Thematic Bible: Judah


Thematic Bible



And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in unto her. And she conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name Er. read more.
And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she called his name Onan. And she yet again conceived, and bore a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto your brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up descendants to your brother. And Onan knew that the descendant would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give a descendant to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: therefore he slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at your father's house, till Shelah my son is grown: for he said, Lest perhaps he die also, as his brothers did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. And in process of time the daughter of Shua Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheep shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold your father-in-law goes up to Timnah to shear his sheep. And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him as wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray you, let me come in unto you; (for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law.) And she said, What will you give me, that you may come in unto me? And he said, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge, till you send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give you? And she said, Your signet, and your bracelets, and your staff that is in your hand. And he gave it to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. 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. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the wayside? And they said, There was no harlot in this place. And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, There was no harlot in this place. And Judah said, Let her keep it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and you have not found her. And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by harlotry. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.


And next to him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor.


And Janim, and Bethtappuah, and Aphekah,


Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,


And to them who were in Aroer, and to them who were in Siphmoth, and to them who were in Eshtemoa,


In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servants the prophets. Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; read more.
And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that belonged to the king of Egypt. Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father had done. At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it. And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. And he carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said. And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, except the poorest sort of the people of the land. And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.


And Maarath, and Bethanoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages:


And Hazargaddah, and Heshmon, and Bethpelet,


Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant: for you are even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, Have you a father, or a brother? And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him. read more.
And you said unto your servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set my eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. And you said unto your servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, you shall see my face no more. And it came to pass when we came up unto your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us. And your servant my father said unto us, You know that my wife bore me two sons: And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: And if you take this also from me, and mischief befall him, you shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; It shall come to pass, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and your servants shall bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For your servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto you, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever. Now therefore, I pray you, let your servant abide instead of the lad a slave to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father.


And Dannah, and Kiriathsannah, which is Debir,


And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.

Of Judah, Elihu, one of the brothers of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael:


Arab, and Dumah, and Eshan,


He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,


And it went out to the south side to Maalehakrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side of Kadeshbarnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Addar, and turned about to Karka:

And the border went up to Bethhogla, and passed along north of Betharabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben:


Halhul, Bethzur, and Gedor,


Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Does not David hide himself with us in strongholds in the forest, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?

And Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon, by the road. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.


For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have you set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.


And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray you, let me come in unto you; (for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law.) And she said, What will you give me, that you may come in unto me? And he said, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge, till you send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give you? And she said, Your signet, and your bracelets, and your staff that is in your hand. And he gave it to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

And Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.


In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah. He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did. read more.
However the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places. And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants who had slain the king his father. But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, in which the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin. He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day. Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle. You have indeed struck down Edom, and your heart has lifted you up: glory in this, and tarry at home: for why should you meddle to your harm, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you? But Amaziah would not listen. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. And Judah was defeated before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents. And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits. And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king's house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead. And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years. And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there. And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.


And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: read more.
Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them. Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them. And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; turn away from me: that which you put on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king's house. At that time did Hezekiah strip the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, which is on the highway of the fuller's field. And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder. And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Speak you now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this in which you trust? You say, (but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom do you trust, that you rebel against me? Now, behold, you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust in him. But if you say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? Now therefore, I pray you, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders upon them. How then will you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it. Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh, Speak, I pray you, to your servants in the Aramaic language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall. But Rab-shakeh said unto them, Has my master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men who sit on the wall, that they may eat and drink their own waste with you? Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spoke, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria: Thus says the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus says the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by paying a tribute, and come out to me, and then eat you every man of his own vine, and everyone of his fig tree, and drink you everyone the waters of his cistern: Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil and of honey, that you may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Has any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand? But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, Answer him not. Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of Rab-shakeh.


Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. At that time Rezin king of Syria captured Elath for Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day. So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am your servant and your son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me. read more.
And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.


In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.


And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.


Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise: your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, you are gone up: he stooped down, he crouched as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. read more.
Binding his foal unto the vine, and his donkey's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.


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

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

The sons of Judah were Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise: your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's children shall bow down before you.

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

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

And she conceived again, and bore a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and ceased bearing.

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

And Judah spoke unto him, saying, The man did solemnly warn unto us, saying, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

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


And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house.

And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be a help to him from his enemies.

And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my allotted portion, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your allotted portion. So Simeon went with him.

Ish-bosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.


No man also sews a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up tears away from the old, and the tear is made worse.


For there is verily an annulment of the previous commandment because of the weakness and uselessness thereof.

