Chizuk Emunah (Pt 2) Under the Microscope: Chapter 99

Revelation 7:5-8. In enumerating the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the tribe of Dan is omitted, and that of Manasseh mentioned in its stead, although the tribe of Joseph might have naturally included that of Manasseh. This shows that the author of the Revelation was imperfectly acquainted with the very rudiments of Biblical history. If the instructor himself be uninstructed, what can his disciple profit by the knowledge emanating from such a source?

Chizuk Emunah is kind of anti-climactic near the end. One need not even venture into rabbinic literature to show that this objection cuts both ways, and should never be used by a religious Jew as some sort of polemic against Christianity.

We find lists of the 12 tribes in Genesis 49, Exodus 1, Numbers 1, Numbers 26, Deuteronomy 33, 1 Chronicles 2, 1 Chronicles 27, Ezekiel 48, and Revelation 7. There might be more lists, but that is all my Bible search tools could find.

One can find the same "problems" in other passages as there are in Revelation 7.

First, we should understand that Revelation 7 is not some exhaustive list of tribes, but a list of who is sealed. Dan is cut off because repeately, the tribe of Dan has committed sins against God. Ted Montgomery gives a list of Dan's sins:

Now, in answer to your questions, Dan seems to have been replaced in the list by Manasseh. I do not know if we can be certain why Dan was left out, but I can think of some possibilities. Maybe it was because of any or all of these things that the people of the tribe of Dan did or failed to do:

• had difficulty taking possession of their territory (Joshua 19:47; Judges 18:1),
• took an "ephod, other household gods, a carved image, and a cast idol" (Judges 18:14,17,18),
• attacked and overcame "a peaceful and unsuspecting people" (18:27), and
• set up the idols and their own priests in their new city (18:30,31).

The tribe of Ephraim is included in the tribe of Joseph, since Ephraim had inherited his father's portion. One could argue that Ephraim was not included due to the tribe's sins, such as in Hosea 5. This seems unlikely, since Hosea has criticized other tribes as well.