Thematic Bible: Judah


Thematic Bible



Right about then, Judah left his brothers and went to live with an Adullamite man named Hirah. There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her, had sexual relations with her, and she conceived, bore a son, and named him Er. read more.
Later, she conceived again, bore another son, and named him Onan. Then she bore yet another son and named him Shelah. Judah was living in Kezib when she bore him. Judah found a wife for his oldest son Er. Her name was Tamar. But the LORD considered Er, Judah's oldest son, to be wicked so he put him to death. So Judah instructed Onan, "You are to have sexual relations with your dead brother's wife, performing the duty of a brother-in-law with her, and have offspring for your brother." But Onan knew that the offspring wouldn't be his own heir, so whenever he had sexual relations with his brother's wife, he would spill his semen on the ground to avoid fathering offspring for his brother. The LORD considered what Onan was doing to be evil, so he put him to death, too. After this, Judah told his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Go live as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up." But he was really thinking, ""otherwise, Shelah might die like his brothers." So Tamar left and lived in her father's house. Some years later, Shua's daughter (that is, Judah's wife) died. As Judah was grieving, he visited the shearers of his flock in Timnah, accompanied by his Adullamite friend Hirah. "Look!" somebody reported to Tamar, "Your father-in-law is going to Timnah to shear his sheep." So she took off her mourning apparel, covered herself with a shawl, and concealed her outward appearance. Then she went out and sat at the entrance of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah, because she knew that even though Shelah had grown up, she wasn't being given to him as his wife. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, since she had concealed her face. So on the way, he turned aside, approached her, and said, "Come on! Let's have some sex!" But he didn't realize that he was talking to his own daughter-in-law. "What will you give me," she asked, "in order to have sex with me?" "I'll send you a young goat from the flock," he responded. But she pressed him, asking, "What security will you put up until you've sent it?" Then he asked, "What pledge do you want me to give you?" "Your signet ring, cord, and the staff in your hand," she suggested. So he gave them to her, had sex with her, and she became pregnant by him. Then she got up and left. Later, she took off her shawl and put on her mourning clothes. Later on, Judah sent his Adullamite friend to take her a young goat, intending to retrieve what he had put up as security from the woman, but he could not find her. He asked the men who lived in that area, "Where's that temple prostitute who was sitting alongside the road at Enaim?" But they replied, "There's been no temple prostitute here." So he returned to Judah and said, "I haven't found her. Also, the men who are from there said, "There's been no prostitute here.'" Then Judah said, "Let her have those things. Otherwise, we'll become contemptible. I sent this young goat, but you didn't find her." Three months later, it was reported to Judah, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution! And look! She's pregnant because of it!" "Bring her out," Judah responded. "Let's burn her to death!"

and next to him was Zichri's son Amasiah, who had volunteered to serve the LORD. He commanded 200,000 elite forces. Verse ConceptsGiving, Of OneselfExamples Of ConsecrationTwo Hundred Thousand And MoreVolunteering

Janum, Beth-tappuach, Aphekah,

Uzzia the Ashterathite, Hotham the Aroerite's sons Shama and Jeiel,

Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa,

During his lifetime, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jehoiakim, who became his vassal for three years, after which he turned against Nebuchadnezzar and rebelled. The LORD sent raiding parties from the Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites against Jehoiakim. He sent them against Judah to destroy it, in keeping with the message from the LORD that he had spoken through his servants, the prophets. It was truly by the command of the LORD against Judah that it came, in order to remove them from his sight, because of every sin that Manasseh had committed, read more.
as well as for the innocent blood that he had shed. He had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD would not forgive them. Now the rest of Jehoiakim's actions, and everything that he undertook, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? Jehoiakim died, as did his ancestors, and his son Jehoiachin became king in his place. The king of Egypt did not leave his territory again, because the king of Babylon had taken everything that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River. Jehoiachin became king at the age of eighteen years, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His mother was named Hausa. She was the daughter of Elzaphan of Jerusalem. He practiced what the LORD considered to be evil, just as his ancestors had done. At that time, the servants of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem and the city was placed under siege. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up against the city, along with his servants, who besieged it. King Jehoiachin of Judah surrendered to the king of Babylon (as did his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers) during the eighth year of his reign. Nebuchadnezzar carried off from there all of the treasures of the LORD's Temple, along with the treasures in the king's palace. He cut into pieces all the gold vessels in the LORD's Temple that King Solomon of Israel had made, just as the LORD had said would happen. Then Nebuchadnezzar sent away into exile all of Jerusalem all the captains, all the valiant soldiers, 10,000 captives, and all of the craftsmen and ironworkers. Nobody remained except the poorest people of the land. He sent Jehoiachin into exile to Babylon, along with the king's mother, the king's wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. All 7,000 of the most valiant soldiers and 1,000 of the craftsmen and ironworkers all physically fit and trained for battle were brought by the king of Babylon into exile in Babylon.

Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon, for a total of six cities and villages. Verse ConceptsSix Things

Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet,

But Judah approached him and begged him, "Your Excellency, please allow your servant to speak to you privately. Please don't be angry with your servant, since you are equal to Pharaoh. Your Excellency asked his servants, "Do you have a father or brother?' and we answered Your Excellency, "We have an aged father and a younger child who was born when he was old. His brother is now dead, so he's the only surviving son of his mother. His father loves him.' read more.
"But then you ordered your servants, "Bring him here to me so I can see him for myself.' So we told Your Excellency, "The young man cannot leave his father, because if he were to do so, his father would die.' But then you told your servants, "Unless your youngest brother comes back with you, you won't see my face again.' Later on, after we had gone back to your servant, my father, we told him what Your Excellency had said. ""Go back,' our father ordered, "and buy us a little food.' "But we told him, "We can't go back there. If our youngest brother accompanies us, we'll go back, but we cannot see the man's face again unless our youngest brother accompanies us.' "Then your servant, our father, told us, "You know my wife bore me two sons. One of them left me, so I concluded "I'm certain that he has been torn to pieces," and I haven't seen him since then. If you take this one from me, too, and then something harmful happens to him, then it will be death for me and my sad, gray hair!' "So when I go back to your servant, my father, and the young man isn't with us, since he's constantly living life focused on his son, when he notices that the young man hasn't come back with us, he'll die, and your servants really will have brought death to your servant, our father, along with his sad, gray hair! Also, your servant pledged his own life as a guarantee of the young man's safety. I told my father, "If I don't bring him back to you, you can blame me forever.' Therefore, please allow your servant to remain as a slave to Your Excellency, instead of the young man, and let the young man go back home with his brothers. After all, how can I go back to my father if the young man doesn't accompany me? I'm afraid of what might happen to my father."

Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (also known as Debir),

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab, and said, "Surely he's the LORD's anointed." Verse ConceptsWorthinessLooking Intently At PeopleLeadership Qualities

for Judah there was Elihu, one of David's brothers; for Issachar there was Michael's son Omri;

Also included were Arab, Dumah, Eshan,

including Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

proceeding south to the ascent of Akrabbim, then continuing to Zin, and from there up along the south of Kadesh-barnea to Hezron, and from there up to Addar and then to Karka,

toward Beth-hoglah, and continuing on the north of Beth-arabah. The border ascended up to the boundary marker set up by Reuben's son Bohan. Verse ConceptsStones As Monuments

Also included were Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor,

People from Ziph came up to Saul at Gibeah and informed him, "David is hiding with us in the strongholds in Horesh and on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon, isn't he? Verse ConceptsSouthTelling Of Movements

Saul camped by the road on the hill of Hachilah, across from Jeshimon, while David was staying in the wilderness. When he realized that Saul had come after him in the wilderness,

Judah, you have as many gods as you have towns, and you have set up as many altars to the shameful idols as there are streets in Jerusalem. You burn incense to Baal on these altars. Verse ConceptsBaal Worship, HistoryAltars, PaganIncense Offered AmissMany Spiritual Beings

So on the way, he turned aside, approached her, and said, "Come on! Let's have some sex!" But he didn't realize that he was talking to his own daughter-in-law. "What will you give me," she asked, "in order to have sex with me?" "I'll send you a young goat from the flock," he responded. But she pressed him, asking, "What security will you put up until you've sent it?" Then he asked, "What pledge do you want me to give you?"

Judah's daughter-in-law Tamar also bore him Perez and Zerah, so Judah had five sons in all. Verse ConceptsFive PeopleDaughters In Law

