Plate 5: Zabulun

From the Cleveland Museum of Art record

n this print, the biblical figure Zabulun is shown holding an anchor and fishing line before a harbor, denoting his tribe’s domicile near the sea. This is one of a series of prints depicting the twelve sons of Jacob, each with an attribute and costume that denotes his character. According to the Old Testament, Jacob blessed each of his twelve sons, prophesizing the destiny of their tribe, and assigning them a parcel of land in Canaan. The print series was made in the Netherlands in the late 16th century, a time of political struggle when Old Testament heroes were popular exemplars of fortitude and patience. References to seafaring including a fishing line, anchor, and navigational device, suggest that this Old Testament figure prospers from the merchant trades.