Of the tribe of Aser, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Nephthali, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Manasses, twelve thousand signed:
εκ φυλης ασηρ δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εκ φυλης νεφθαλειμ δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες εκ φυλης μανασση δωδεκα ιβ χιλιαδες
4 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Asher means blessedness. This points to those who have received the Master’s blessedness for a worthy life, who have been counted worthy to stand at Christ’s right hand and have become sons of day and light. Naphtali means prayer. This points to those who cleave to God by unceasing prayer. Manasseh means forgetfulness. This points to those who have left behind, for the sake of pleasing God, everything that lies behind them and their father’s house.
Since we bless those who have endured sufferings, Asher, that is, “blessed,” follows Gad in proper order. For “blessed is the man who endures temptation, because when he has been tested he will receive the crown of life” (Jas 1:12).
Those preserved by the sure promise of such blessedness do not feel constricted. Rejoicing in hope and patiently enduring temptations, they sing with the psalmist: “In distress You gave me room” (Ps 4:2). And again: “I will run the way of Your commandments when You enlarge my heart” (Ps 118:82).
They cry out with the mother of blessed Samuel: “My mouth is enlarged over my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation” (1 Kgs 2:1). Therefore Naphtali follows next, that is, breadth.
After him comes Manasseh, whose name means “forgetful” or “need.” The mystery of this name draws our attention to this. Taught by the constraint of the present time, we must forget what lies behind and, according to the apostle, stretch forward to what lies ahead.
We are to care for the flesh, not to satisfy its desires, but only as constrained by the need bound up with our being human. Longing for what is better, the psalmist also prayed about this: “Bring me out of my afflictions” (Ps 24:17).
Philo of Alexandria, On Dreams 2.36. Cf. Phil 3:13. In the Latin text and in the Vulgate, the wording is “out of my need.”
The listing of the names of the heads of the Israelite tribes will not be so dry if one knows what each name means.
Judah means confession. Faith confessed by deeds is reckoned as righteousness.
Reuben means son of vision. The heart purified from passions will see God.
Gad means temptation, endured like Job without blasphemy or murmuring against God.
Asher means blessedness. Those who are destitute and poor for Christ's sake are no longer fools, but blessed.
Naphtali means prayer, which unites one with God even in this life.
Manasseh means forgetfulness, without which it is difficult to be faithful to Christ.
Simeon means obedience, rightly shown to God more than to men.
Levi means accepted. These are those accepted by the Lord for a life worthy of priesthood.
Issachar means reward. For temporal life, there is the radiance of eternal life.
Zebulun means dwelling of strength or fragrance. In those cleansed from every defilement, the Heavenly King who has made His dwelling there gives forth fragrance.
Joseph means addition, promised to all who sought first the Kingdom of Heaven.
Benjamin means son of sickness, or son of day, or son of the morning star. Most probably this refers to the Jews who are saved through faith in Christ at the end of the world. For the apostle also says: “Hardening has come upon Israel in part, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:25-26).
Many think that the tribe of Dan is omitted as unworthy, because the Antichrist will come from it. They base their opinion on the prophetic words of the patriarch Jacob concerning Dan: “Dan shall be a serpent on the road, an adder on the path, biting the horse's heel, so that its rider falls backward. I wait for Your salvation, O Lord!” (Gen 49:17-18). From this tribe they expect the man of sin, the son of perdition, of whom the Apostle Paul speaks (cf. 2 Thess 2:3).
The apostle John heard the number of those sealed: there were one hundred forty-four thousand sealed from all the tribes of the sons of Israel, twelve thousand from each tribe. These are the sons of Israel whose salvation at the end of the world the apostle Paul also speaks of (Rom 11:25-26). In his interpretation of this place in the Apocalypse (7:4-8), St. Andrew notes: Let it be known that the tribe of Dan is not mentioned with the others because the antichrist will come from it. In its place is mentioned the tribe of the Innocent One, anciently priestly, which is not included among the tribes.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 15 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS