Number Twelve

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Twelve is chiefly connected with Israel in the Word, God dealing with the nation according to the number of its tribes. This gives the character above named, of complete administration, to number 12. In a wider way, this may be seen in the 12 hours of the day, and of the night, and again in the 12 months of the year.
The people are to say "Amen" 12 times to the 12 curses in Deut. 27. The stones in the breastplate are 12 and the loaves on the shewbread table.
Twelve stones were taken out of the Jordan, and 12 lions stood on the steps to Solomon's throne.
The spies sent by Moses in Num. 13, the princes who number Israel (Num. 1), who head the encampment, lead the march through the desert, and make offering when the tabernacle is reared, the priests who bore the ark into Jordan, are all connected with the nation in its entirety and completeness of action accordingly.
2 Sam. 2:1515Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. (2 Samuel 2:15) shows 12 of David's men and 12 of Ishbosheth's men selected for decisive contest, but 12 against 12 is administrative balance, and neither can win, they are all 24 equally victors.
There will be found in the Old Testament, 12 persons named who were anointed with oil (Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, Lev. 8, Saul, 1 Sam. 10:11Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? (1 Samuel 10:1), Absalom, 2 Sam. 19:1010And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? (2 Samuel 19:10), David, 1 Sam. 16:1313Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. (1 Samuel 16:13), Solomon, 1 Kings 1:3939And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon. (1 Kings 1:39), Jehu, 2 Kings 9:66And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. (2 Kings 9:6), Joash, 2 Kings 11:1212And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king. (2 Kings 11:12), and Jehoahaz, 2 Kings 23:3030And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead. (2 Kings 23:30)). (It will be seen that David was first anointed by Samuel, again by "the men of Judah," 2 Sam. 2:44And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul. (2 Samuel 2:4), and again in 2 Sam. 5:33So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel. (2 Samuel 5:3), by the "elders of Israel," Also, in 1 Kings 19:1515And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: (1 Kings 19:15), Elijah was told by Jehovah to anoint Hazael, Jehu and Elisha, but it is not recorded that he did either, while Jehu was anointed by Elisha's messenger.)
The "avenger of blood" is mentioned 12 times in the text (Num. 35:19, 21, 24, 25, 2719The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. (Numbers 35:19)
21Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. (Numbers 35:21)
24Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: 25And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. (Numbers 35:24‑25)
27And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: (Numbers 35:27) twice, Deut. 19:6,19:12, Josh. 20:3,5,93That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. (Joshua 20:3)
5And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbor unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime. (Joshua 20:5)
9These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation. (Joshua 20:9), and 2 Sam. 14:1111Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth. (2 Samuel 14:11)).
In the Revelation are many 12's connected with administration, founded on the number of Israel's tribes. The 12 gates of the heavenly Jerusalem carry the names of the tribes, and the "gate" is the place of administration characteristically.