Tola
Tola was a son of Issachar and the ancestor of the Tolaite clan.
Biography
Tola son of Issachar was the first-born son of the patriarch Issachar, and through him a significant Israelite clan, the Tolaites, traced its lineage (Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:23; 1 Chronicles 7:1–2). He descended to Egypt with Jacob's household, becoming part of the foundational generation that would grow into the twelve tribes during the years of sojourn and later exodus. By the time of Moses's second census in the wilderness, the clan of Tola had become one of the enumerated sub-clans of the tribe of Issachar, with its members counted among the fighting force of Israel. Chronicles further records that his descendants in a later generation numbered 22,600 valiant warriors.
Significance
Tola son of Issachar embodies the biblical pattern of tribal ancestry, a single man whose progeny grows into a community, then into a clan, and ultimately into a defined portion of God's covenant people. His place in the genealogy of Issachar connects the patriarchal narratives to the later tribal structure of Israel, demonstrating the fulfillment of God's promise to make Abraham's descendants into a great nation. The eventual military prowess of his descendants (1 Chronicles 7:2) suggests that the strength of a people can be traced back to faithful ancestors, however obscure, whose lives laid the groundwork for future generations to flourish.
Verse Appearances (4)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]