Reference: Judah, Tribe Of
Easton
Judah and his three surviving sons went down with Jacob into Egypt (Ge 46:12; Ex 1:2). At the time of the Exodus, when we meet with the family of Judah again, they have increased to the number of 74,000 males (Nu 1:26-27). Its number increased in the wilderness (Nu 26:22). Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, represented the tribe as one of the spies (). This tribe marched at the van on the east of the tabernacle (Nu 2:3-9; 10:14), its standard, as is supposed, being a lion's whelp. Under Caleb, during the wars of conquest, they conquered that portion of the country which was afterwards assigned to them as their inheritance. This was the only case in which any tribe had its inheritance thus determined (Jos 14:6-15; 15:13-19).
The inheritance of the tribe of Judah was at first fully one-third of the whole country west of Jordan, in all about 2,300 square miles (Jos 15). But there was a second distribution, when Simeon received an allotment, about 1,000 square miles, out of the portion of Judah (Jos 19:9). That which remained to Judah was still very large in proportion to the inheritance of the other tribes. The boundaries of the territory are described in Jos 15:20-63.
This territory given to Judah was divided into four sections. (1.) The south (Heb negeb), the undulating pasture-ground between the hills and the desert to the south (Jos 15:21.) This extent of pasture-land became famous as the favourite camping-ground of the old patriarchs. (2.) The "valley" (Jos 15:33) or lowland (Heb shephelah), a broad strip lying between the central highlands and the Mediterranean. This tract was the garden as well as the granary of the tribe. (3.) The "hill-country," or the mountains of Judah, an elevated plateau stretching from below Hebron northward to Jerusalem. "The towns and villages were generally perched on the tops of hills or on rocky slopes. The resources of the soil were great. The country was rich in corn, wine, oil, and fruit; and the daring shepherds were able to lead their flocks far out over the neighbouring plains and through the mountains." The number of towns in this district was thirty-eight (Jos 15:48-60). (4.) The "wilderness," the sunken district next the Dead Sea (Jos 15:61), "averaging 10 miles in breadth, a wild, barren, uninhabitable region, fit only to afford scanty pasturage for sheep and goats, and a secure home for leopards, bears, wild goats, and outlaws" (1Sa 17:34; 22:1; Mr 1:13). It was divided into the "wilderness of En-gedi" (1Sa 24:1), the "wilderness of Judah" (Jg 1:16; Mt 3:1), between the Hebron mountain range and the Dead Sea, the "wilderness of Maon" (1Sa 23:24). It contained only six cities.
Nine of the cities of Judah were assigned to the priests (Jos 21:9-19).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
The children of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Sarah - but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The children of Perez, Hezron, and Hamul.
Among the children of Judah, their generation in their kindreds and houses of their fathers - by the number of names, from twenty years and above, all that were able to war - were told in the tribe of Judah seventy four thousand and six hundred.
On the east side, toward the rising of the sun, shall they of the standard of the host of Judah pitch with their arms; and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain over the sons of Judah: and his host, and the number of them, seventy four thousand and six hundred. read more. And next unto him shall the tribe of Issachar pitch; and Nethanel the son of Zuar captain over the children of Issachar: his host, and the number of them, fifty four thousand and four hundred. And then the tribe of Zebulun; with Eliab the son of Helon, captain over the children of Zebulun: and his host, in the number of them, fifty seven thousand and four hundred. So that all they that pertain unto the host of Judah, are a hundred thousand eighty six thousand and four hundred in their companies: and these shall go in the forefront, when they journey.
even the standard of the host of Judah removed first with their armies, whose captain was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
These are the kindreds of Judah, in number seventy six thousand and five hundred.
And the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said unto him, "Thou knowest what the LORD said unto Moses the man of God, about me and thee in Kadesh Barnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land. And I brought them word again even as I thought in mine heart. read more. Nevertheless, my brethren that went up with me discouraged the hearts of the people. But I followed the LORD my God even unto the end. And Moses sware the same season saying, 'The land whereon thy feet have trodden, shall be thine inheritance and thy children forever because thou hast followed the LORD my God continually.' And now behold, the LORD hath kept me lusty, as he said, this forty and five years, even since the LORD spake unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. And now see I am this day four score and five years: and yet am as strong at this time, as I was when Moses sent me: look how strong I was then, so strong I am now, to war and to do all manner of things. Now, therefore, give me this mountain which the LORD at that time promised, for thou heardest at the time, how the Anakims were there, and how the cities were great and walled. I trust the LORD will be with me, and I shall drive them out as the LORD said." And Joshua blessed Caleb the son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron to inherit. And Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, unto this day: because he followed the LORD God of Israel perpetually. And the name of Hebron was called in old time, Kiriatharba, which was a huge man among the Anakims. And the land ceased from war.
