Master Mason

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Symbolism of the Degree

If the first degree is intended as a representation of youth, and the second, of manhood, the third, or Master Mason, is emblematic of old age, its trials, with its sufferings, and its final termination in death. The time for toiling is now over; the opportunity to learn has passed away; the spiritual temple that we all have been striving to erect in our hearts is now nearly completed, and the wearied workman awaits only the summons from our Father, to call him from the labors of earth to the eternal refreshment of Heaven. Hence, this is by far the most solemn and impressive of the degrees of Masonry; and it has, in consequence of the profound truths which it inculcates, been distinguished by the Craft as the sublime degree.

As an Entered Apprentice, the Mason was taught those elementary instructions which were to fit him for further advancement in his profession, just as the youth is supplied with that rudimentary education which is to prepare him for entering on the active duties of life. As a Fellow Craft, the Mason is directed to continue his investigations in the science of the institution, and to labor diligently in the tasks it prescribes, just as the man is required to enlarge his mind by the acquisition of new ideas, and to extend his usefulness to his fellow creatures; but as a Master Mason, the Mason is taught the last, the most importan~ and the most necessary of truths, that having been faithful to all his trusts, he is at last to die, to receive the rewards of his fidelity.

It was the single object of all the ancient rites and mysteries practiced in the very bosom of pagan darkness, shining as a solitary beacon in all that surrounding gloom, and cheering the philosopher in his weary pilgrimage of life, to teach the immortality of the soul. This is still the great design of the Master Mason Degree. This is the scope and aim of its ritual. The Master Mason represents man, when youth, manhood, old age, and life itself, have passed away as fleeting shadows, yet raised from the grave of iniquity, and quickened into another and a better existence. By its legend and all its ritual, it is implied that we have been redeemed from the death of sin and the sepulchre of pollution.

"The ceremonies and the lectures, " as a distinguished writer has observed, "beautifully illustrate this all engrossing subject; and the conclusion we arrive at is, that youth, properly directed, leads us to honorable and virtuous maturity, and that the life of man, regulated by morality, faith, and justice, will be rewarded at its closing hour by the prospect of eternal bliss."

This has very properly been called the sublime degree of a Master Mason, as well for the solemnity of the ceremonies which accompany it, as for the profound lessons of wisdom which it inculcates. The important design the degree is to symbolize the great doctrines of the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soul.

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First Section

The ceremony of raising a candidate to the sublime degree of a Master Mason is particularly described in the first section, which, though brief, will be found essentially useful.

The Compass is peculiarly consecrtated to this degree; because, wihtin its extreme points, when properly extended, are emblematically said to be enclosed the prinicpal tenets of our profession; and, hence the moral appliction of the Compass in the Master Mason Degree is to those precious jewels of a Master Mason, Friendship, Morality and Brotherly Love.

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Circumambulation

Circumambulation

The following passage of Scripture must be used: Ecclesiastes 12:1-7. Stars (★ denote rap of the gavel.)

★ Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not,

★ nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; while the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain;

★ in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shaH bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few,

★ ★and those that look out of the windows be darkened, and the doors shall be shut in the streets,

★ ★when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low. Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way.

★ ★and the Almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail;

★ ★★ Because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about in the streets;

★ ★★ or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

★ ★★ Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

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Working Tools

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The working tools of a Master Mason are all the implements of Masonry indiscriminately, but more especially the TroweL

The Trowel is an instrument made use of by operative Masons, to spread the cement which unites a building into one common mass; but we, as Free and Accepted Masons, are taught to make use of it for the more noble and glorious purpose of spreading the cement of Brotherly Love and Affection; that cement which unites us into one sacred band, or society of friends and brothers, among whom no contention should ever exist but that noble contention, or rather, emulation, of who best can work and best agree.

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Second Section

The second section portrays the legend or historical tradition on which the degree is founded. A legend whose symbolic interpretation testifies to our faith in the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soul, while it exemplifies a rare instance of virtue, fortitude, and integrity.

The legend of the third degree has been considered of so much importance that it has been preserved in the symbolism of every Masonic rite. No matter what modifications or alterations the general system may have undergone, no matter how much the ingenuity or the imagination of the founders of rites may have perverted or corrupted other symbols, abolishing the old and substituting new ones, the legend of the Temple Builder has ever been left untouched, to present itself in all the integrity of its ancient mythical form. The idea of the legend was undoubtedly borrowed from the Ancient Mysteries, where the lesson was the same as that now conveyed in the Master Mason Degree. Viewed in this light, it is evident that it is not essential to the value of the symbolism that the legend should be proved to be historical. Whether considered as a truthful narrative of an event that actually transpired during the building of the Temple, or simply as a myth, embodying the utterances of a religious sentiment, the symbolic lesson of life and death and immortality is still contained in its teachings, and commands our earnest attention.

