Difference between revisions of "Judah" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''Judah'''/'''Yehuda''' ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: '''יְהוּדָה''', <small>[[Hebrew language#Modern Hebrew|Standard]]</small> ''Yəhuda'') was, according to the [[Book of Genesis]], the fourth son of [[Jacob]] and [[Leah]], and the founder of the [[Israelites|Israelite tribe]] of [[Tribe of Judah|Judah]].
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Judah (Biblical figure)
 
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Judah or Yehuda (Hebrew: יְהוּדָה, Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh, "God" + "Thanks") is the fourth son of Jacob and Leah and the founder of the Tribe of Judah, as related in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. He was born in Padan-aram.[1]
 
  
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Contents [hide]
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==Judah's name==
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1 Name
 
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2 Background
 
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3 In rabbinic literature
 
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3.1 Preeminence of Judah's Tribe in rabbinic literature
 
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4 Judah as a legendary hero
 
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5 Historical view
 
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6 Publications
 
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7 See also
 
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8 References
 
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9 External links
 
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The text of the [[Torah]] explain that the name ''Judah'' refers to Leah's intent to praise [[Yahweh]], on account of having achieved four children. In classical [[rabbinical literature]], the name is interpreted as being a combination of ''Yahweh'' and [[dalet]] (the letter ''d''). The dalet has the numerical value ''4'', which these rabbinical sources argue refers to Judah being Jacob's fourth son<ref>''[[Nashim|Sotah]]'' 10b</ref>.
  
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[edit] Name
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However, some [[Biblical criticism|Biblical scholars]] believe that Judah's tribe was not originally part of the Israelite confederation and that Judah's name, being derived from the name of the Israelite God, is eponymous—created after the fact. The Bible itself admits that tribe of Judah was not purely Israelite, but contained a number of others, the [[Jerahmeelite]]s, and the [[Kenites]], merging into the tribe at various points.
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Judah's name is interpreted as a combination of "Yhwh" (given as a reward for his public confession, Genesis 38:26) with the letter "dalet," the numerical value of which is 4, Judah being the fourth son of Jacob.[2]
 
  
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==Biography==
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According to the [[rabbinical literature]], Judah was born on the fifteenth of [[Sivan]]<ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia''</ref>. Sources differ on the date of death, with the [[Book of Jubilees]] advocating a death at age 119, 18 years before [[Levi]]<ref>Jubilees 28:15</ref>. However, the [[Sefer haYashar (midrash)|midrashic Book of Jasher]] advocates a death at the age of 129<ref>''Sefer haYashar'' (midrashic), ''Shemot''</ref>. The marriage of Judah and births of his children are described in a passage widely regarded as an abrupt change to the surrounding narrative<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|38|}}</ref>. The passage is often regarded as presenting a significant chronological issue, as the surrounding context appears to constrain the events of the passage to happening within 22 years<ref>compare Genesis 37:2 (''... young man of 17 ...'') - with Genesis 41:46 (''... was 30 years old ...''), 41:53 (''... 7 years ...''), and 45:6 (''... for 2 years ...'')</ref>, and the context together with the passage itself requires the birth of the grandson of Judah and of his son's wife<ref>Genesis 46:12 ('' ... sons of Pharez ... '')</ref>, and the birth of that son<ref>Genesis 38:3 (''... gave birth to Er ...'')</ref>, to have happened within this time (to be consistent, this requires an average of less than 8 years gap per generation). According to textual scholars, the reason for the abrupt interruption this passage causes to the surrounding narrative, and the chronological anomaly it seems to present, is that it derives from the [[Jahwist]] source, while the immediately surrounding narrative is from the [[Elohist]]<ref>[[Thomas Kelly Cheyne|Cheyne]] and [[John Sutherland Black|Black]], ''Encyclopedia Biblica''</ref><ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia''</ref><ref>[[Richard Elliott Friedman]], ''Who wrote the Bible?''</ref>.
  
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[edit] Background
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In this passage, Judah married the daughter of [[Shuah]], a [[Canaanite]]. The Book of Jubilees argues for ''Bat Shua'' as the name of the wife<ref>Jubilees 34:20</ref>, the midrashic Book of Jasher argues for ''lllit'' as her name<ref>''Sefer haYasher'' (midrashic), ''Vayeshev''</ref>. The passage goes on to state that Judah and his wife had three children between them - [[Er (biblical figure)|Er]], [[Onan]], and [[Shelah]] - and that the first married [[Tamar (biblical figure)|Tamar]]<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|38:3-6|}}</ref>; after Er died without any children, Tamar became Onan's wife [[levirate marriage|in accordance with custom]], but he too died without children<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|38:7-10|}}</ref>. The narrative continues by stating that Judah decided that marriage to Tamar was cursed to be fatal, and so avoided letting Shelah marry her<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|38:11|}}</ref>; this would have left Tamar unable to have children, so she managed to trick Judah into having [[sexual intercourse|sex]] with her, by pretending to be a [[prostitute]]<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|38:12-23|}}</ref>. According to the text, when Judah discovered that Tamar was pregnant, he intended to have her [[burnt at the stake|burnt]]<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|38:24|}}</ref>, but when he discovered that he was the father, he recanted and confessed that he had used a prostitute<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|38:25-26|}}</ref>; she was pregnant with twins, and they were [[Pharez]] and [[Zerah]], the fourth and fifth sons of Judah<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|38:27-30|}}</ref>. According to the [[Talmud]], Judah's confession atoned for some of his prior faults, and itself resulted in him being divinely rewarded by [[Jewish Eschatology|a share in the future world]]<ref>''[[Sotah]]'' 7b</ref>.
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It was Judah who suggested the sale of Joseph to the Ishmaelite traders. It is unclear from the record whether he did this out of protection or spite—in order to save the life of his brother, or because it was the next-worst thing he could think of since Reuben had prevented them from killing Joseph. Judah may have been especially resentful of Joseph because Judah was expecting to receive the birthright, since his three older brothers (Reuben, Simeon, and Levi) had disqualified themselves through sin. He may have seen Joseph as a competitor for the birthright and thus may have wanted to oust him.
 