And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh was there a part given among the children of Judah, by the mouth of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Kiriatharba father of Anak which city is called Hebron. And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the sons begotten of Anak. read more. And he went up thence, to the inhabiters of Debir, whose name in the old time was Kiriathsepher. And Caleb said, "He that smiteth Kiriathsepher and taketh it: to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel, the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb took it. And he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. And as she went, she moved him to ask of her father a field. And she alighted off her ass. And Caleb said unto her, "What aileth thee?" And she said, "Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a southward and dry land: give me also springs of water." Then he gave her springs of water, both above and beneath. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah in their kindreds. And the cities of the tribe of the children of Judah in all quarters, toward the coasts of Edom southward, were: Kabzeel, Eder, and Jagur;
And the cities of the tribe of the children of Judah in all quarters, toward the coasts of Edom southward, were: Kabzeel, Eder, and Jagur; Kinah, Dimonah, and Adadah; read more. Kadesh, Hazor, and Ithnan; Ziph, Telem, and Bealoth; Hazor Hadattah, and Keriothhezron, otherwise called Hazor; Amam, Shema, and Moladah; Hazargaddah, Heshmon, and Bethpelet; Hazarshual, Beersheba, and Bazjothjah; Baalah, Iim, and Ezem; Eltolad, Chesil, and Hormah; Ziklag, Madmannah, and Sansannah; Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: all these cities are twenty and nine with their villages. And in the low country they had Eshtaol, Zorah, and Ashnah;
And in the low country they had Eshtaol, Zorah, and Ashnah; Zanoah, Engannim, Tappuah and Enam; read more. Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah; Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages. Zenan, Hadashah, and Migdalgad; Dilean, Mizpeh, and Joktheel; Lachish, Bozkath, and Eglon; Cabbon, Lahmam, and Chitlish; Gederoth, Bethdagon, Naamah and Makkedah: sixteen cities with their villages. Libnah, Ether, and Ashan; Iphtah, Ashnah, and Nezib; Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages. Ekron with their towns and villages. And from Ekron out to the sea, all that lieth about Ashdod with their villages. Ashdod with her towns and villages. Gaza with her towns and villages, even unto the river of Egypt: and the great sea with the coasts that lie thereon. And in the mountains, they had Shamir, Jattir, and Socoh;
And in the mountains, they had Shamir, Jattir, and Socoh; Dannah, and Kiriathsannah, which is Debir;
Anab, Eshtemoh, and Anim; Goshen, Holon, and Giloh: eleven cities with their villages.
Goshen, Holon, and Giloh: eleven cities with their villages. Arab, Dumah, and Eshan;
Janim, Bethtappuah and Aphekah; Humtah, and Kiriatharba, which is Hebron, and Zior: nine cities with their villages.
Humtah, and Kiriatharba, which is Hebron, and Zior: nine cities with their villages. Maon, Carmel, Ziph, and Juttah;
Jezreel, Jokdeam, and Zanoah; Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah: ten cities with their villages.
Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah: ten cities with their villages. Halhul Bethzur, and Gedor;
Halhul Bethzur, and Gedor; Maarath, Bethanoth, and Eltekon: Six cities with their villages.
Maarath, Bethanoth, and Eltekon: Six cities with their villages. Kiriathbaal, which is Kiriathjearim, and Harabbah: Two cities with their villages.
Kiriathbaal, which is Kiriathjearim, and Harabbah: Two cities with their villages. And in the wilderness they had Betharabah, Middin and Secacah;
And in the wilderness they had Betharabah, Middin and Secacah; Nibshan, the city of salt, and Engedi: Six cities with their villages. read more. But the Jebusites that were the inhabiters of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not cast out. Wherefore the Jebusites dwell among the children of Judah unto this day.
Out of the portion of the children of Judah came the inheritance of the children of Simeon. For the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: and therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance in the inheritance of them.
And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities by name: which the children of Aaron, being of the kindreds of the Kohathites, and of the children of Levi, obtained - for theirs was the first lot. read more. And they gave them Kiriatharba of the father of Anak, which is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs of the same round about it. But the country that pertained to the city and the villages thereof, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh, to be his possession. And thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest the franchised cities of the slayer, Hebron with her suburbs, and Libnah with her suburbs; and Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her suburbs, and Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs, and Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs: Nine cities out of those two tribes. And out of the tribe of Benjamin they gave Gibeon with her suburbs; Geba with her suburbs; Anathoth with her suburbs; Almon with her suburbs: Four cities. All these cities of the children of Aaron priests were thirteen cities with their Suburbs.
And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father-in-law, went up out of the city of palm trees, with the children of Judah, into the wilderness of Judah that lieth in the South of Arad, and dwelt among the people.
Then said David unto Saul, "As thy servant kept his father's sheep, there came a Lion and likewise a Bear, and took a sheep out of the flock.
And David departed thence and escaped, and came unto the cave of Adullam. When his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went thither to him.
And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the wild field, on the righthand of the wilderness.
Then Saul was come again from the Philistines, it was told him, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi."
In those days John the Baptist came, and preached in the wilderness of Jewry,
and he was there in the wilderness forty days, and was tempted of Satan, and was with wild beasts. And the angels ministered unto him.