Reuben
Birth order: 1 (Genesis 29:32)Hebrew name: ראובן
Transliterated: Reuven
Meaning: "He has seen" (Genesis 29:32)
Mother: Leah
Color: red
Stone: ruby (Exodus 28:17)
Associated symbol: water (Genesis 49:4)
Position around tabernacle: south (Numbers 2:10-16)
Banner: the color of his flag was red, and embroidered on it were mandrakes.
Simeon
Birth order: 2 (Genesis 29:33)
Hebrew name: שמעון
Transliterated: Shimon
Meaning: "he has heard" (Genesis 29:33)
Mother: Leah
Color: green
Stone: topaz (Exodus 28:17)
Associated symbol: Shechem (Genesis 49:5)
Position around tabernacle: south (Numbers 2:10-16)
Banner: his flag was green with the town of Shechem embroidered on it.
Levi
Birth order: 3 (Genesis 29:34)
Hebrew name: לוי
Transliterated: Levi (pronouned lev ee)
Meaning: "attached" (Genesis 29:34)
Mother: Leah
Color: black, red, & white
Stone: bareqet (emerald?) (Exodus 28:17)
Associated symbol: chosen
Position around tabernacle: around (Numbers 2:17)
Banner: the color of his flag was a third white, a third black, and a third red; embroidered on it were the Urim and Thummim
Judah
Birth order: 4 (Genesis 29:35)
Hebrew name: יהודה
Transliterated: Yehudah
Meaning: "I will praise" (Genesis 29:35)
Mother: Leah
Color: sky blue
Stone: carbuncle (turquoise?) (Exodus 28:18)
Associated symbol: lion (Genesis 49:9)
Position around tabernacle: east (Numbers 2:3-9)
Banner: the color of his flag resembled that of the heavens, embroidered on it was a lion.
Dan
Birth order: 5 (Genesis 30:5)
Hebrew name: דן
Transliterated: Dan (pronounced dahn)
Meaning: "judged"/"vindicated" (Genesis 30:6)
Mother: Bilhah
Color: blue
Stone: sapphire (Exodus 28:18)
Associated symbol: judge/scales (Genesis 49:16), serpent (Genesis 49:17)
Position around tabernacle: north (Numbers 2:25-31)
Banner: the color of his flag was similar to sapphire; embroidered on it was a serpent
Naphtali
Birth order: 6 (Genesis 30:7)
Hebrew name: נפתלי
Transliterated: Naphtali
Meaning: "wrestling"/ "twisting" (Genesis 30:8)
Mother: Bilhah
Color: medium red
Stone: diamond (Exodus 28:18)
Associated symbol: hind/doe (Genesis 49:21)
Position around tabernacle: north (Numbers 2:25-31)
Banner: the color of his flag was like clarified wine of a not very deep red; on it was embroidered a hind
Gad
Birth order: 7 (Genesis 30:10-11)
Hebrew name: גד
Transliterated: Gad (pronounded gahd)
Meaning: "fortunate" (Genesis 30:11)
Mother: Zilpah
Color: black and white
Stone: jacinth (Exodus 28:19)
Associated symbol:
Position around tabernacle: south (Numbers 2:10-16)
Banner: the color of his flag was neither black nor white but a blend of black and white; on it was embroidered a camp
Asher
Birth order: 8 (Genesis 30:12-13)
Hebrew name: אשר
Transliterated: Asher (pronounded ah SHAIR)
Meaning: "happy" (Genesis 30:13)
Mother: Zilpah
Color: green
Stone: agate (Exodus 28:19)
Associated symbol: abundant food (Genesis 49:20)
Position around tabernacle: north (Numbers 2:25-31)
Banner: the color of his flag was like the precious stone with which women adorn themselves embroidered thereon was an olive tree
Issachar
Birth order: 9 (Genesis 30:18)
Hebrew name: יששכר
Transliterated: Yisachar
Meaning: "wages" (Genesis 30:18)
Mother: Leah
Color: blue/violet
Stone: amethyst (Exodus 28:19)
Associated symbol: donkey (Genesis 49:14)
Position around tabernacle: east (Numbers 2:3-9)
Banner: the color of his flag was black like stibium (antimony); embroidered on it were the sun and the moon.
Zebulun
Birth order: 10 (Genesis 30:19)
Hebrew name: זבולון
Transliterated: Zevulun
Meaning: "gift"/"dwell" (Genesis 30:20)
Mother: Leah
Color: white
Stone: beryl (Exodus 28:20)
Associated symbol: ships (Genesis 49:13)
Position around tabernacle: east (Numbers 2:3-9)
Banner: the color of his flag was white, with a ship embroidered on it.
Joseph
Birth order: 11 (Genesis 30:22-23)
Hebrew name: יוסף
Transliterated: Yosef (pronounced YO sef)
Meaning: "add another" (Genesis 30:24)
Mother: Rachel
Color: black
Stone: onyx (Exodus 28:20)
Associated symbol: grapevine (Genesis 49:22)
Position around tabernacle: n/a (see Ephraim & Manasseh below)
Banner: the color of his flag was jet black; the embroidered design thereon for both princes Ephraim and Manasseh was Egypt because they were born there.
Benjamin
Birth order: 12 (Genesis 35:17)
Hebrew name: בנימין
Transliterated: Benyamin
Meaning: "son of my right hand"
Mother: Rachel
Color: mixed
Stone: jasper (Exodus 28:20)
Associated symbol: wolf (Genesis 49:27)
Position around tabernacle: west (Numbers 2:18-24)
Banner: the color of his flag was a combination of all the twelve colors; embroidered on it was a wolf.
- The Twelve Tribes, Brady Stephenson, Psalm 119:18
