The Jewish Tribes.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20509, 10 January 1935, Page 8

The Jewish Tribes.

Dear Sir.— I wish to thank Mr Bernste for his article on this subject. A bri glance at early Scripture confirms the thr castes—the Priests, descendants of Aaroi the Levites, dedicated to the service the Tabernacle and subordinate to tl Priests: and the congregation, comprisii 12-tribed Israel. Now. at this stage in h tory. there appears no such title as 44 Jew which apparently was not coined un many hundred years later, well after t division and onwards, when it was us< to denote the southern tribes of Juda Benjamin and the portion of Levi. That the congregation should still I referred to as Israel after the division at later is but natural, as common sense te us that the 10 tribes would be represent! therein. Indeed, what I would describe > evangelical revivals are recorded in Seri ture, when certain of the 10 tribes d return to Judah, but the revivalists soc wearied of well-doing. This state of affai is not altogether unknown in these da> when the hot weather must be responsib for many New Year resolutions lapsing. As long as the Priests wore their regali in which were set the twelve stones, ea< engraved with the name of a tribe, th< could not very well refer to the congreg tion as Jews. Consequently, lam «t searching for the bulk of 10-tribed Isra of the Northern Kingdom.—l am, etc.. HAY.