Not only would the memories of the events,
through which the newly settled Zebulun liad passed, influence its people, but their thoughts would also be moulded by the scenes around, which were rich in old historical associations. The tribe had given two judges to Israel, Ibzan of Bethlehem (Jg 12^) and Elon (12"), while 3 miles from Nazareth was Gath-hepher, the birtliplace of Jonah, the first prophet to the Gentiles, and his tomb is still shown there. Then to the young Israelite of the 1st cent. no scene in the whole land could be more inspiring than the view from the hills of Zebulun. To the south the plain of Esdraelon, the battle-ground of Israel, lies stretched out — a glorious panorama. Every crisis in the nation's history had a memory there. Close at hand, by Tabor and Kishon, the men of Zebulun had ' jeoparded their lives to the death ' ( Jg 5^% Little Hermon— the Hill of Moreh — and Gideon's fountain (7^) would recall the 'day of Midian ' ; while Gilboa would bring thoughts of Israel's darker days, and Jezreel memories of sad declension in the time of Ahab. Shunem, Endor, and Bethshean could also be seen, and Megiddo too, — the scene of Josiah's heroic fight ; while nearer still on the shoulder of Carmel was ' the place of burning,' — the site of Elijah's sacrifice, and of Baal's inglorious defeat before the God of Israel. More distant were Mt. Ebal, with its memories of blessing and cursing, and Pisgah's peak in the distant haze ; while westward there would be a glimpse of the ' great sea.' All these and many more historical sites are to be seen, and thoughts of them rise and stir the heart of him who views the scene ; and if so to the passing stranger, what must they have been to the young Zebulunite, whose daily food they were, and who, in virtue of His blood, was the heir of all their most glorious memories ?
The relationship of this people to the Gentile world is also worthy of note. Josephus (BJ I. iv. 3) tells us of the innate enmity of the Syrian to the Jew ; but here such feelings would be less intense. We are repeatedly told of bonds of union between Zebulun and Issachar, and that this latter tribe busied itself with the Torali and made many proselytes (Ber. Rah. § 98) ; and before such was possible mutual jealousies must have ceased. At the same time the people would become familiar with the ceremonials of admission to Judaism, including that of baptism (Bab. Jeb. 46 «, h). It is further to be remarked that, though the text seems doubtful, the town of Nazareth in this tribe is named in the songs of Eliezer Ha-kalir as one of the meeting-places of the priests, when they assembled to go up to serve in the Temple.
3. Christ in Zebalun. — Although our Lord's teaching was for the most part given in the tribe of Naphtali, the land of Zebulun takes precedence not only in the prophecy (Mt 4^^), but also in historical sequence, and it is equally imi^ortant for a knowledge of the Gospels. If Naphtali experi- enced most of the brilliancy of the noonday of the Sun of Righteousness, it was in Zebulun that the dawn appeared and shone more and more unto the perfect day. In a city of this tribe the Lord Jesus was brought up (Lk 4^^). As He increased in wisdom and stature, its associations aided in the moulding of His human character. During a period of Avell nigh 30 years His life was passed in one of its valleys, broken into only by visits to the Holy City. His earlier years were spent in tlie midst of its fierce politics, He knew the various party watchwords ; He knew what was meant by ' wars and rumours of wars ' ; He had come into contact with soldiers from Tabor and Sepphoris, and early learned the terrors associated with the word ' legion ' ; He had met returned slaves — redeemed, freed, or fugitive ; He had wrought in the villages of this tribe, and we can even think of
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Joseph taking the young Jesus to work with him at Sepphoris during the busy days of its rebuilding — for there was not the same objection to entering it as the polluted Tiberias. The flowers of Nazareth had fostered His love of Nature, the operations in its fields and the products of its gardens were to be used to teach lessons for eternity. Nathanael, and perhaps other disciples, were from Cana in Zebulun ( Jn 21^). It was in it too that Christ publicly de- clared His office in the gracious words He spoke (Lk 4^1), that He performed His first miracle, and * manifested forth his glory ' so that ' his disciples believed on him' (Jn 2^^). But when we have studied the power of all these influences, and con- sidered to what they should lead, we only convince ourselves the more ' that what He was and what He became for the world cannot be explained or grasped by the help of contemporary history or social conditions ' (Delitzsch, Hanakverkleben, § 1).
As in the case of Naphtali, the Rabbis have something to say of Zebulun. They discuss the question as to what Jacob saw in vision, in that he blessed Zebulun immediately after Judah (Gn 4910-14^^ and the usual answer they give is that he foresaw the glories of Rabbinism in the presence of the Sanhedrin at Sepphoris before it was removed to Tiberias (Yalktit Shimeoni, i. § 161). It is, how- ever, also recognized that ' The Holy One, blessed be He, should cause His Shekinah to dwell in Zebulun' (Shem. Bab. § 1). LiTERATDRE. — See under Naphtali.