Fourth son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 29: 35; Gen. 37: 26-27; Gen. 43: 3, 8; Gen. 44: 16; Gen. 49: 8 ff.; Deut. 33: 7). From these passages we see that he was a natural leader among the sons of Jacob, and the tribe descended from him took the lead after the settlement in Canaan, its chief rival being Ephraim.