north] had a “leader tribe” that led that grouping, with each group of three tribes having a army unit flag. Judah emblem of a Lion face to the east, Reuben emblem of a Young Man face to the south, Ephraim emblem of a Bullock face to the west, and Dan emblem of a Eagle face to the north, were the four “lead tribes” designated with the four square army unit flags. The Jewish study Bible’s commentary on Numbers 2: 3-31 states the following: “The twelve tribes are arranged to form a square camp around the Tabernacle of four army with three tribes in each army.”

    In Ezekiel 1: 5-10, the prophet has a vision in which four-faced cherubim echo the four emblems traditionally understood to represent these four square army units flags of Israel. They are seen in that vision in Ezekiel as surrounding the celestial tabernacle [Mishkan]. Ezekiel 42:16-20 and 45:2 describes the well-known scriptural maxim of the symmetrical square temple [Mishkan,] the symmetrical square shape as well characterize all of YHWH’s flags.

    An additional scriptural flag/banner was called the Nes [Strong’s # H5251]. In Exodus 17 the Hebrew words “YHWH Nissi” mean YHWH’s flag/banner or YHWH is my Flag/Banner, depending on how the idiom is interpreted. While the Hebrew word {Nissi} literally means “my Nes,” (YHWH’s Nes), the related word Nasas [Strong’s # 5264] means {Nes} bearers, or {Nes} flag/banner-bearers, signifying those who bore the flag of YHWH, Israel’s God and King.

    In the ancient times rulers were considered demigods, part human/part deity god-kings, and their flags represented them and bore related symbols. For example, the flag of King Cyrus III bore the image of a golden eagle deity, illustrating Cyrus’ legitimacy in relationship to that national god and identifying him as both king and demigod over his people. Ancient kings were perceived and worshipped as deities in conjunction with existing “gods.” Likewise, the god-Pharaohs had flags on high flagpoles in the entrances to their royal palaces, temples, and roadside shrines. Their culture shared a religious practice of setting up a flag as the icon for a god, this custom was so prevailing that the Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol for the word “god” [neter also pronounce ne’t] is identified as a flag on a flagpole. Bearing in mind that it is believe that the Hebrew term {Nes} has a different root, it is just as plausible that Moses may had used the term {Nes} in the Pentateuch as a play on the Egyptian word for the {ne’t} because the Hebraic {Nes} had a similar meaning as “YHWH Nissi,” in the role of YHWH’s iconic flag/banner.

    Each tribal flag in Hebrew is {degel.} Each army unit flag is {tsaba degel,} and the royal flag of Israel’s God YHWH is the {Nes.} There are 14 individual tribal flags plus the 4 army flags, and the additional {Nes} flag brings the total count of biblical flags to 19.

    Jack

  2. Hi Natan, I just found your blog and am trying to make the connection between the banners and the ephod chestplate more clear regarding their color. Gad’s stone is typically represented as grey but it seems as if his flag was black and white. Can you help me perhaps clarify the connection. Very interested in this. Thank You!

  3. Hi, did you know that the banners is each also a sign in the firmament of the heaven…..

  4. Natan, where can we buy the12 tribes of Israel flags like you had at gold beach oregon sukkot that changed our lives?Fred and Carolyn williams

    • Those flags were made by a lady in Florida. I don’t even know if she’s still alive, I don’t remember her name or know even how to contact her if she is still alive. If you’re looking to buy twelve tribe flags, I think Google would be your best friend. Blessings.

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