The Tribe of Judah
(Numbers 18:21). Judah is the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. Jacob was the second son of Rebekah and Isaac. Jacob loved Rachel, the youngest daughter of Laban. Jacob promised to serve Laban seven years for Rachel. Completing the seven years Jacob expected to marry Rachel, but was tricked to marry Leah, the older daughter. Zilpah was the hand maid sent with Leah. Jacob worked another seven years to marry Rachel. (Genesis 29:15-20).
Leah said “Now will I praise the LORD: therefore, she called his name Judah; and left (05975. Cease) bearing.” (Genesis 29:35).
The LORD changed Jacob’s name to Israel after he wrestled with God. Jacob was called Israel because he was a prince and has power with God and with men, and prevailed. (Genesis 32:24-32).
Jacob had taken his family to dwell in the land of Canaan. Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob, Israel. Jacob made Joseph a coat of many colors. The brothers of Joseph saw their father loved Joseph more that all of them and they hated him. They plotted against Joseph.
The brothers were feeding their father’s flock in Shechem (some 60 miles from Hebron where they lived) when Jacob, Israel, sent Joseph to check on them. Joseph couldn’t find his brothers in Shechem and was found by a man wandering in the fields. The man sent Joseph to Dothan to find his brothers. When the brothers saw him coming, they conspired against him to slay him. Reuben, his oldest brother, delivered Joseph out of the hands of his brothers and suggested not to kill him but to let him be cast into a pit in the wilderness. The brothers stripped Joseph out of his coat of many colors and cast Joseph into a pit without water.
There was a company of Ishmaelites that came from Gilead with their camels bearing spices, balm, and myrrh on their way to Egypt. It was Judah who suggested selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. It was the Ishmaelites who carried Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh, and captain of the guard.
The brothers took Joseph’s coat of many colors, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood. They then returned to their father. Jacob, Israel, knew his beloved son had been devoured by an evil beast. Jacob, Israel, rented his clothes and put on sack clothes and mourned for Joseph for many days and could not be comforted. (Genesis 37:1-36).
There was then seven years of famine in all the land of Egypt and over all the face of the earth. Joseph was the governor over the land, and it was his to sell to all the people of the land. When the famine was over all the face of the earth Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians and the other countries that came into Egypt to buy corn. Joseph gathered up all the money that was in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought. All the cattle and all the land, and at last the Egyptians themselves, became the property of Pharaoh.
Jacob (Israel) sent ten of his sons to Egypt to buy corn. Benjamin was kept behind to protect him from harm. The brothers came from Canaan to buy corn. Joseph recognized his brothers but they did not recognize him. He remembered the dreams which he had dreamed of his brothers, and said unto them, they were spies. Three days later to prove they were not spies Joseph directed his brethren to return to their home and bring the youngest brother, Benjamin. Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for their way Simeon was left behind to make sure they came back.
Once they all returned with Benjamin Joseph made himself known to all his brothers telling them he was Joseph who they sold into Egypt. Joseph asked if his father was alive and told them to bring him to Egypt. They were afraid but were told to hurry and get his father and tell him his son Joseph is alive. Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
Jacob (Israel) could hardly believe Joseph was alive, and Governor over all the land of Egypt. Jacob (Israel) went to Egypt to see his son Joseph. Judah was sent ahead to inform Joseph to meet the father at Goshen. Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Jacob (Israel) his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
Joseph told Pharaoh, his father, brothers, and their flocks, and herds, and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. Joseph presented his family to the Pharaoh and Jacob, Israel, blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses. That is how the Israelites came into the land of Egypt. (Genesis 39-48).
Judah married a daughter of a Canaanite, who conceived and bared Judah a son whose name was Er. The second son of Judah was Onan. The third son of Judah was Shelah. Judah chose a wife for his firstborn whose name was Tamar. Er was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.
Judah went to Onan and told him to marry Tamar his brother’s wife and raise up seed to his brother. Onan refused and allowed his seed to fall on the ground instead of obeying the wishes of his father. This displeased the LORD and Onan was killed.
