ISSACHAR, Jacob's ninth son, his fifth by Leah, is the eponymous ancestor of one of the northern tribes of Israel.
occupying territory which included the Plain of Esdraelon, having affinities with the northern group of tribes rather than with the Joseph clans on their southern border. Issachar played but an insignificant part in Israelite history. The name hardly occurs in later times, and the references to the premonarchic period sug gest an attitude of submissiveness to their Canaanite neighbours (cf. Gen. xlix. 14 seq., and the fact that the Canaanite cities of the
plain of Esdraelon retained their independence comparatively late), though Issachar is mentioned in Jud. v. 15 as taking a part in the war against Sisera.