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"Nearer, My God to Thee" or other suitable hymn may be sung if desired.

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Again, is the lesson taught here, as it was in the first degree, that a Mason should not enter upon any great and important undertaking without first invoking the blessing of Deity. But, the symbolism here is still further extended, and the candidate, representing one who is about to enter upon the pilgrimage of life, and all its danger and temptations, first is supposed to lay down upon his trestle board the designs of labor, of honest ambition, or of virtuous pleasure, upon which he is about to enter; and then, to invoke the protection blessing of God upon his future career, For the temple builder is, in the Masonic system, the symbol of humanity developed here and in the life to come, and as the temple is the visible symbol of the world, its architect becomes the mythical symbol of man, the dweller and worker in the world; and, his progress through the gates is the allegory of man's pilgrimage through youth, manhood, and old age, to the final triumph over death and the grave.

The number twelve was celebrated as a mystical number in the ancient systems, of which it has already been said that Masonry is a philosophical development. The number there referred to the twelve signs of the zodiac, and in those Masonic rites in which the builder is made the symbol of the sun, the twelve Fellow Crafts refer to the twelve signs in which alone the sun is to be sought for. But in the York Rite, this symbolism is lost, because Hiram there represents man, and not the sun. But, the ancient number has still been preserved. Portal says the number twelve was a perfect and complete number. The number thirteen indicated the commencement of a new course of life; and, hence, it became the emblem of death. The number twelve has always been considered as a sacred number; witness the 12 great gods of the Greeks and Romans; the 12 altars of Janus, referring to the 12 months of the year, the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 Apostles, and a hundred other instances that, if necessary, might be cited.

A Seafaring Man

A seafaring man is one who follows the sea as a calling. In modern times they are called sailors. There were many of them in and around the ancient seaport of Joppa which was a port of call for ships sailing the Mediterranian Sea.

A Wayfaring Man

Joppa, which the Hebrews called Japho, and is now known as Jaffa, was and is a seaport town and harbor on the coast of Palestine, about forty miles in a "westerly direction" (being about northwest) from Jerusalem. At the time of the building of the Temple it was the only seaport possessed by the Israelites, and was therefore the point through which all passage out of or into the country was effected The word means a traveler, (one who passes over the road, derived from way or road), and the word fare, in its old meaning of, to pass or go over. Bailey defines a wayfaring man as "one who is accustomed to travel over the roads. " It is with this meaning, frequently found in Scripture, as in Judges XIX 17; "And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city." Such a man, having perhaps just landed at Joppa, and on his way to the interior, would be most likely to be met near that city and would be best enabled to give any information wanted as to the condition of the shipping in the harbor, or in relation to any other matter connected with a passage.

Mount Calvary

The small hill near Mount Moriah can be clearly identified by the most convincing analogies as being no other than Mount Calvary. Thus Mount Calvary was a small hill; it was situated west from the Temple, and near Mount Moriah; it was on the direct road from Jerusalem to Joppa, and is thus the very spot where a weary brother, traveling on that road, would find it convenient to sit down to rest and refresh himself; it was outside of the gate of the Temple, and lastly, there are several caves, or clefts in the rocks, in the neighborhood, one of which, it will be remembered, was, subsequent to the time of this tradition, used as the sepulchre of our Lord. The Master Mason will readily perceive the peculiar character of the symbolism which this identification of the spot on which the great truth of the resurrection was unfolded in both systems, the Masonic and the Christian, must suggest.

The Sprig of Acacia

The Sprig of Acacia is an important symbol in Freemasonry. It is an evergreen that grows in great abundance in the vicinity of Jerusalem. The tabernacle and its furniture, with the Ark of the Covenant, was made out of it and it was consecrated, from among the other trees of the forest, to sacred purposes. As a symbol, it received, among the ancients, three interpretations.

  1. In consequence of its incorruptible and evergreen nature, it was readily adopted as a symbol of the immortality of the soul.
  2. In allusion to the derivation of its name, among the Greeks, from a word which signifies freedom from sin, it was also adopted as a symbol of innocence.
  3. Like all the other sacred plants, such as the myrtle, the mistletoe, and the lotus, which were used in the Ancient Mysteries, it became a symbol of initiation. The three interpretations combined teach us, by the use of this one symbol, that in the initiation of life and death, of which the initiation in the third degree is simply emblematic, innocence must, for a time, lie in the grave; at length, however, to be called by the Grand Master of all things to immortality.