Amaziah, son of Judah's King Joash, became king during the second year of the reign of Joash, son of King Joahaz of Israel, at the age of 25. He reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddin; she was from Jerusalem. He practiced what the LORD considered to be right, but not like his ancestor David did. He acted as his father Joash had done, read more.
except that the high places were not abolished. The people continued to offer sacrifices and to burn incense on the high places. Later on, as soon as he was in firm control of his kingdom, he executed the servants who had murdered his father the king, but he did not execute the children of the murderers, in keeping with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, as the LORD had commanded: "Fathers must not be put to death because of their children's sin; nor are children to die because of their fathers' sin, for each person is to be put to death for his own sin." Joash executed 10,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley and captured Sela in battle, renaming it Joktheel, which remains its name to this day. Later, Amaziah sent couriers to Jehoahaz's son Jehoash, grandson of King Jehu of Israel, challenging him, "Come on! Let's fight face to face!" But King Jehoash of Israel sent this message to King Amaziah of Judah: "The thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar of Lebanon: "Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' But just then a wild beast from Lebanon wandered by and trampled down the thorn bush. You just defeated Edom and you're arrogant. Bask in your victory and stay home. Why incite trouble so that you yes, you! fall, along with Judah with you?" But Amaziah refused to listen. So Israel's King Jehoash and Judah's King Amaziah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which is part of Judah. Judah was defeated by Israel, and everybody fled to their own tents. Then King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah's King Amaziah, the son of Jehoash and grandson of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. He went to Jerusalem and demolished 400 cubits of the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. He confiscated all the gold and silver, all the instruments he could find in the LORD's Temple and in the palace treasuries. He also captured some hostages and then returned to Samaria. The rest of Jehoash's activities that he undertook, including his valor in fighting King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not? Jehoash died, as had his ancestors, and he was buried in Samaria alongside the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam reigned in his place. Joash's son, King Amaziah of Judah, lived for fifteen years after Jehoahaz' son, King Jehoash of Israel, died. The rest of Amaziah's activities are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? A conspiracy arose against him in Jerusalem, and he ran off to Lachish, but he was pursued to Lachish and killed there. His body was brought back on horses and he was buried at Jerusalem alongside his ancestors in the City of David.

In the fourth year of King Hezekiah's reign (that is, during the seventh year of Elah's son Hoshea's reign as king of Israel), King Shalmaneser from Assyria invaded Samaria and besieged it. Three years later, they captured Samaria during the sixth year of Hezekiah's reign, which was the ninth year of Hoshea's reign as king of Israel. After this, the king of Assyria carried Israel off into exile in Assyria, settling them in Halah, on the Habor River in Gozan, and in cities controlled by the Medes, read more.
because they would not obey the voice of the LORD their God. Instead, they transgressed his covenant, including everything that Moses, the servant of the LORD, had commanded, by neither listening nor putting what he had commanded into practice. During the fourteenth year of the reign of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria approached all of the walled cities of Judah and seized them. So Hezekiah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: "I have offended you. Withdraw from me, and I'll accept whatever tribute you impose." So the king of Assyria required Hezekiah to pay him 300 talents of silver and 30 talents of gold. Hezekiah gave him all the silver that could be removed from the LORD's Temple and from the treasuries in the king's palace. At that time, Hezekiah removed the doors to the LORD's Temple and the doorposts that he had overlaid with gold, and gave the gold to the king of Assyria. Sometime later, the king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rab-saris, and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem, accompanied with a large army. When they called for the King, Hilkiah's son Eliakim, who managed the household, Shebnah the scribe, and Asaph's son Joah the recorder went out to them. Rab-shakeh told them, "Tell Hezekiah right now, "This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: ""Why are you so confident? You're saying but they're only empty words "I have enough advice and resources to conduct warfare!' ""Now who are you relying on, that you have rebelled against me? Look, you're trusting on Egypt to lean on like a staff, but it's a crushed reed, and if you lean on it, it will collapse and pierce your hand. Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is just like that to everyone who relies on him! ""Of course, you might tell me, "We rely on the LORD our God!" But isn't it he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has demolished, all the while telling Jerusalem, "You're to worship in front of this altar in Jerusalem?"' ""Come now, and make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria, and I'll give you 2,000 horses, if you can furnish them with riders. How can you refuse even one official from the least of my master's servants and rely on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? "Now then, haven't I come up apart from the LORD to attack and destroy this place? The LORD told me, "Go up against this land and destroy it!'"'" At this, Hilkiah's son Eliakim, Shebnah, and Joah asked Rab-shakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, because we understand it, but don't speak the language of Judah to us within the hearing of the people who are on the wall." But Rab-shakeh spoke to them, "Has my master sent me to talk about this just to your master and to you, and not also to the men who are sitting on the wall, who will soon be eating their own feces and drinking their own urine along with you?" Then Rab-shakeh stood up and cried out loud, "Listen to what the great king, the king of Assyria has to say. This is what the king says: "Don't let Hezekiah deceive you, because he will prove to be unable to deliver you from my control. And don't let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD by telling you, "The LORD will certainly deliver us and this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria." Don't listen to Hezekiah, because this is what the king of Assyria says: "Make peace with me and come out to me! Each of you will eat from his own vine. Each will eat from his own fig tree. And each of you will drink water from his own cistern until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, one overflowing with grain and new wine, a land filled with bread and vineyards, with olive trees and honey, so you may live and not die." "But don't listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, "The LORD will deliver us!" Has any of the gods of the nations delivered his land from control by the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sephar-vaim, of Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my control? Who among all the gods of these lands has delivered their land from my control, so that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from me?'" But the people remained silent and did not answer with even so much as a word, because the king's order was, "Don't answer him." But Hilkiah's son Eliakim, who managed the household, Shebna the scribe, and Asaph's son Joah the recorder came back to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him what Rab-shakeh had said.

