Tribe

a collection of families descending from one ancestor. The "twelve tribes" of the Hebrews were the twelve collections of families which sprang from the sons of Jacob. In Matt. 24:30 the word has a wider significance. The tribes of Israel are referred to as types of the spiritual family of God (Rev. 7). (See ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF �T0001909; JUDAH, KINGDOM OF .)

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (M.G. Easton, 1897, public domain).