Purple Tribe
The tribe that dwelt by the sea and supported the scholars of Issachar.
The Tribe of Zebulun (alternatively rendered as Zabulon, Zabulin, Zabulun, Zebulon) was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, according to the Hebrew Bible.
Quick Facts
- Affiliation
- Playable tribe, Tribes franchise
- First appears
- Tribes (2000), Dynamix
- Archetype
- Balanced; all-around
- Color identity
- Purple
- Franchise entries
- Tribes
- Tribes 2
- Tribes: Ascend
- Developer
- Dynamix
Lore & Background
The tribe consisted of descendants of Zebulun, the sixth son of Jacob and Leah. Its territory was at the southern end of the Galilee, with its eastern border being the Sea of Galilee, the western border being the Mediterranean Sea, the south bordered by the Tribe of Issachar, and the north by Asher on the western side and Naphtali on the eastern. In the Song of Deborah, Zebulun is described as sending those who handle the 'sopher shebet'—traditionally interpreted as the 'rod of the scribe' or, in more recent Christian scholarship, as 'those who handle the marshal's staff.' The tribe had a symbiotic relationship with Issachar, financially supporting Issachar's devotion to Torah study in exchange for a share of spiritual reward. At the census in the Desert of Sinai, Zebulun numbered 57,400 men fit for war; at a second census in Moab, it numbered 60,500 fighting men. The tribe answered the call of Gideon, gave Israel the judge Elon, and sent 50,000 fully armed men to make David king. During Hezekiah's reforms, some from Zebulun went to Jerusalem to keep the Passover. The tribe's territory was conquered by the Assyrians, and the tribe was exiled; some fled to the Kingdom of Judah. Israeli Knesset member Ayoob Kara has speculated that the Druze are descended from one of the Lost Tribes of Israel, probably Zevulun.
Reader's Guide
The tribe of Zebulun played an important part in early Israelite history. Its territory included part of the Jezreel Valley and the great highway from the sea to the lake. According to Christianity, within the territory of Zebulun, Jesus was raised and conducted his Galilean ministry. The tribe's western boundary is described as the sea in Genesis 49:13, but in Joshua it is stated as the Kishon River, with Asher to the west. Geographer Micha Klein proposed a solution based on paleo-geography: the ancient Haifa Bay was deeper and further south, so Zebulun's territory extended to near Kibbutz Yagur, where the Kishon flows, giving access to the sea.
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