Later, King Rezin of Aram and Remaliah's son Pekah, king of Israel, approached Jerusalem to attack it. They besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him. But at that time, King Rezin of Aram recovered Elath for Aram, completely removing the Judeans from Elath. Then the Arameans returned to Elath and have remained there to this day. So Ahaz sent envoys to Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, to tell him, "I am your servant and son. Save me from the king of Aram and the king of Israel, who are attacking me." read more.
Then Ahaz took the silver and gold that was in the LORD's Temple and in the palace treasuries and sent them as a gift to the king of Assyria, so the king of Assyria listened to Ahaz. He attacked Damascus, captured it, sent its people away into exile to Kir, and executed Rezin.

Right about that time, the LORD began to send King Rezin of Aram and Remaliah's son Pekah against Judah. Verse ConceptsActivity BegunActual Attacks On Jerusalem

He will raise a banner for the nations and will assemble the dispersed of Israel; he will gather the scattered people of Judah from the corners of the earth. Verse Conceptsdispersion, theRemnantOutcastsFour CornersFlagsFour Sides

"Your brothers will praise you, Judah. Your hand will be at the throat of your enemies, and your father's children will bow down to you. Judah is a lion cub. My son, you have gone up from the prey. Crouching like a lion, he lies down, Like a lioness, who would dare rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor a ruler's staff from between his feet, until the one comes, who owns them both, and to him will belong the allegiance of nations. read more.
Binding his donkey to the vine and his mare's foal to its thick tendrils, he will wash his garments in wine and his robe in the juice of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine and his teeth whiter than milk."

Right about then, Judah left his brothers and went to live with an Adullamite man named Hirah. Verse ConceptsPeople VisitingAt The Same Time

and Judah's sons Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. (Technically, Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan.) Perez's sons were Hezron and Hamul.

The descendants of Judah originally included Er and Onan, though Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

"Your brothers will praise you, Judah. Your hand will be at the throat of your enemies, and your father's children will bow down to you. Verse ConceptsBowingCommendationSalutationsOvercoming EnemiesShowing Forth His Praiseserenity

Jacob sent Judah ahead of them to meet with Joseph, who would be guiding them to Goshen, and so they arrived.

Then Judah suggested to his brothers, "Where's the profit in just killing our brother and shedding his blood? Verse ConceptsHiding Sins

Then she conceived yet again, bore a son, and said, "This time I'll praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children. Verse ConceptsCessationShowing Forth His PraisePeople With Apt Nameschildbearing

Leah's sons were Reuben (Jacob's first-born), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Verse ConceptsFirstbornFirstborn Sons

But Judah reminded him, "The man distinctly warned us: "You'll never see my face unless your brother comes with you.' Verse ConceptsNot With People

Joseph was waiting for them back at his palace when his brothers returned. They fell to the ground in front of him, Verse ConceptsBowing Before Joseph

"Stop crying," one of the elders told me. "Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered. He can open the scroll and its seven seals." Verse ConceptsdefeatLions, Figurative Use OfLionsRootsSealsNames And Titles For ChristJesus As Son Of DavidPromised VictorySeven ThingsThe Act Of OpeningOpening DocumentsChrist OvercomingDo Not MournPeople Of JudahLion Of The Tribe Of Judah

As soon as Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he assembled 180,000 elite soldiers from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, intending to attack the dynasty of Israel and restore the kingdom to Solomon's son Rehoboam. Verse ConceptsWarfare, Examples OfAssembling IsraelOne Hundred Thousand And MoreReinstating PeopleCivil War

Furthermore, it is obvious that our Lord was a descendant of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe. Verse ConceptsPriesthood, In NtPeople Of Judahconnectionpriests

So King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: "Ask the elders of Judah, "Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace, considering that what's being reported throughout all of Israel has come to the king at his palace? Verse ConceptsPeople Who DelayedPeople Of Judah

He declared this about Judah: "Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah and return him to his people. With his own strength he fights for himself, and you will be of assistance against his enemies." Verse ConceptsTribes Of IsraelGod Help!Pay Attention O God!