Cleft in the Rock

The vicinity of Jerusalem is exceedingly rocky and mountainous. These rocks abound in clefts, or caves, which were sometimes used by the inhabitants as places of sepulchre, sometimes as places of refuge in time of war, and sometimes as lurking places for robbers, or for persons guilty of crime and fleeing from justice.

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Dirge

Dirge

Solemn strikes the funeral chime, Notes of our departing time, As we journey here below, Through a pilgrimage of woe.

Mortals, now indulge a tear, For mortality is here! See how wide her trophies wave O'er the slumbers of the grave!

Here another guest we bring, Seraphs of celestial wing, To our funeral altar come, Waft this friend and brother home.

Lord of all below, above, From our hearts with truth and love; When dissolves our earthly tie, Take us to Thy Lodge on high.

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Prayer

Thou, O God! knowest our downsitting and our uprising, and understandest our thoughts afar off. Shield and defend us from the evil intentions of our enemies, and support us under the trials and afflictions we are destined to endure, while traveling through this vale of tears. Man that is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with Thee, Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; turn from him that he may rest, till he shall accomplish his day. For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. But man dieth and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea and the flood decayeth and drieth up, so man lieth down and riseth not up, till the heavens shall be no more. Yet O Lord! have compassion on the children of Thy creation, administer them comfort in time of trouble, and save them with an everlasting salvation. Amen

Response: So mote it be.

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The Five Pointed Star

The five pointed star has been adopted, in very recent times, as a Masonic symbol. Differing, as it does, entirely, from the Blazing Star, which in the first degree refers to Divine Providence, it is consecrated in the Master Mason degree, as a symbol of the Five Points of Fellowship.

The Mosaic law, which related to defilement by dead bodies, rendered it necessary that none should be buried near sacred places, nor even within the limits of cities, except in the case of kings, and very distinguished men. The strictness of the religious code against pollution would, however, forbid that even these should be interred in the neighborhood of a temple or sanctuary.

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Second Section

My Brother, the second section of the lecture, recites the legend or historical tradition on which the degree is founded, * * * *

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As far back as the era of Abraham, sepulchral monuments are mentioned. When Rachel died, we are told that Jacob "set a pillar upon her grave." The ancient Arabians erected a heap of stones over the dead; but, as among the Hebrews, such a heap was an indication that the body beneath had been stoned to death, the latter nation, therefore, confined their monuments to a single stone, which was usually hewn and ornamented with inscriptions.

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Third Section

The third, and last, section furnishes many details in relation to the building ofthe Temple, and concludes with an explanation of the hieroglyphical emblems of the degree, and will be given by * * *

Above introduction to be given by Master.

The construction of this grand edifice was attended with two remarkable circumstances. From Josephus, we learn that, although seven years were occupied in building it, yet during the whole term, it rained not in the daytime, that the workmen might not be obstructed in their labor; and, from sacred history, it appears that there was neither the sound of the hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron, heard in the house while it was building. The above is for information only and is not to be given as part of the Third Section of the Lecture.

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This famous fabric was supported by fourteen hundred and fifty-three columns, and two thousand nine hundred and six pilasters, all hewn from the finest Parian marble

There were employed in its building, three Grand Masters; three thousand and three hundred Masters, or overseers of the work; eighty thousand Fellow Crafts; and seventy thousand Entered Apprentices, or bearers of burdens. All these were classed and arranged in such a manner, by the wisdom of Solomon, that neither envy, discord, nor confusion were suffered to interrupt that universal peace and tranquility which pervaded the world at this important period.

There are in this degree two classes of emblems or symbols, the first of which consists of:

The Three Steps

The three steps, usually delineated upon the Master's carpet, are emblematical of the three principal stages of human life; namely, Youth, Manhood, and Age. In Youth, as Entered Apprentice Masons, we ought industriously to occupy our minds in the attainment of useful knowledge; in Manhood, as Fellow Craft Masons, we should apply our knowledge to the discharge of our respective duties to God, our neighbors and ourselves; that so, in Age, as Master Masons, we may enjoy the happy reflections consequent on a well-spent life, and die in the hope of a glorious immortality.

The Pot of Incense

The pot of incense is an emblem of a pure heart, which is always an acceptable sacrifice to the Deity; and, as this glows with fervent heat, so should our hearts continually glow with gratitude to the great and beneficent Author of our existence, for the manifold blessings and comforts we enjoy.

