Issachar

ISSACHAR, the fifth son of Jacob and Leah. He was conceived after Rachel’s purchasing the mandrakes, which Reuben brought to his mother Leah. He was born about the year of the world 2255, before J. C. 1745, before the vulgar Æra 1749. He had four sons; Tola, Phuvah, Job, and Shimron. We know nothing particularly of his life. Jacob when he gave him his blessing, said to him, Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens. And he saw that the rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant, and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute. The Chaldee translates it in a quite contrary sense, He shall subdue Provinces, and make those tributary to him, who shall remain in his land. The Tribe of Issachar had its portion in one of the best parts of the land of Cannan, along the great plain, or valley of Jezreel, with the half Tribe of Manasseh to the south, that of Zebulon to the north, the Mediteranean to the west, and Jordan with the extremity of the sea of Tiberias to the east. In the Testament of the twelve Patriarchs we have the several admonitions and instructions which Issachar gave his son before his death. But this we know is an Apocryphal work, and of no authority.

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