But the tribe of Judah told the tribe of Simeon, the descendants of Judah's brother, "Come with us into our territory, and we'll both fight the Canaanites. In return, we'll go with you when you fight in your territory." So the army of the tribe of Simeon accompanied the army of the tribe of Judah. Verse ConceptsInvitationsFighting TogetherAnger Subsiding

Ish-bosheth began to reign over Israel at the age of 40 years, and he reigned for two years, even though Judah's lineage followed David. Verse ConceptsTwo YearsList Of Kings Of Israel

"No one patches an old garment with a piece of unshrunk cloth. If he does, the patch pulls away from it the new from the old and a worse tear is made. Verse ConceptsNewnessSewingBad SituationsRepairingUnused


Indeed, because it was weak and ineffective, the former commandment has been annulled, Verse ConceptsLaws, AbolishedAnnulmentUseless Words

In speaking of a "new" covenant, he has made the first one obsolete, and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. Verse ConceptsLaws, AbolishedPast, TheOld ThingsGrowingcovenant


Jacob sent Judah ahead of them to meet with Joseph, who would be guiding them to Goshen, and so they arrived.

Meanwhile, the famine remained severe throughout the region. As a result, when Jacob's family was beginning to eat the last of the grain that they had brought back from Egypt, their father Jacob told his sons, "Go back to Egypt and buy us some food." But Judah reminded him, "The man distinctly warned us: "You'll never see my face unless your brother comes with you.' read more.
So if you send our brother with us, we'll go down and buy some food. But if you don't send him, we're not going, because the man told us, "You'll never see my face unless your brother is with you.'" Israel replied, "Why did you make all this trouble by telling the man that you have another brother?" "The man specifically asked about us and our relatives," they responded. "He asked us, "Is your father still alive?' and "Do you have another brother?' So we answered his questions. How could we have known that he would tell us to bring our brother back with us?" "Send the young man with me," Judah told his father Israel, "and we'll get up and go so we can survive and not die and that includes all of us, you and our families. I'll even offer myself to guarantee that I'll be responsible for him. If I don't bring him back and present him to you, I'll personally bear the consequences forever. After all, if we hadn't delayed, we could have been there and back twice by now!"

Joseph was waiting for them back at his palace when his brothers returned. They fell to the ground in front of him, and Joseph asked them, "Why did you do this? Don't you know that I'm an expert at divination?" "What can we say, Your Excellency?" Judah replied. "How can we explain this or justify ourselves? God has discovered the sin of your servants, and now we've become slaves to you, Your Excellency, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been discovered." read more.
"Far be it from me to do this," Joseph responded. "The man in whose possession the cup was discovered will be my slave, but the rest of you may leave in peace to be with your father." But Judah approached him and begged him, "Your Excellency, please allow your servant to speak to you privately. Please don't be angry with your servant, since you are equal to Pharaoh. Your Excellency asked his servants, "Do you have a father or brother?' and we answered Your Excellency, "We have an aged father and a younger child who was born when he was old. His brother is now dead, so he's the only surviving son of his mother. His father loves him.' "But then you ordered your servants, "Bring him here to me so I can see him for myself.' So we told Your Excellency, "The young man cannot leave his father, because if he were to do so, his father would die.' But then you told your servants, "Unless your youngest brother comes back with you, you won't see my face again.' Later on, after we had gone back to your servant, my father, we told him what Your Excellency had said. ""Go back,' our father ordered, "and buy us a little food.' "But we told him, "We can't go back there. If our youngest brother accompanies us, we'll go back, but we cannot see the man's face again unless our youngest brother accompanies us.' "Then your servant, our father, told us, "You know my wife bore me two sons. One of them left me, so I concluded "I'm certain that he has been torn to pieces," and I haven't seen him since then. If you take this one from me, too, and then something harmful happens to him, then it will be death for me and my sad, gray hair!' "So when I go back to your servant, my father, and the young man isn't with us, since he's constantly living life focused on his son, when he notices that the young man hasn't come back with us, he'll die, and your servants really will have brought death to your servant, our father, along with his sad, gray hair! Also, your servant pledged his own life as a guarantee of the young man's safety. I told my father, "If I don't bring him back to you, you can blame me forever.' Therefore, please allow your servant to remain as a slave to Your Excellency, instead of the young man, and let the young man go back home with his brothers. After all, how can I go back to my father if the young man doesn't accompany me? I'm afraid of what might happen to my father."

Sometime after Joshua had died, the Israelis asked the LORD, "Who is to lead us against the Canaanites in our opening attack against them?" The LORD replied, "The tribe of Judah is to lead you. Look! I've given the land into their control." But the tribe of Judah told the tribe of Simeon, the descendants of Judah's brother, "Come with us into our territory, and we'll both fight the Canaanites. In return, we'll go with you when you fight in your territory." So the army of the tribe of Simeon accompanied the army of the tribe of Judah.

