Judah (Genesis 29:35; Genesis 37:26–27; Genesis 38:11; Genesis 38:24–26; Genesis 43:8–9; Genesis 44:16; Genesis 44:33–34; Genesis 46:12; Genesis 46:28–29; Genesis 49:8–12; Ruth 4:12; 1 Chronicles 2:3–4; Matthew 1:2–3; Luke 3:33)

Fourth Son of Leah, Surety for Benjamin

The fourth son of Jacob and Leah, who proposed that his brethren sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites, acknowledged that Tamar was more righteous than he, became surety for Benjamin and offered to abide a bondman in his place, and was blessed by his father.

Leah “conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, This time will I praise Jehovah: therefore she called his name Judah” (Genesis 29:35). He is listed among “the sons of Leah” (Genesis 35:23). When his brethren saw Joseph coming and conspired to slay him, Judah said, “What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites” (Genesis 37:26-27).

Genesis 38 tells that Judah went down from his brethren, took a wife, and had sons; that Tamar, who had been the wife of his first-born, was not given to Shelah; and that, when the matter came to light, he said, “She is more righteous than I; forasmuch as I gave her not to Shelah my son” (Genesis 38:26). When the famine pressed and Israel hesitated to send Benjamin to Egypt, Judah said, “I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him” (Genesis 43:9). Before Joseph he asked to “abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord” (Genesis 44:33).

When Israel went down into Egypt, “he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to show the way before him unto Goshen” (Genesis 46:28). In the blessing of his sons, Jacob said, “Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise” (Genesis 49:8). Scripture does not record the death of Judah. Genesis 46:12 and 1 Chronicles 2:3-4 list his sons, including Perez and Zerah, whom Tamar bare, and the people in the gate and the elders blessed Boaz, “let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah” (Ruth 4:12). The New Testament names him in the genealogies: “Jacob begat Judah and his brethren; and Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar” (Matthew 1:2-3). Luke’s genealogy also lists “the son of Perez, the son of Judah” (Luke 3:33).

Strengths

• Owns that Tamar is more righteous
• Surety for Benjamin
• Offers to abide a bondman in the lad's place
• Concern for his father's sorrow

Weaknesses

• Proposes to sell his brother
• Gives not Tamar to Shelah
• Condemns Tamar to be burnt

Themes

• Brothers
• Surety
• Joseph sold
• Judah and Tamar
• Jacob's blessing

Named by Leah (Genesis 29:31–35; Genesis 35:22–23)

Leah bears a fourth son and, saying that she will praise the LORD, calls his name Judah.

Proposes to sell Joseph (Genesis 37:18–28)

As his brethren sit down to eat and see a caravan of Ishmaelites coming, Judah asks what profit there is in slaying their brother and proposes to sell him; his brethren hearken, and Joseph is sold for twenty pieces of silver.

Proposes to sell Joseph

When Joseph's brethren saw him afar off, “they conspired against him to slay him” (Genesis 37:18). Reuben said, “Let us not take his life” (Genesis 37:21), and Joseph was cast into a pit that was empty. Then “they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead” (Genesis 37:25).

“And Judah said unto his brethren, 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, our flesh. And his brethren hearkened unto him” (Genesis 37:26-27).

“And there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt” (Genesis 37:28).

Goes down from his brethren (Genesis 38:1–11)

Judah goes down from his brethren to Hirah the Adullamite, takes the daughter of Shua, and has sons Er, Onan and Shelah; the LORD slays Er and then Onan, and Judah tells Tamar to remain a widow in her father's house till Shelah is grown.

Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38:12–30)

Seeing that Shelah is grown and she is not given to him, Tamar veils herself by the way to Timnah; Judah, not knowing her, takes her for a harlot and leaves his signet, cord and staff as a pledge; told she is with child, he says, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt, but when she sends the pledge he acknowledges it and says she is more righteous than he; she bears twins, Perez and Zerah.

Surety for Benjamin (Genesis 43:1–14)

When the food from Egypt is eaten, Judah tells Israel that the man will not see them unless Benjamin is with them, and offers to be surety for the lad.

Surety for Benjamin

“And the famine was sore in the land” (Genesis 43:1), and when the grain was eaten their father said, “Go again, buy us a little food” (Genesis 43:2). “And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you” (Genesis 43:3).

“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 thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever” (Genesis 43:8-9).

Israel answered, “take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man” (Genesis 43:13).

Pleads before Joseph (Genesis 44:1–34)

The cup is found in Benjamin's sack; Judah and his brethren fall before Joseph, and Judah draws near and asks to abide as a bondman instead of the lad.

Pleads before Joseph

“And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack” (Genesis 44:12). “And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; and he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground” (Genesis 44:14). Judah said, “God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s bondmen” (Genesis 44:16), and Joseph answered that only the man in whose hand the cup was found should be his bondman (Genesis 44:17).

“Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh, my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears” (Genesis 44:18). He told of the old father and the lad, and of the father's words: “if ye take this one also from me, and harm befall him, ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol” (Genesis 44:29).

“Now therefore, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me? lest I see the evil that shall come on my father” (Genesis 44:33-34).

Sent before Israel to Joseph (Genesis 46:8–12; Genesis 46:28–29)

Judah and his sons are named among the children of Israel who came into Egypt, and Israel sends Judah before him unto Joseph to show the way unto Goshen, where Joseph meets his father.

Blessed by Jacob (Genesis 49:1–2; Genesis 49:8–12)

Jacob calls his sons together and says of Judah that his brethren shall praise him and that the sceptre shall not depart from him.

Blessed by Jacob

“And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the latter days” (Genesis 49:1).

“Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise: Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; Thy father’s sons shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, thou art gone up: He stooped down, he couched as a lion, And as a lioness; who shall rouse him up?” (Genesis 49:8-9).

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh come: And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be. Binding his foal unto the vine, And his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; He hath washed his garments in wine, And his vesture in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, And his teeth white with milk” (Genesis 49:10-12).

Jacob (Genesis 43:8–9; Genesis 49:8–12)

His father, called Israel, to whom Judah pledged himself as surety for Benjamin and who blessed him.

Leah (Genesis 29:35; Genesis 35:23)

His mother, who called his name Judah, saying that she would praise the LORD.

Joseph (Genesis 37:26–28; Genesis 44:14–34)

The brother whom Judah proposed to sell to the Ishmaelites, and before whom he later pleaded, calling him my lord.

Benjamin (Genesis 43:8–9; Genesis 44:32–34)

The lad for whom Judah became surety and in whose place he offered to abide a bondman.

Tamar (Genesis 38:6; Genesis 38:26; Genesis 38:27–30)

His daughter-in-law, of whom he said, She is more righteous than I, and who bare him Perez and Zerah.

Perez and Zerah (Genesis 38:27–30; Ruth 4:12; 1 Chronicles 2:4; Matthew 1:3; Luke 3:33)

The twin sons Tamar bare to Judah; Perez is named in the blessing on Boaz and in the genealogies of Matthew and Luke.

Major sections

• Genesis 29:31–35
• Genesis 37:18–28
• Genesis 38
• Genesis 43–44
• Genesis 46:8–28
• Genesis 49:8–12

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