Who are the Israelite clans?

Answer 1

The Israelite clans, or tribes as they are called came from the twelve sons of Jacob.

Jacob had two wives and each wife had a handmaiden. Leah, Jacobs first wife bore him 1. Reuben, 2. Simeon, 3. Levi, and 4. Judah.

Rachel was Jacob's second wife but she was baren so she gave her handmaid (Bilhah) to Jacob to bear children in her name. 5. Dan, 6. Naphtali.

Then Leah seeing she bore no more children gave Jacob her handmaid (Zilpah). 7. Gad, 8. Asher.

Then God opened Leah's womb again and she bore 9. Issachar, 10. Zebulun.

Later God opened Rachel's womb and she bore 11. Joseph, and 12. Benjamin.

When the tribes were given their inheritance Levi was chose as the priestly tribe and served only in that position and were not counted as part of the twelve tribes.

Joseph was not counted as a tribe, but his two sons were, Ephraim and Manasseh.

So taking this into consideration there are still twelve tribes for Israel.