Zebulun, Zabulon [Zĕb'ulŭn, Zăb'u lŏn]—dwelling or wished for habitation.

The Man of the Open Door

The tenth son of Jacob and the sixth of Leah (Gen. 30:20). He was progenitor of three tribal families through his three sons, Sered, Elon and Jahleel, who went down into Egypt with the other sons and grandsons of Jacob (Gen. 46:14; 49:13; Josh. 19:10; Rev. 7:8). Zebulun became the commercial tribe, and one of the few tribes from which there was an opening by way of the sea to the vast world beyond. By maintaining this open door, the people were able to bring in the treasures of the deep (Deut. 33:19).

This mercantile tribe had the opportunity of being a missionary tribe. It may be that such an open door for usefulness was in the mind of Moses when he said of Zebulun, and her neighbor Issachar, “They shall call the people unto the mountain; there shall they offer sacrifices of righteousness” (Deut. 33:19). The Bible speaks of other open doors (1 Cor. 16:9; Rev. 3:8).

The suggestive name of Zebulun meaning “to dwell,” may have come about through Leah saying, “Now will my husband dwell with me.” Is not the Lord Himself a place for the saint to dwell (1 Kings 8:13)? Zebulun became the earthly habitation for the Lord of Glory as prophesied by Isaiah of old (Isa. 9:1-7). Zebul is used of God’s dwelling in the Temple (2 Chron. 6:2) and of heaven (Isa. 63:15).