According to the Bible, who were the four sons of Issachar?

The Bible contains many stories of families and tribes, each with their own unique history and legacy. One such tribe is the tribe of Issachar, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. According to the Bible, Issachar had four sons, each of whom played a significant role in the tribe’s history and lineage. In this blog post, we will explore the four sons of Issachar and their significance in the Bible.

The first son of Issachar was Tola, whose name means “worm” or “scarlet.” He is mentioned in Judges 10:1-2: “And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.” Tola was a judge in Israel who was raised up by God to deliver his people from their enemies.

The second son of Issachar was Puah, whose name means “splendid” or “brilliant.” He is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:1-2, which reads: “Now the sons of Issachar were, Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four. And the sons of Tola; Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their father's house, to wit, of Tola: they were valiant men of might in their generations; whose number was in the days of David two and twenty thousand and six hundred.”

The third son of Issachar was Jashub, whose name means “he will return” or “he will restore.” He is also mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:1-2, along with his brothers Tola, Puah, and Shimron.

The fourth and final son of Issachar was Shimron, whose name means “watchman” or “guardian.” He is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:1-2, along with his brothers Tola, Puah, and Jashub. Little is known about Shimron’s life or legacy, but his name suggests that he may have been a watchman or guardian of his tribe.

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Jamie Larson
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