The Beehive

The beehive is an emblem of industry, and recommends the practice of that virtue to all created beings, from the highest seraph in heaven to the lowest reptile of the dust. It teaches us that, as we came into the world rational and intelligent beings, so we should ever be industrious ones; never sitting down, contented, while our fellow creatures around us are in want, when it is in our power to relieve them.

When we take a survey of nature, we view man, in his infancy, more helpless and indigent than the brutal creation; he lies languishing for days, months, and years, totally incapable of providing sustenance for himself, or of sheltering himself from the inclemencies of the weather. Thus, was man formed for social and active life, the noblest part of the work of God; and he that will so demean himself as not to be endeavoring to add to the common stock of knowledge and understanding, may be deemed a drone in the hive of nature, a useless member of society, and unworthy of our protection as Masons.

The Book of Constitutions, Guarded by the Tyler's Sword

The book of constitutions, guarded by the tyler's sword, reminds us that we should be ever watchful and guarded in our thoughts, words, and actions; particularly, when before the enemies of Masonry; ever bearing in remembrance, those truly Masonic virtues, silence and circumspection.

The Sword Pointing to a Naked Heart

The sword, pointing to a naked heart, demonstrates that justice will sooner or later overtake us; and, al though our thoughts, words, and actions may be hidden from the eyes of men, yet that ALL SEEING EYE, whom the sun, moon, and stars obey, and under whose watchful care even comets perform their stupendous revolutions, pervades the inmost recesses of the human heart, and will reward us according to our merits.

The Forty-Seventh Problem of Euclid

The forty-seventh problem of Euclid was an invention of our ancient friend and brother, the great Pythagoras, who in his travels through Asia, Africa, and Europe, was initiated into several orders of priesthood, and raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason. This wise philosopher enriched his mind abundantly in a general knowledge of things, and, more especially, in Geometry, or Masonry. On this subject he drew out many problems and theorems; and, among the most distinguished, he erected this, when, in the joy of his heart, he exclaimed, "Eureka" in the Grecian language, signifying "I have found it;" and, upon the discovery of which, he is said to have sacrificed a hundred head of cattle. It teaches Masons to be general lovers of the arts and sciences. *

* This problem is thus enunciated by Euclid: "In any right angled triangle, the square which is described upon the side sub tending the right angle is equal to the square described upon the sides which contain the right angle." Euclid, Book I, Problem #47.

The discovery of the proof of this proposition is attributed to Pythagoras (550 B. C.), and the proposition is usually called the Pythagorean Proposition.

The Hourglass

The hourglass is an emblem of human life. Behold! how swiftly the sands run, and how rapidly our lives are drawing to a close. We cannot, without astonishment, behold the little particles which are contained in this machine; how they pass away almost imperceptibly and, yet, to our surprise, in the short space of an hour, they are all exhausted. Thus, wastes man! Today, he puts forth the tender leaves of hope; tomorrow blossoms and bears his blushing honors thick upon him; the next day, comes a frost, which nips the shoot; and, when he thinks his greatness is still aspiring, he falls, like autumn leaves, to enrich our mother earth.

The Scythe

The scythe is an emblem of time, which cuts the brittle thread of life and launches us into eternity, Behold! what havoc the scythe of time makes among the human race! If, by chance, we should escape the numerous evils incident to childhood and youth, and with health and vigor, arrive at the years of manhood; yet, withal, we must soon be cut down by the all devouring scythe of time, and be gathered into the land where our fathers have gone before us.

My Brother, the second, or last, class of Masonic emblems consists of the Setting Maul, the Spade, the Coffin, and the Sprig of Acacia.

The Setting Maul * * * * reminds us of that disease or casualty which win soon terminate our lives. The Spade, * * * * reminds us of that spade which will soon dig our graves, The Coffin, * * * * reminds us of that coffin which will soon receive these frail bodies of ours. And the Sprig of Acacia that bloomed, * * * * is an emblem of our faith in the immortality of the soul

The Setting Maul, the Spade and the Coffin are striking emblems of mortality, and afford serious reflections to a thinking mind, and they would be more gloomy and serious still, were it not for the Sprig of Acacia that blooms at the head of the grave, and serves to remind us of that imperishable part within which survives the grave, and bears the nearest affinity to the Supreme Intelligence which pervades ll nature, and which can never, never, never die.