When the army of the tribe of Judah went into battle, the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their control, and they defeated 10,000 men at Bezek. They located Adoni-bezek in Bezek, fought him, and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites. Adoni-bezek ran off, but they pursued him, caught him, and amputated his thumbs and big toes. read more.
Adoni-bezek used to brag, "Seventy kings without thumbs and big toes used to eat what was left under my table. God has repaid me for what I've done." They brought him to Jerusalem, and he later died there. Then the army of Judah attacked Jerusalem, captured it, executed its inhabitants, and set fire to the city. Later, the army of Judah left Jerusalem to attack the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, the Negev, and the Shephelah. They attacked the Canaanites who inhabited Hebron (formerly known as Kiriath-arba) and fought Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. The army of Judah then proceeded to attack the inhabitants of Debir, which used to be known as Kiriath-sepher. Caleb announced, "I'll give my daughter Achsah in marriage to whomever leads the attack against Kiriath-sepher and captures it." Othniel, Caleb's nephew through his younger brother Kenaz, captured the city, so Caleb awarded him his daughter Achsah in marriage. Later on, after she had arrived, she urged Othniel to ask her father for a field. As she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What do you want for yourself?" "I want this blessing from you," she replied. "Since you've given me land in the Negev, give me water springs, too." So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs. The descendants of the Kenites, the tribe from which Moses' father-in-law came, accompanied the descendants of Judah from the city of the palms to the Judean wilderness, which is in the desert area south of Arad, and lived with the people there. The army of Judah accompanied the army of Simeon, Judah's brother, as they attacked the Canaanites who were living in Zephath, and they completely destroyed it. Then they renamed the city Hormah. The army of Judah captured Gaza and its territory, Ashkelon and its territory, and Ekron and its territory. The LORD was with the army of Judah, and they captured the hill country, but did not expel the inhabitants of the valley because they were equipped with iron chariots. They gave Hebron to Caleb, just as Moses had promised, and he drove out the three sons of Anak from there. However, the descendants of Benjamin did not expel the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the descendants of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.

Here is a record of the descendants of Reuben, Israel's firstborn. (He was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's marriage bed, his birthright was transferred to the descendants of Israel's son Joseph. As a result, Reuben is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. Even though Judah became prominent among his relatives that is, the Commander-in-chief will be his descendant nevertheless the right of the firstborn went to Joseph.)

Gilead belongs to me, and Manasseh is mine. Ephraim is my helmet, and Judah my scepter. Verse ConceptsSceptreResponsibility, Of Natural WorldHelmetsPeople Belong To God

Nevertheless, the LORD God of Israel chose me from my entire ancestral household to be king over Israel forever, since he had chosen Judah as Commander-in-Chief. In my ancestor Judah's household, from my father's household, and from among my father's sons it pleased him to make me king over all of Israel. Verse ConceptsDavid, Early Lifeelection, responsibilities of

The inheritance of the tribe of Simeon was contained in part of the territory of Judah; that is, because the portion allotted to the tribe of Judah was large enough for both tribes, the tribe of Simeon obtained an inheritance within that of Judah. Verse ConceptsMore Than Enough

The second lottery went to the tribe of Simeon according to its families. Its inheritance was enclosed within the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. Verse ConceptsLand, As A Divine ResponsibilitySecond Thing

Lay out the land in seven divisions, then bring your report here to me. I will then cast lots in the presence of the LORD our God. Verse ConceptsSeven Things

Saul mustered them at Bezek, and there were 300,000 Israelis and 30,000 men of Judah. Verse ConceptsTribes Of IsraelCensusThirty Thousand And UpThree To Nine Hundred ThousandPeople Of Judah

Joab reported the total number of men to the king. In Israel there were 800,000 men trained for war. In Judah there were 500,000. Verse ConceptsSwordsTribes Of IsraelThree To Nine Hundred Thousand

The descendants of Levi included Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his associates was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. Verse ConceptsSongsThanksgiving

From the descendants of Levi: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

David began to reign when he was 30 years old, and he reigned 40 years. He reigned over Judah for seven years and six months in Hebron, and he reigned over all of Israel including Judah for 33 years in Jerusalem.

Some time later, David inquired of the LORD to ask, "Am I to move to any one of the cities of Judah?" The LORD told him, "Go." So David asked, "To which one?" He replied, "To Hebron." So David went there, along with his two wives Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, widow of Nabal from Carmel. David brought his army with him, each soldier accompanied by his household, and they settled in the cities of Hebron. read more.
After this, the army of Judah arrived, and they anointed David king over the house of Judah. There they informed David, "The men of Jabesh-gilead buried Saul." So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead and told them, "May the LORD bless you, because you showed gracious love like this to your lord Saul by burying him. Now may the Lord reward you with gracious love, as well as faithfulness, to you, too! And I will also reward you because you did this good thing. So strengthen yourselves, and be valiant in heart, because your lord Saul has died, and the household of Judah has anointed me to be king over them." Meanwhile, Ner's son Abner, the commander of Saul's army, had taken Saul's son Ish-bosheth and brought him to Mahanaim. He installed him as king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all of the rest of Israel. Ish-bosheth began to reign over Israel at the age of 40 years, and he reigned for two years, even though Judah's lineage followed David. The period of David's kingship in Hebron lasted seven years and six months.

