Interesting Facts

• Zebulun married Merishah, the daughter of Molad, son of Abida, son of Midian. Another source names Zebulun’s wife as Ni’iman.
• Zebulun had three sons: Sered, Elon, and Jachleel.
• Zebulun carried Jacob’s bier on the eastern side during the burial procession, along with Judah and Issachar.
• Zebulun died in the seventy-second year after the Israelites went down to Egypt.
• At his death, Zebulun was one hundred and fourteen years old.

Genealogy

• Zebulun was a son of Jacob.
• His mother was Leah.
• His full brothers were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Issachar, and his sister was Dinah.
• His half-brothers were Joseph and Benjamin (sons of Rachel), Gad and Asher (sons of Zilpah), and Dan and Naphtali (sons of Bilhah).
• Zebulun married Merishah (also called Ni’iman), the daughter of Molad, a descendant of Midian.
• His sons were Sered, Elon, and Jachleel, who were born to him in the land of Canaan before the descent into Egypt.

Historical Context

Zebulun’s life, as depicted in these texts, unfolds primarily within the context of his family’s movements and their interactions with the surrounding peoples. He was born in Padan-aram and later settled with his family in the land of Canaan. The incident involving Dinah and the Shechemites, while Zebulun’s direct participation is not detailed, would have been a significant event impacting the family’s standing in Canaan. The subsequent famine in Canaan necessitated the family’s descent into Egypt, a pivotal moment in their history. During this time, his brother Joseph rose to power, a circumstance that would have profoundly shaped the lives of Zebulun and his kin. The sources indicate that Zebulun and his family dwelt securely in Egypt under Joseph’s protection. Later in his life, Zebulun participated in the solemn duty of burying his father Jacob in Canaan, an event that involved conflict with Esau’s descendants and highlighted the family’s connection to the promised land and their ancestral burial place. Zebulun’s death occurred seventy-two years after the descent into Egypt, indicating he lived through a considerable portion of their sojourn there.

Narrative

Zebulun’s individual narrative within these excerpts is somewhat limited, primarily focusing on his familial connections and his participation in key family events. We learn of his marriage to a Midianite woman, Merishah (or Ni’iman), and the birth of his three sons in Canaan. His presence is noted among the sons of Jacob who journeyed to Egypt during the famine. A significant action attributed to Zebulun is his role, along with Judah and Issachar, in carrying their father Jacob’s bier during the elaborate funeral procession from Egypt to the cave of Machpelah in Hebron. This act underscores his respect for his father and his commitment to fulfilling Jacob’s final wishes. Zebulun is mentioned as dwelling securely in Egypt with his brethren and their families during Joseph’s lifetime, enjoying the prosperity afforded by Joseph’s high position. His death at the age of one hundred and fourteen is recorded, marking the passing of another of Jacob’s sons during the Israelite sojourn in Egypt. While not a central figure in the major conflicts or negotiations detailed in these sources, Zebulun’s life contributes to the larger tapestry of Jacob’s family and the early stages of the Israelite nation in both Canaan and Egypt.