The acacia, my brother, may soon designate your last resting place in that haven of rest, that silent abode, that peaceful home, where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. My Brother, be ever mindful of that great change, when you will be called from your labors on earth to everlasting refreshment in the Paradise of God. Let me admonish you, in the most solemn manner, in reference to the close of life, that, when the cold winter of death shall have passed, and the bright summer morn of the resurrection appears; when the Son of Righteousness shall descend and send forth His angels to collect the ransomed dead; then, if you are found worthy, by the benefit of having lived a pure and blameless life, with a firm reliance on Divine Providence, you shall receive a ready admission into the Celestial Lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of the Universe forever presides and forever reigns. Then shall you see the King in the beauty of His holiness, and with Him enter into an endless eternity.

Thus, my Brother, we close our lecture on the emblems, with the solemn thought of death. We are all born to die. We follow our friends to the brink of the grave; and, standing on the shore of a vast and boundless ocean, we gaze with exquisite anxiety until the last struggle is over, and we see them sink into the fathomless abyss. We feel our own feet slipping from the precarious brink on which we stand. A few more rolling suns and we, too, will be 'whelmed, 'neath death's awful wave, to rest in its stilly shades; and darkness and silence will reign around our melancholy abode.

★★★ Master raises Lodge. Senior Deacon conducts candidate(s) to west of Altar.

But is this the end of man, and the aspiring hopes of faithful Masons? No, bless God, we pause not at the first or second step; but, true to our principles, look forward for greater Light; and as the embers of mortality are faintly glimmering in their sockets of existence, the Bible removes the dark cloud, draws aside the sable curtains of the tomb, bids hope and joy arouse us, cheers and sustains the departing spirit. It points beyond the grave and bids us tum our eyes with faith and confidence upon the opening scenes of eternity.

And now, my Brethren, let us see to it, and so regulate our lives,by the Plumb line ofJustice and Truth, squaring our actions by the Square of Virtue; so that, when the summons for our departure comes, we shall be found ready. Let us practice, assiduously, the noble tenets of our profession, Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. From the Square, let us learn morality; from the Level, equality; and from the Plumb, rectitude of life let us imitate him, who, when assailed * * * *maintained his integrity even to death, and sealed his pledge with his own blood. Let us emulate his amiable and virtuous conduct; his unfeigned piety to God; his inflexible fidelity to his trust; and, as the evergreen * * * *, so may virtue's ever blooming loveliness designate us as Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.

Finally, my Brethren, let us all keep in memory this solemn truth: we know not how soon the hour of our dissolution may come, when the cold winds of death are sighing around us, and their chilly dews glisten on our foreheads; for man that is born of woman is of a few days and full of trouble; he cometh forth as a flower and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not; in the midst of life we are in death. A firm belief in the truths revealed in this sacred volume, and a faithful reliance on Divine Providence, will afford us consolation in that dark and gloomy hour, and will insure us an eternal and ineffable happiness in the world to come.

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Charge

My Brother, your zeal for the institution of Masonry, the progress you have made in our mysteries, and your conformity to our regulations, have pointed you out as a proper object of our favor and esteem. You are now bound by duty, honor, and gratitude to be faithful to your trust, to support the dignity of your character on every occasion; and to enforce, by precept and example, obedience to the tenets of the order. In the character of a Master Mason, you are authorized to correct the errors and irregularities of your uninformed brethren, and to guard them against a breach of fidelity. To preserve the reputation of the Fraternity, unsullied, must be your constant care; and, for this purpose, it is your province to recommend to your inferiors, obedience and submission; to your equals, courtesy and affiaility; to your superiors, kindness and condescension. Universal benevolence you are always to inculcate; and, by the regularity of your own behavior, afford the best example for the conduct of others less informed. The ancient landmarks of the order, intrusted to your care, you are carefully to preserve; and never suffer them to be infringed upon or countenance a deviation from the established usages and customs of the Fraternity.

Your virtue, honor, and reputation are concerned in supporting with dignity the character you now bear. Let no motive, therefore, make you swerve from your duty, violate your vows, or betray your trust; but be true and faithful, and imitate the example of that celebrated artist whom you have this evening represented. Thus, you will render yourself deserving of the honor which we have conferred, and merit the confidence that we have reposed.

Master: My Brother, in compliance with the law of Freemasonry in this Grand Jurisdiction, you will be conducted to the Secretary's desk, and sign the bylaws of this lodge. You will sign with one given name in full. * * * *

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The Roll

Reuben, Simeon, Gad (Ja)

Ephriam, Mannasseh, Benjamin (Jo)

Dan, Asher, Naphtali, (Jm)

Judah, Issacher, Zebulum

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