Judah told Tamar, his daughter-in-law to remain a widow at her father’s house until Shelah had grown up. Tamar did as she was told by Judah. The wife of Judah died. Judah went up to Timnath to shear his sheep. Tamar was told of this, and she put off her widow’s garments, and covered her face with a veil, and sat in an open place that was on the way to Timnath. Judah saw her and because she had her face covered he thought she was a harlot. Judah asked to go into her and offered to send her a kid from the flock. Tamar asked for a pledge of a signet, his bracelets, and his staff. Tamar conceived. Judah sent a kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite. He could not find the harlot. The men of the place said, there was no harlot.
Three months later Judah heard that Tamar had played the harlot and was with child. Judah demanded she should be burnt. Tamar was brought to Judah and claimed the father of her child owned the signet, bracelets, and staff. Judah acknowledged them and said Tamar had been more righteous than he. Judah did not know her again.
Tamar carried twins. When it was time for the twins to be born one of the twins put out his hand. The midwife bound the hand with a scarlet thread stating the child come out first. The child drew back his hand and his brother came out first. Because of the breach his name was called Pharez. Then came his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand, and his name was called Zarah. (Genesis 38:1-30).
The sons of Judah were Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites. (Numbers 26:19-20).
When the wandering in the wilderness was over the tribes divided the land. The children of received for their inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families. The coast of Edom southward was Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, Hazor, Hadattah, Kerioth, Hezron, which is Hazor, Amam, Shema, Moladah, Hazargaddah, Heshmon, Bethpalet, Hazarshual, Beersheba, Bizjothjah, Baalah, Iim, Azem, Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages. The valley, Eshtaol, Zoreah, Ashnah, Zanoah, Engannim, Tappuah, Enam, Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, Sharaim, Adithaim, Gederah, Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages. Zenan, Hadashah, Migdalgad, Dilean, Mizpeh, Joktheel, Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, Cabbon, Lahmam, Kithlish, Gederoth, Bethdagon, Naamah, Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages. Libnah, Ether, Ashan, Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, Keilah, Achzib, Mareshah; nine cities with their villages. Ekron, with her towns and her villages. From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their villages. Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof. And in the mountains, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, Dannah, Kirjathsannah, which is Debir. And Anab, Eshtemoh, and Anim, Goshen, Holon, Giloh; eleven cities with their villages. Arab, Dumah, Eshean, Janum, Bethtappuah, Aphekah, Humtah, Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their villages. Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, Cain, Gibeah, Timnah; ten cities with their villages. Halhul, Bethzur, Gedor, Maarath, Bethanoth, Eltekon; six cities with their In the wilderness, Betharabah, Middin, and Secacah. Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and Engedi; six cities with their villages. The Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day. (Joshua 15:20-63).
Moses blessed the children of Israel before his death. The blessing given to Judah was “And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies. (Deuteronomy 33:7).
The prophecy concerning Judah which shall befall him in the last days given by his father Jacob was “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. 9. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” (Genesis 49:8-10). This is called the Messianic prophecy, the prophecy of Jesus Christ. Revelation 5:5; 11:12; Isaiah 11:1-9; Ezekiel 34:23-31; Amos 9:11-15).
“And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” (Revelation 5:5-6)
“And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” (Revelation 5:11-12)
“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2. And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3. And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. 6. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:1-9)
“And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, [even] my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 24. And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken [it]. 25. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. 26. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. 27. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them. 28. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make [them] afraid. 29. And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. 30. Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God [am] with them, and [that] they, [even] the house of Israel, [are] my people, saith the Lord GOD. 31. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, [are] men, [and] I [am] your God, saith the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 34:23-31).
“In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12. That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. 13. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. 14. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit [them]; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. 15. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.” (Amos 9:11-15).
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne. “The Tribe of Judah.” Becker Bible Studies Library March 2022. https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p =5168. Retrieved [dateMLA].
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne. (2022). “The Tribe of Judah.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p =5168. Retrieved: [dateAPA].
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne. (2022) “The Tribe of Judah.” Becker Bible Studies Library (March), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/? =5168 (accessed [dateChi]).
