Issachar

Issachar was the ninth son of Jacob, but the fifth by his first wife, Leah. He had four sons, and they went with him to Egypt to escape the famine. Before his death his father Jacob described Issachar as, "a strong donkey lying down between two burdens." Jacob saw that his son could be a strong fighter but that he loved comfort and the easy way out. In the conquest of Canaan the tribe of Issachar was given an area across the eastern end of the valley of Jezreel.

Read about Issachar in Genesis 30:18; 35:23; 46:13; 49:14; Exodus 1:3; and 1Chronicles 2:1; 7:1.

REFERENCES
	Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary Ronald F. Youngblood, General Editor, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995, Nashville/Atlanta/London/Vancouver Who's Who in the Bible Joan Comay and Ronald Brownrigg, Wings Books, 1993, New York/Avenel/New Jersey Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1996, Wheaton, Illinois