Issachar

Issachar [N] [H] [S]

hired ( Genesis 30:18 ). "God hath given me," said Leah, "my hire (Heb. sekhari)...and she called his name Issachar." He was Jacob's ninth son, and was born in Padan-aram (comp 28:2 ). He had four sons at the going down into Egypt ( 46:13 ; Numbers 26:23 Numbers 26:25 ).

Issachar, Tribe of, during the journey through the wilderness, along with Judah and Zebulun ( Numbers 2:5 ), marched on the east of the tabernacle. This tribe contained 54,400 fighting men when the census was taken at Sinai. After the entrance into the Promised Land, this tribe was one of the six which stood on Gerizim during the ceremony of the blessing and cursing ( Deuteronomy 27:12 ). The allotment of Issachar is described in Joshua 19:17-23 . It included the plain of Esdraelon (=Jezreel), which was and still is the richest portion of Palestine ( Deuteronomy 33:18 Deuteronomy 33:19 ; 1 Chronicles 12:40 ).

The prophetic blessing pronounced by Jacob on Issachar corresponds with that of Moses ( Genesis 49:14 Genesis 49:15 ; Compare Deuteronomy 33:18 Deuteronomy 33:19 ).

These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.

[N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible
[H] indicates this entry was also found in Hitchcock's Bible Names
[S] indicates this entry was also found in Smith's Bible Dictionary

Bibliography Information

Easton, Matthew George. "Entry for Issachar". "Easton's Bible Dictionary". .