Issachar was Jacob's ninth son, the fifth born to him by Leah. His name means hired workman. Jacob’s deathbed blessing of Issachar plays on that meaning when he predicted that Issachar’s descendants would toil in forced labour gangs (Genesis 49:15).

Issachar’s genealogy is both descending (from parent to child) and segmented (showing lateral development by listing a single generation of descendants as well as naming successive generations from one common ancestor). The number of the mighty warriors (1 Chronicles 7:2, 1 Chronicles 7:4–5) suggests the record originally belonged to a military census from the time of David (see 1 Chronicles 7:3).¹

The record of the sons of Issachar is drawn from Genesis 46:13 and Numbers 26:23–25, with many of the names not appearing elsewhere in Scripture. The four basic divisions (1 Chronicles 7:1) follow the Genesis and Numbers passages very closely, but after that only the descendants of Tola the firstborn are given (1 Chronicles 7:2).² The descendants of Uzzi, Tola’s firstborn, follow (1 Chronicles 7:3–4). These details appear to be taken from David's military census records (1 Chronicles 21:1–30; 1 Chronicles 27:23–24). Issachar’s leader under David, Omri the son of Michael (1 Chronicles 27:18), could be related to the Michael in 1 Chronicles 7:3. This reference to David in 1 Chronicles 7:2 suggests that the tribal lists are intended to point to him as the person who really united Israel.³ The genealogies come to a close with a reference to the kinsmen or the families, other Issacharites who were not mentioned in the preceding verses. The list is obviously incomplete because the number of relatives is more than the sum of those in 1 Chronicles 7:2 and 1 Chronicles 7:4.

By mentioning large numbers of soldiers as well as many wives and children (1 Chronicles 7:4), the Chronicler once again pointed to the blessing of God illustrated in the increase of progeny. The tribe of Issachar had been greatly blessed by God and should not be forgotten in the post-exilic period.4

The key focus of this section is on military strength. Each step of the genealogy closes with a reference to a tally or number of soldiers: Tola’s mighty warriors (1 Chronicles 7:2), the men ready for battle among Izrahiah’s sons (1 Chronicles 7:4, NIV) and the mighty warriors taken from Issachar’s kinsmen or clans of Issachar (1 Chronicles 7:5). Though previous genealogies do feature military references (1 Chronicles 1:10; 1 Chronicles 2:22–23; 1 Chronicles 4:38, 1 Chronicles 4:41–43; 1 Chronicles 5:24), they do not hold as prominent a place as the case is here.⁵

The Chronicler’s attention to military strength brings to mind two issues:

• Issachar had provided a vital service to the nation of Israel in the past by engaging in warfare and was a key military resource for the Davidic kingdom, foreshadowing their participation in David’s army in the Chronicler’s narrative in 1 Chronicles 12:32, where they will be singled out as those who understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take. Issachar is given the highest number of warriors in the genealogical accounts of the northern tribes, reflecting the Chronicler’s high estimation of this tribe.⁶

• The postexilic leaders were to desire the return of Issachar so that the holy army of Israel could be reconstituted. The returnees would face a number of challenges from enemies.⁷ By concentrating on the military achievements of Issachar, the Chronicler thus indicates that the return of Issachar would strengthen the restoration community against its enemies.