"Stop crying," one of the elders told me. "Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered. He can open the scroll and its seven seals." Verse ConceptsdefeatLions, Figurative Use OfLionsRootsSealsNames And Titles For ChristJesus As Son Of DavidPromised VictorySeven ThingsThe Act Of OpeningOpening DocumentsChrist OvercomingDo Not MournPeople Of JudahLion Of The Tribe Of Judah

Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers. Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Aram,

All those numbered by division in the camp of Judah total 186,400. They are to be the first to travel." Verse ConceptsBeing FirstOne Hundred Thousand And MoreFirst To Fight

The standard of the camp of Judah was the first to travel, accompanied by its army with Amminadab's son Nahshon in charge. Verse ConceptsFlagsOrder Of MarchFirst To ActPeople Of Judah

"The encampment of Judah is to settle east toward the sunrise under their standard. The leader of Judah is to be Amminadab's son Nahshon. Verse ConceptseastFlagsPeople Of Judah

The genealogies of Judah's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army. Those registered with the tribe of Judah numbered 74,600.

Those in his division number 74,600. Verse ConceptsFifty To Ninety Thousand

So King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: "Ask the elders of Judah, "Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace, considering that what's being reported throughout all of Israel has come to the king at his palace? You're my relatives! You're my own flesh and blood! So why are you the last to bring back the king?' Then ask Amasa, "Aren't you my own flesh and blood? So may God deal with me, no matter how severely, if from this day forward you don't take Joab's place as commander of my army.' read more.
By doing things like this, he persuaded all the men of Judah to unite in support of him. They sent the king this message: "Come on back, you and all of your army!" So the king returned to Israel as far as the Jordan River.

Not long afterward, all the men of Israel started coming to the king, complaining to him, "Why did our relatives in Judah's army sneak you away, taking the king and his household over the Jordan River, along with David's army?" Everybody from Judah shouted to the men from Israel, "We did this because the king is closely related to us. So why are you angry about this? Have we lived off the king's expense? Have we appropriated anything for ourselves?" But the men from Israel answered the men from Judah: "We represent ten of the tribes of Israel! So we have more right to David than you do! Why haven't you taken us seriously? Weren't we the first to talk about bringing back our king?" But what the people of Judah had to say was harsher than what the people of Israel were saying.

Then Judah suggested to his brothers, "Where's the profit in just killing our brother and shedding his blood? Come on! Let's sell him to the Ishmaelites! That way, we won't have laid our hands on him. After all, he's our brother, our own flesh."

Some years later, Shua's daughter (that is, Judah's wife) died. As Judah was grieving, he visited the shearers of his flock in Timnah, accompanied by his Adullamite friend Hirah. "Look!" somebody reported to Tamar, "Your father-in-law is going to Timnah to shear his sheep." So she took off her mourning apparel, covered herself with a shawl, and concealed her outward appearance. Then she went out and sat at the entrance of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah, because she knew that even though Shelah had grown up, she wasn't being given to him as his wife. read more.
When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, since she had concealed her face. So on the way, he turned aside, approached her, and said, "Come on! Let's have some sex!" But he didn't realize that he was talking to his own daughter-in-law. "What will you give me," she asked, "in order to have sex with me?" "I'll send you a young goat from the flock," he responded. But she pressed him, asking, "What security will you put up until you've sent it?" Then he asked, "What pledge do you want me to give you?" "Your signet ring, cord, and the staff in your hand," she suggested. So he gave them to her, had sex with her, and she became pregnant by him. Then she got up and left. Later, she took off her shawl and put on her mourning clothes. Later on, Judah sent his Adullamite friend to take her a young goat, intending to retrieve what he had put up as security from the woman, but he could not find her. He asked the men who lived in that area, "Where's that temple prostitute who was sitting alongside the road at Enaim?" But they replied, "There's been no temple prostitute here." So he returned to Judah and said, "I haven't found her. Also, the men who are from there said, "There's been no prostitute here.'" Then Judah said, "Let her have those things. Otherwise, we'll become contemptible. I sent this young goat, but you didn't find her." Three months later, it was reported to Judah, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution! And look! She's pregnant because of it!" "Bring her out," Judah responded. "Let's burn her to death!" While they were bringing her out, she sent this message to her father-in-law: "I am pregnant by the man to whom these things belong. Furthermore," she added, "tell me to whom this signet ring, cord, and staff belongs." When Judah recognized them, he admitted, "She is more upright than I, because I never did give her my son Shelah." And he never had sex with her again.

with his associates Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, accompanied by the musical instruments of David, the man of God. Ezra the scribe led the procession. Verse ConceptsMan Of God

Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah.

