Why are we are told that there are 12 tribes of Israel when there are, in fact, 13 tribes!
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh?
NWT Numbers 1:4-16 "Take with you one man from each tribe; each one is to be a head of his paternal house. 5 These are the names of the men who will stand with you: of Reuʹben, E·liʹzur the son of Shedʹe·ur; 6 of Simʹe·on, She·luʹmi·el the son of Zu·ri·shadʹdai; 7 of Judah, Nahʹshon the son of Am·minʹa·dab; 8 of Isʹsa·char, Ne·thanʹel the son of Zuʹar; 9 of Zebʹu·lun, E·liʹab the son of Heʹlon; 10 of the sons of Joseph: from Eʹphra·im, E·lishʹa·ma the son of Am·miʹhud; from Ma·nasʹseh, Ga·maʹli·el the son of Pe·dahʹzur; 11 of Benjamin, Abʹi·dan the son of Gid·e·oʹni; 12 of Dan, A·hi·eʹzer the son of Am·mi·shadʹdai; 13 of Ashʹer, Paʹgi·el the son of Ochʹran; 14 of Gad, E·liʹa·saph the son of Deuʹel; 15 of Naphʹta·li, A·hiʹra the son of Eʹnan. 16 These are the ones summoned from the assembly. They are the chieftains of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the thousands of Israel.”
NWT 1 Chronicles 6:38 ". . .Leʹvi son of Israel."