The days are coming, declares Jehovah, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch. He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.

You Bethlehem Ephrathah who are little to be among the thousands of Judah. Out of you one will come to me who is to be ruler in Israel! His origin is from of old, from everlasting (days of antiquity) (ancient times).

Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are not the least of the leading cities of Judah. A leader will come out of you. He will shepherd my people Israel.

It is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

Birthright was

The blessings of your father are greater than the blessings of the oldest mountains and the riches of the ancient hills. May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the prince among his brothers.

Those he first recognized, he ordained in advance that they be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

General references

The roster of families and households for the descendants of Judah listed the men by name that were at least twenty years old and eligible for military duty.

These were the families of Judah. The total number of men was seventy-six thousand five hundred.

The day he wills his possessions to his sons, he should not put the firstborn son of the loved wife before the firstborn son of the unloved wife.