Issachar

From BibleWiki

Meaning: hired

(Gen 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. Gen 28:2). He had four sons at the going down into Egypt (Tola, Phuvah, Job, and Shimron, Gen 46:13; Num 26:23ff).

Tribe of Issachar: during the journey through the wilderness, along with Judah and Zebulun (Num 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 (Deut 27:12). The allotment of Issachar is described in Josh 19:17ff. It included the plain of Esdraelon (=Jezreel), which was and still is the richest portion of Palestine (Deut 33:18f; 1Chr 12:40).