In that he says, A new covenant, he has made the first old. Now that which decays and grows old is ready to vanish away.



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

And the famine was severe in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. And Judah spoke unto him, saying, The man did solemnly warn unto us, saying, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. read more.
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food: But if you will not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. And Israel said, Why dealt you so ill with me, as to tell the man whether you had yet a brother? And they said, The man asked us carefully of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have you another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we in any way know that he would say, Bring your brother down? 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 you, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shall you require him: if I bring him not unto you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever: For except we had lingered, surely now we would have returned this second time.

And Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that you have done? Know you not that such a man as I can certainly divine? And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found. read more.
And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father. Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant: for you are even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, Have you a father, or a brother? And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him. And you said unto your servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set my eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. And you said unto your servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, you shall see my face no more. And it came to pass when we came up unto your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us. And your servant my father said unto us, You know that my wife bore me two sons: And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: And if you take this also from me, and mischief befall him, you shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; It shall come to pass, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and your servants shall bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For your servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto you, then I shall bear the blame to my father forever. Now therefore, I pray you, let your servant abide instead of the lad a slave to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father.


Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand. And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my allotted portion, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with you into your allotted portion. So Simeon went with him.

And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men. And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites. But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. read more.
And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered scraps under my table: as I have done, so God has requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley. And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kiriatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai. And from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kiriathsepher: And Caleb said, He that strikes Kiriathsepher, and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife. And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife. And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she got down from her donkey; and Caleb said unto her, What do you want? And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for you have given me the south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. 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, which lies to the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people. And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah. Also Judah took Gaza with its border, and Askelon with its border, and Ekron with its border. And the LORD was with Judah; and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled from there the three sons of Anak. And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem until this day.


Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, since he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be recorded according to the birthright. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and from him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph's:)

Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the helmet for my head; Judah is my lawgiver;

However the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever: for he has chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel:


Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within their inheritance.

And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.

You shall therefore survey the land into seven parts, and bring the description here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.


And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.


Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.


David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Where shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's widow the Carmelite. And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. read more.
And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul. And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be you of the LORD, that you have shown this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. And now the LORD show kindness and truth unto you: and I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing. Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be you valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them. But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. Ish-bosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.


And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brothers; And Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begat Hezron and Hezron begat Ram;


All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were a hundred and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, according to their armies. These shall first set forth.

In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over its host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah encamp according to their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.


Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.


And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house. You are my brethren, you are my bones and my flesh: why then are you the last to bring back the king? And say you to Amasa, Are you not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you be not captain of the army before me continually in the place of Joab. read more.
And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return you, and all your servants. So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.


And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen you away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan? And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: why then are you angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's cost? or has he given us any gift? And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than you: why then did you despise us, since our advice was first in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.


And Judah said unto his brothers, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers were content.


And in process of time the daughter of Shua Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheep shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold your father-in-law goes up to Timnah to shear his sheep. And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him as wife. read more.
When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray you, let me come in unto you; (for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law.) And she said, What will you give me, that you may come in unto me? And he said, I will send you a kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give me a pledge, till you send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give you? And she said, Your signet, and your bracelets, and your staff that is in your hand. And he gave it to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. 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. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the wayside? And they said, There was no harlot in this place. And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, There was no harlot in this place. And Judah said, Let her keep it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and you have not found her. And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by harlotry. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray you, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She has been more righteous than I; because I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.


And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe went before them.

Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,


Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise: your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, you are gone up: he stooped down, he crouched as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. read more.
Binding his foal unto the vine, and his donkey's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.


And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel. So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah remained loyal to their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.


And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in unto her. And she conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name Er. read more.
And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she called his name Onan. And she yet again conceived, and bore a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.


And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.


These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, three score and sixteen thousand and five hundred.


The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.


And she yet again conceived, and bore a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bore him.


And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be a help to him from his enemies.


And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son of Hassenuah was second over the city.


And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah encamp according to their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.


When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray you, let me come in unto you; (for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law.) And she said, What will you give me, that you may come in unto me?


And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had finished. Now it came to pass, that at whatsoever time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.


And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel,


Thus says the LORD, After this manner will I ruin the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.


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


And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned unto me with her whole heart, but in pretense, says the LORD.


And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,


The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him.


And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh,


Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages:


Now therefore, I pray you, let your servant abide instead of the lad a slave to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father.


And Judah said unto his brothers, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers were content.