Black Tribe

Lore & Background

In the biblical narrative, after Moses oversaw the Israelites' departure from Egypt, he died and was succeeded by Joshua, who led the conquest of Canaan and allotted territory for all but the Tribe of Levi, which was instead dedicated 48 cities. This development culminated in the establishment of Israel and Judah, purportedly beginning with a Kingdom of Israel and Judah before splitting into the Kingdom of Israel in the north and the Kingdom of Judah in the south. Wars with neighboring powers resulted in the destruction of both kingdoms: the Assyrian conquest of Israel led to the mass displacement of most Israelites, giving rise to the legacy of the Ten Lost Tribes; the Babylonian conquest of Judah led to the displacement of the remaining Israelites, who belonged to the Tribe of Judah and the Tribe of Benjamin. In modern scholarship, there is skepticism as to whether the Twelve Tribes actually existed, with the use of '12' thought more likely to signify a symbolic tradition as part of a national founding myth, although some academics disagree.

Reader's Guide

It describes the biblical narrative of the tribes, their genealogy, land allotment, and descendants, but no instructions for use.

Did You Know?

• Jacob had two wives, sisters Leah and Rachel, and two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah.
• Joseph's tribe was later split into two tribes named after his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.
• The Tribe of Levi received no land appropriation but had six Cities of Refuge under their administration.
• Ethiopian Jews, also known as Beta Israel, claim descent from the Tribe of Dan, along with members of the tribes of Gad, Asher, and Naphtali.