Were There 12 Tribes of Israel?

The article focuses on the historical existence of the 12 tribes of Israel and explores evidence from biblical texts and external sources. Topics include the ambiguity surrounding the actual presence and significance of the 12 tribes, discrepancies in biblical accounts, the survival of specific tribes post-Exile, and the likely invention of the 12 tribes tradition in Judah, possibly as an idealized vision of Israelite identity.