Bible genealogy chart
Bible Genealogy of Jacob and the Twelve Tribes
Jacob's sons become the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, making his family central to the Old Testament story.
Biblical Context
Jacob, renamed Israel, has twelve sons whose descendants become Israel's tribal structure. Genesis does not present this family as tidy or ideal, but God works through it to form a people.
Visual Genealogy Chart
This tree presents Jacob's sons as the tribal heads of Israel. Later tribal inheritance can be more complex, especially with Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh, but Genesis 35 gives the core family list.
Son of Leah
Son of Leah
Son of Leah
Son of Leah; royal line later follows Judah
Son of Bilhah
Son of Bilhah
Son of Zilpah
Son of Zilpah
Son of Leah
Son of Leah
Son of Rachel
Joseph's son adopted into Israel's tribal inheritance
Joseph's son adopted into Israel's tribal inheritance
Son of Rachel
Side branchDinahDaughter of Leah
Themes to Notice
- The twelve tribes of Israel
- Family conflict and promise
- Judah and Joseph as major lines
- Israel as a family before a nation
Key KJV Genealogy Verses
Genesis 35:23
“The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:”
Read Genesis 35Genesis 35:26
“And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padan-aram.”
Read Genesis 35Genesis 49:28
“All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.”
Read Genesis 49Questions about Jacob and the Twelve Tribes
Who were the twelve sons of Jacob?
Jacob's sons were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.
Why are Jacob's sons important?
Their descendants become the twelve tribes of Israel.