Judah

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1. The fourth son of Jacob and Leah, and the head of the tribe bearing his name, which signifies “praise.” It was Judah who advised the selling of Joseph rather than taking his life: so his descendants, the Jews, delivered the Lord into the hands of the Gentiles. He sinned in the matter of Tamar his daughter-in-law; was ready enough to have her punished till it was shown that he also was guilty. Thus is traced the terribly corrupt history of the family of whom according to election Christ was to be born. Though not the eldest son he began to take a chief place in the family. He was able to persuade his father to let Benjamin be taken into Egypt, and when appeals were to be made to Joseph it was Judah who made them. When Jacob blessed his sons, the predictions show that in Judah was centered the royal line. The scepter should not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh came (Gen. 49:8-128Judah, 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. 9Judah 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? 10The 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. 11Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: 12His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. (Genesis 49:8‑12)). From Judah sprang David and a long succession of kings. Christ as born of the tribe of Judah, is referred to as “the Lion of the tribe of Juda” (Rev. 5:55And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. (Revelation 5:5)). In Luke 3:3333Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda, (Luke 3:33); Hebrews 7:1414For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. (Hebrews 7:14); Revelation 5:55And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. (Revelation 5:5) and Revelation 7:55Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. (Revelation 7:5), the name is given as JUDA: and in Matthew 1:2-32Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; (Matthew 1:2‑3), it is JUDAS.
The tribe held a prominent position. In the journeyings of the Israelites, Judah took the lead, and at the first and second census their numbers were 74,600 and 76,500. Their allotted portion was large. Its east border embraced the whole of the Dead Sea, and extended to Gath and the land of the Philistines on the west. Its northern boundary was about 31° 48' N, and in the south it extended to the Desert of Paran. Jerusalem was near the border between Judah and Benjamin. In Joshua 18:2828And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families. (Joshua 18:28) it is one of the cities mentioned as falling to Benjamin; but in Joshua 15:6363As for 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 15:63) and Judges 1:88Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. (Judges 1:8) it is referred to Judah. David and his successors being of this tribe, Jerusalem became their dwelling place.