THE TRIBE OF JUDAH - PART TWO

 

A SHORT HISTORY OF JUDAH

Judah’s birth: And she (Leah) conceived again and gave birth a son; and she said, Now I will praise the LORD; therefore she called his name Judah and stopped bearing children. Genesis 29.35

Judah the businessman: Then Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Genesis 37.26

Judah sees that they can profit from their terrible deed if they sell Joseph instead of killing him.

Judah the advocate: Come and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. Genesis 37.27 (ref: Genesis 43.1-15 and Genesis 44.14-34)

Judah the organizer: And he (Jacob) sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. Gen 46.28

Jacob recognizes that Judah has matured and gives him the responsibility of getting the family to Goshen.


Judah’s sin - Genesis 38.1-30:And it came to pass at that time that Judah went down from his brethren and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah, and he took her and went in unto her.

3 And she conceived and gave birth to a son, and he called his name Er.

4 And she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Onan.

5 And she yet again conceived and gave birth to a son and called his name Shelah. And he was at Chezib, when she gave birth to him.

6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD and the LORD slew him.

8 Then Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife and marry her and raise up seed to thy brother.

9 And Onan knew that the seed would not be his, and it came to pass when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he corrupted it on the ground, to not give seed to his brother.

10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD, and he slew him also.

11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house until Shelah, my son, is grown; for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.

12 ¶ And many days passed and Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shuah, died; and Judah was comforted and went up

unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah, the Adullamite.

13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law goes up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

14 And she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself and sat by the gate to the waters by the way to Timnath, for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.

15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot because she had covered her face.

16 And he turned unto her by the way and said, Come now, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee (for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law). And she said, What wilt thou give me that thou may come in unto me?

17 And he said, I will send thee from the sheep a kid from the goats. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge until thou send it?

18 Then he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet and thy mantel and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave them to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

19 And she arose and went away and took off her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand; but he did not find her.

21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the cult prostitute of the waters by the way side? And they said, There was no cult prostitute in this place.

22 And he returned to Judah and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said that there was no cult prostitute in this place.

23 And Judah said, Let her take the things for herself lest we be shamed; behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

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

25 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 thee, whose are these, the signet and mantel and staff.

26 Then Judah acknowledged them, and said, She has been more righteous than I because I did not give her to Shelah, my son. And he knew her again no more.

27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail that, behold, twins were in her womb.

28 And it came to pass when she travailed, that the one put out his hand, and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

29 And it came to pass as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out; and she said, Why hast thou brought this breach upon thee? Therefore his name was called Pharez.

30 And afterward his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand came out, and his name was called Zarah.

Judah’s first three sons:Read above for details.
 
1. Er which means = “watchful, awake.”
2. Onan which means = “powerful, sinful, wicked, malicious, spiteful, malignant.”
3. Shelah which means = “rock, crag, crevice.” It also means = “silence, pause and to think.” Selah is used in the Psalms as a pause to stop and think.

Judah’s sin with Tamar, read above Genesis 38. Judah was neglectful in fulfilling the Torah by not having his remaining son Shelah go in to her and provide her with an heir. Since he was neglectful Tamar decided to trick him into providing an heir for her. Judah thought she was a harlot and there would be no consequences for his actions. As we can see in the Genesis story above that was not true.

When Judah heard that his daughter in law was pregnant he became indignant and sentenced her to death not realizing he was the father of her child.

God blessed Tamar for all the rejection and unfair treatment she received at the hand of her father in law Judah. It seems strange but it shows God’s mercy and grace on us even when we sin. Her motive was righteous according to the law. It appears she would never know a man again after Judah repented of his sin:

Then Judah acknowledged them, and said, She has been more righteous than I because I did not give her to Shelah, my son. And he knew her again no more. Genesis 38.26

There is always a cost for sin. Judah and Tamar would have no more children and Tamar would never have a proper husband. But God was gracious as one of the twins that Tamar birthed, Pharez, would become part of the lineage of Yeshua:

Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; Phares begat Esrom; Esrom begat Aram…Matt 1.3

And it came to pass when she travailed, that the one put out his hand, and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. And it came to pass as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out; and she said, Why hast thou brought this breach upon thee? Therefore his name was called Pharez. And afterward his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand came out, and his name was called Zarah. Gen 38.28-30

Pharez means = “a breach, a breaking forth, gap, a tear, to be set free.” This must have been a painful birth for Tamar as the two wrestled in her womb. It is amazing she survived. A breach baby can cause the death of the mother. Pharez speaks of suffering. Our Lord Yeshua suffered for us on the cross and set us free from sin.

Zarah means = “a rising of light, to be set free.” At the end of the age Judah (Jews) will accept the scarlet thread of salvation, the blood of Yeshua, their Messiah!

Judah’s character: it came to pass at that time that Judah went down from his brethren and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. Genesis 38.1

Judah got in trouble when he strays from his brothers and the way the Lord wants him to walk. It seems Judah’s weakness wine, women, and money. Judah took a Canaanite woman which he was not supposed to do and had three children with her. He was hanging out with the wrong people. How many times has that happened to us at one time or another. We need to keep on the path that the Lord has chosen for us.

When Judah walks with the Lord he is a leader. He has great people skills and can advocate with God for his people. He has a great gift for reasoning. He’s a great lawyer! Judah has great influence with his brothers and they will listen to his counsel. In the end Judah’s plea to Joseph made Joseph realize his brothers had a change of heart and he revealed himself to them. This paved the way for the tribes to go to Egypt and become a nation.

Judah is royalty and he is great only as he realizes his high calling in God. Both Benjamin and Levi united with Judah to form the southern kingdom. When Yeshua returns he will reign and Judah will be the governing tribe along with Yeshua in the capital of all the earth, Jerusalem.