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Judah

malePatriarchal

Meaning: “Praise

The fourth son of Jacob and Leah who became leader among his brothers; the royal tribe of Judah — and the line of David and Jesus — descends from him.

J

Biography

Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah, grew from a flawed young man into the leader among his brothers and the father of Israel's royal tribe. From Judah came King David and, ultimately, Jesus — "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Revelation 5:5).

From sin to surety

It was Judah who proposed selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:26–27), and Judah whose failures with Tamar exposed his sin (Genesis 38). Yet he matured: when the brothers returned to Egypt, Judah pledged himself as surety for Benjamin and offered to become Joseph's slave in the boy's place — a turning point of self-sacrifice (Genesis 44:33).

The royal blessing

On his deathbed Jacob gave Judah the preeminent blessing: "Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise… The sceptre shall not depart from Judah… until Shiloh come" (Genesis 49:8–10) — words long understood as a messianic promise of the kingship that would arise from his line.

Life Timeline

1869 BC

Proposes selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites

Genesis 37:26
1860 BC

Offers himself as surety for Benjamin in Egypt

Genesis 44:33
1859 BC

Receives Jacob’s messianic blessing of the sceptre

Genesis 49:10

On the Bible timeline

Judah belongs to the The Patriarchs era (c. 2100 – 1800 BC).

  1. c. 2091 BCThe Call of Abraham
  2. c. 1898 BCJoseph Sold into Egypt

Family Tree

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Themes & lessons from Judah

Biblical themes that run through the passages where Judah appears.

Jacob6×Children4×Patriarchal Government4×Tribes of Israel, the4×Inheritance3×Judah, the Tribe Of3×Shelah3×Onan2×Sheep2×Shua2×Adullam1×Ishmaelites1×Leah1×Pledge1×Reuben1×Sodomites1×Timnath1×Wife1×

People they appear with

Tamar3×
Er3×
Shelah3×
Hirah2×
Onan2×
Joseph2×
Jacob1×
Leah1×
Reuben1×
Simeon1×
Levi1×
Issachar1×
Zebulun1×
Perez1×
Hezron1×

Places in their story

Goshen1×
Shiloh1×

Scripture Appearances

26 verses in 1 book
Genesis26 verses

Genesis 29:35

And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing. Judah: that is, Praise left: Heb. stood from bearing

Genesis 35:23

The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:

Genesis 37:26

And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?

Genesis 38:1

And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

Genesis 38:2

And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.

Genesis 38:6

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

Genesis 38:7

And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

Genesis 38:8

And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

Genesis 38:11

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

Genesis 38:12

And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. in process: Heb. the days were multiplied

Genesis 38:15

When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.

Genesis 38:20

And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.

Genesis 38:22

And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.

Genesis 38:23

And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her. be shamed: Heb. become a contempt

Genesis 38:24

And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

Genesis 38:26

And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

Genesis 43:3

And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. did: Heb. protesting protested

Genesis 43:8

And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

Genesis 44:14

And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

Genesis 44:16

And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

Genesis 44:18

Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

Genesis 46:12

And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.

Genesis 46:28

And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

Genesis 49:8

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.

Genesis 49:9

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?

Genesis 49:10

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.

Frequently asked about Judah

Who was Judah in the Bible?

The fourth son of Jacob and Leah who became leader among his brothers; the royal tribe of Judah — and the line of David and Jesus — descends from him.

What does the name Judah mean?

The name Judah means “Praise”.

What did Judah do in the Bible?

Judah served as patriarch.

Who were Judah's children?

Judah's children include Perez, Zerah.

Who were Judah's parents?

Judah was the child of Jacob, Leah.

Where does Judah appear in the Bible?

Judah is mentioned 26 times across 1 book: Genesis.

What can we learn from Judah?

The story of Judah touches on themes of jacob, children, patriarchal government, tribes of israel, the — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Judah's life.

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