"Your brothers will praise you, Judah. Your hand will be at the throat of your enemies, and your father's children will bow down to you. Judah is a lion cub. My son, you have gone up from the prey. Crouching like a lion, he lies down, Like a lioness, who would dare rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor a ruler's staff from between his feet, until the one comes, who owns them both, and to him will belong the allegiance of nations. read more.
Binding his donkey to the vine and his mare's foal to its thick tendrils, he will wash his garments in wine and his robe in the juice of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine and his teeth whiter than milk."

Right about then, Bichri's son Sheba, an ungodly man from the tribe of Benjamin, sounded a battle trumpet and announced: We've never been a part of David! We'll never gain anything from Jesse's son! It's every man to his tent, Israel! So all of the other Israeli soldiers abandoned David to follow Bichri's son Sheba, while the army of Judah remained with the king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.

Right about then, Judah left his brothers and went to live with an Adullamite man named Hirah. There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her, had sexual relations with her, and she conceived, bore a son, and named him Er. read more.
Later, she conceived again, bore another son, and named him Onan. Then she bore yet another son and named him Shelah. Judah was living in Kezib when she bore him. Judah found a wife for his oldest son Er. Her name was Tamar.

Now when all of Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent for him and invited him to visit their assembly, where they installed him as king over all of Israel. Nobody (with the sole exception of the tribe of Judah) would align with David's dynasty. Verse ConceptsLoyaltyCoronationsMaking KingsList Of Kings Of Israelalignment

These families of Judah numbered 76,500. Verse ConceptsFifty To Ninety Thousand

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor a ruler's staff from between his feet, until the one comes, who owns them both, and to him will belong the allegiance of nations. Verse Conceptsequipping, physicalSceptreStaffUnity, God's Goal OfProphecies Concerning ChristMessianic PropheciesGathered By God

Then she bore yet another son and named him Shelah. Judah was living in Kezib when she bore him.

He declared this about Judah: "Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah and return him to his people. With his own strength he fights for himself, and you will be of assistance against his enemies." Verse ConceptsTribes Of IsraelGod Help!Pay Attention O God!

Zichri's son Joel was their overseer, and Hassenuah's son Judah was in command of the second district of the city. Verse ConceptsOfficers

"The encampment of Judah is to settle east toward the sunrise under their standard. The leader of Judah is to be Amminadab's son Nahshon. Verse ConceptseastFlagsPeople Of Judah

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, since she had concealed her face. So on the way, he turned aside, approached her, and said, "Come on! Let's have some sex!" But he didn't realize that he was talking to his own daughter-in-law. "What will you give me," she asked, "in order to have sex with me?"

So all the princes and all the people gladly brought their tax and placed it into the chest until they had completed paying the tax. Whenever the chest was brought to the king's officials by the descendants of Levi, the royal secretary and the chief priest's designated officer would come, empty the chest, and take it back to its place. They did this day after day until they had collected a large amount of cash.

Dilan, Mizpeh, Joktheel,

"This is what the LORD says: "In the same way I'll ruin the pride of Judah and the pride of Jerusalem. Verse ConceptsJerusalem, Significance OfDestruction Of JerusalemGod Opposes The Proudarrogance

Three months later, it was reported to Judah, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution! And look! She's pregnant because of it!" "Bring her out," Judah responded. "Let's burn her to death!" Verse ConceptsProstitutionPunishment, Legal Aspects OfSexual Sin, Nature OfTwo To Four MonthsBurning PeopleDeath Penalty For Sexual SinTelling Of People's Situations

Yet in all this her treacherous sister Judah didn't return to me with her whole heart, but rather deceptively," declares the LORD. Verse ConceptsNot Whole HeartedPretenceRepentance, Nature OfHalf HeartednessNot Returning To GodRelated Nations

The hill country included Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

Judah's three sons Er, Onan, and Shelah were born to him through Bath-shua, a Canaanite. Er, Judah's firstborn, became wicked in the LORD's sight, so he put him to death. Verse ConceptsFirstbornFirstborn SonsGod Killing

The hill country included Shamir, Jattir, Socoh,

Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah, for a total of ten cities and villages. Verse ConceptsTen Things

Therefore, please allow your servant to remain as a slave to Your Excellency, instead of the young man, and let the young man go back home with his brothers. After all, how can I go back to my father if the young man doesn't accompany me? I'm afraid of what might happen to my father."

Then Judah suggested to his brothers, "Where's the profit in just killing our brother and shedding his blood? Come on! Let's sell him to the Ishmaelites! That way, we won't have laid our hands on him. After all, he's our brother, our own flesh."

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