Number 12 Christianity
Number Twelve in the Bible
The Twelve Sons of Jacob
Jacob was the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham.
He was the twin brother of Esau.
Jacob had two wives, Leah and Rachel.
He loved Rachel the most.
Jacob had twelve sons and one daughter. The name of his daughter was Dinah and her mother was Leah. The twelve sons of Jacob would become the
ancestors of the well known Twelve Tribes of Israel.
Genesis Chapter 29-30 and Chapter 35
"Jacob and Rachel at the Well" 1670 Fransisco Antolinezy Sarabia. El Paso Museum of Art
| Son | Mother |
| Ruben | Leah |
| Simeon | Leah |
| Levi | Leah |
| Judah | Leah |
| Dan | Bilhah (Rachel’s maid) |
| Naphtali | Bilhah (Rachel’s maid) |
| Gad | Zilpath (Leah’s maid) |
| Asher | Zilpath (Leah’s maid) |
| Issachar | Leah |
| Zebulun | Leah |
| Josef | Rachel |
| Benjamin | Rachel – Rachel died during childbirth |
Painting of Jacob and Rachel by William Dyce 1806 - 1864
Twelve Pillars - Twelve Tribes
"And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an alter at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel." Exodus 24:4
The Twelve Sons of Ishmael
Ishmael was the first born son of Abraham. Abraham was married to Sarah. The mother of Ishmael was Hagar, she was Sarah's maid.
Later Sarah gave birth to Isaac. Sarah then demanded that Abraham should cast out Hagar and her son, Ishmael. Abraham sent them away.
Hagar and Ishmael ran out of water in the desert. When Hagar thought they were dying, God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. Genesis Chapter 21.
Ishmael had twelve sons who became princes according to their tribes. They dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. Genesis 25:12-18
The Twelve Sons of Ishmael:
Nebaioth
Kedar
Adbeel
Mibsam
Mishma
Dumah
Massa
Hadad
Tema
Jetur
Naphish
Kedemah
The story of Ismael and Hagar has an important role in Islam. Muslims will drink from the Zam Zam well (near Mecca) in memory of Hagar. See Number 7 in Islam
Jesus was twelve years old when he went to Jerusalem with his parents to celebrate the feast of Passover. His parents lost him and searched for three days. They found him in the temple amoung the teachers. All who heard the twelve year old boy were astonished. Luke 2:41-52
The Twelve Apostles of Jesus
| Peter (birth name: Simon) | Andrew (brother of Simon/Peter) |
| James (son of Zebedee) | John (brother of James) |
| Philip | Bartholomew |
| Matthew | Thomas |
| James (son of Alphaeus) | Thaddeus |
| Simon of Zealot | Judas Iscariot |
"The Twelve Apostles" from the Siysky Gospel - 1339
Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus and killed himself.
Matthias became one of the twelve after Judas was gone.
Twelve years of blood
"And a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years and could not be healed by any one, came up behind him (Jesus), and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased." Luke 8:43
The twelve stars of the crown
"And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;"
Revelation 12:1
The Twelve Gates of Jerusalem
"It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed; on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."
Revelation 21:12-14"..through the middle of the street of the city, also on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit yielding its fruit every month.." Revelation 22:2
Mary Magdalene is mentioned by name twelve times in the Bible.
1. “among who were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee” Matthew 27:56
2. “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulcher.” Matthew 27:61
3. “Now after the Sabbath, towards the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher.” Matthew 28:1
4. “There were also women looking from afar, among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.” Mark 15:40
5. “Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.” Mark 15:47
6. “And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that them might go and anoint him.” Mark 16:1
7. “Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.” Mark 16:9
8. “and some of the women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,” Luke 8:2
9. “Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles;” Luke 24:10
10. “So the soldiers did this. But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” John 19:25
11. “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.” John 20:1
12. “Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:18