BIBLE PEOPLE | JUDAH, SON OF JACOB

1. Bible People

a) The Bible is an historic record of real people and places. 

b) Here is a brief biography of such a person during Bible times.

2. Judah, one of the 12 sons of Jacob (Israel)

a) Judah was one of the twelve sons of Jacob. His mother was Leah, who also gave birth to Reuben, Levi, Simeon, Issachar and Zebulun. Judah was the founder of one of the 12 Tribes of Israel. A region of Israel, which included the city of Jerusalem, was named after Judah. In fact, Judah became the name of the southern kingdom when Israel divided into two kingdoms about 2900 years ago. 

b) Judah played a role in saving the life of his brother Joseph. When Joseph's brothers had plotted to leave Joseph in a pit to die, Judah convinced his brothers to sell Joseph to Ishmaelites, rather than letting him die. (Genesis 37:26-28). Judah is shown to be the leader of his brothers in Genesis, chapters 43, 44, and 46.

c) The ancestry of Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus, is traced back to Judah. So is the ancestry of King David. In Jacob's blessing of his 12 sons, in Genesis 49, he described Judah as a lion cub, saying that he would have his hand on the necks of his enemies and that he would be praised by his brothers.

d) Jacob's blessing of Judah, in Genesis 49:8-12, includes a passage that is traditionally understood by Christians to mean that Judah's descendants would rule over the land of Israel, culminating with Jesus. In Revelation 7:1-8, Judah is at the top of the list of the tribes receiving the Seal of God for 12,000 of its members. The name Judah means "to praise."