Issachar is Jacob’s ninth son and Leah’s fifth. Aside from his father’s blessing, that’s all Scripture tells us about him. But we can imagine what his life might be like.
With eight older brothers—four full brothers and four half-brothers—Issachar arrives to a packed household. We can suspect he receives little attention.
It’s easy to see him getting lost.
Issachar does nothing—good or bad—to record for us in Scripture. I’m not sure if we should be relieved or disappointed.
Yet he is one of Jacob’s sons, and his descendants become one of Israel’s twelve tribes.
How has our birth order affected the attention we receive and how we view ourselves? What should we accept about our circumstances and what should we seek to rise above?
[Read Issachar’s story in Genesis 30:18; 35:23; 46:14; and 49:14–15.]
Learn about more biblical characters in Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.
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Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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