δωδεκάφυλον

the Twelve Tribes of Israel

Definition

δωδεκάφυλον refers specifically to 'the Twelve Tribes' of Israel as a collective whole. It is a compound noun that emphasizes the complete, unified nation descended from the twelve sons of Jacob. In its single New Testament occurrence, it is used by Paul to describe the object of the Jewish people's hope—the promise made by God to their ancestors (Acts 26:7). The term encapsulates the entire covenant people, not just a subset, and is synonymous with the biblical concept of 'all Israel.'

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 26:7. Here, the apostle Paul, while defending himself before King Agrippa, states that the promise for which 'our twelve tribes' hope to attain is the hope of the resurrection. The usage is in a formal, apologetic context where Paul identifies himself with the Jewish people and their shared ancestral hope, using the term to invoke the unity and historic identity of Israel.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek words δώδεκα (dōdeka, G1427), meaning 'twelve,' and φυλή (phylē, G5443), meaning 'tribe' or 'clan.' It is a straightforward compound noun literally meaning 'twelve-tribe' or 'the twelve tribes.' It functions as a collective singular noun, treating the twelve distinct tribes as a single entity.

Semantic Range

This term is theologically significant as it encapsulates the unity and identity of God's covenant people, Israel. Its use by Paul in Acts 26:7 connects the hope of the Jewish people directly to the promise of resurrection, a core Christian doctrine. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting how the New Testament authors, like Paul, saw continuity between God's promises to the historic nation of Israel and the fulfillment found in Jesus Christ, the hope for both Jews and Gentiles.

In a first-century Jewish context, 'the twelve tribes' represented the complete, God-ordained structure of the nation of Israel, despite the historical loss of the ten northern tribes. It was a powerful identifier of national and religious heritage, rooted in the promises to the patriarchs. For Paul's audience, including King Agrippa, the phrase immediately evoked this shared history and the collective hope for national restoration and God's faithfulness to His covenants.

Ἰσραήλ (Israēl, G2474) — The common name for the nation or people; δωδεκάφυλον specifies the tribal structure. φυλή (phylē, G5443) — A single tribe; δωδεκάφυλον is the collective of all twelve.

Word Details

Scripture References