  
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Judah becomes surety for his brother Benjamin, and prevails upon his father to let him go down to Egypt according to the request of Joseph, after Reuben has failed.[3]
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The main motive of the Tamar narrative, is, according to many Biblical scholars, an eponymous aetiological myth concerning the fluctuations in the constituency of the tribe of Judah; textual scholars attribute the narrative to the [[Yahwist]], though Biblical scholars regard it as concerning the state of the clans not much earlier<ref>[[Regius Professor of Hebrew|J. A. Emerton]], ''Judah And Tamar''</ref><ref>{{1911}}</ref>. A number of scholars have proposed that the deaths of Er and Onan reflect the dying out of two clans<ref>J. A. Emerton, ''Judah And Tamar''</ref><ref>Cheyne and Black, ''Encyclopedia Biblica''</ref>; ''Onan'' may represent an [[Edom]]ite clan named ''Onam''<ref>Cheyne and Black, ''Encyclopedia Biblica''</ref>, who are mentioned in an Edomite genealogy in Genesis<ref>Genesis 36:23</ref>, while ''Er'' appears from a genealogy in the [[Book of Chronicles]]<ref>''1 Chronicles 4:21''</ref> to have later been subsumed by the ''Shelah'' clan<ref>J. A. Emerton, ''Judah And Tamar''</ref><ref>Cheyne and Black, ''Encyclopedia Biblica''</ref>.
  
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In subsequent interviews with Joseph, Judah takes a leading part among the brethren (e.g., "Judah and his brethren," Gen. xliv. 14), and makes a most touching and persuasive plea for the release of Benjamin.[4] In Jacob's blessing, he seems to be exalted to the position of chief of the brethren, owing apparently to the misconduct of Reuben and the treacherous violence of Simeon and Levi (see Genesis 34, 35:22, 49:2–10), who thereby forfeit their birthright.
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Some scholars have argued that the narrative secondarily aims to either assert the institution of [[levirate marriage]], or present an aetiological myth for its origin, since it highlights cases of marriage for pleasure not for having children (Onan), of refusal to perform the marriage (Jacob, on behalf of Shelah), and of levirate activities with men related to the dead husband other than fraternally<ref>J. A. Emerton, ''Judah And Tamar''</ref>; Emerton regards the evidence for this as inconclusive, though according to classical rabbinical writers this is the origin of levirate marriage<ref>''[[Genesis Rabbah]]'' 85:6</ref>. A number of scholars, particularly in recent decades (as of 1980), have proposed that the narrative reflects an [[anachronism|anachronistic]] interest in the biblical account of king [[David]], with the character of [[rape of Tamar|Tamar]] being the same<ref>J. A. Emerton, ''Judah And Tamar''</ref><ref>''Encyclopedia Brittanica'', ''Tamar'', 1911 edition</ref>; the proposals partly being due to the scenes of the narrative - [[Adullam]], [[Chezib]], and [[Timnah]] - overlapping<ref>J. A. Emerton, ''Judah And Tamar''</ref><ref>''Encyclopedia Brittanica'', ''Tamar'', 1911 edition</ref>.
  
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According to Genesis 38, Judah married the daughter of the Canaanite Shuah, by whom he had three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er married Tamar, but died childless. According to custom his widow was given in marriage to his brother Onan, who was slain for misconduct; and she was then promised to the third son, Shelah. This promise not having been fulfilled, she resorted to stratagem, and became by Judah the mother of Pharez and Zarah. Pharez (or "Perez") was ancestor of the royal house of David.[5][6]
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The [[Book of Chronicles]] mentions that ''... a ruler came from Judah ...''<ref>{{BibleVerse|1|Chronicles|5:2|}}</ref>, which [[classical rabbinical literature|classical rabbinical sources]] took to imply that Judah was the leader of his brothers, terming him ''the king''<ref>''[[Genesis Rabbah]]'' 84:16</ref><ref>''[[Testament of Judah]]'' 1</ref>. The same part of the Book of Chronicles also describes Judah as the ''strongest of his brothers''<ref>{{BibleVerse|1|Chronicles|5:2|}}</ref>, and rabbinical literature portrays him as having had extraordinary physical strength, able to shout for over 400 [[parasang]]s, able to crush iron into dust by his mouth, and with hair that stiffened so much, when he became angry, that it pierced his clothes<ref>''[[Genesis Rabbah]]'' 93:6–7</ref>.
  
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===Fighting Canaanites===
  
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[edit] In rabbinic literature
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Classical rabbinical sources allude to a war between the [[Canaanites]] and Judah's family (which isn't mentioned in the Bible), as a result of their destruction of [[Shechem]] in revenge for the [[rape of Dinah]]<ref>in great detail in the [[Sefer haYashar (midrash)|midrashic ''Book of Jasher'']], ''Vayishlah''</ref><ref>''[[Pseudo-Jonathan]]'' (on {{BibleVerse||Genesis|48:22|}})</ref><ref>''[[Midrash Vayissa'u]]''</ref><ref>''[[Book of Jubilees]]'' 34:1-9</ref><ref>''[[Testament of Judah]]'' 3-7</ref>; Judah features heavily as a protagonist in accounts of this war. In these accounts Judah kills [[Jashub]], king of [[Tappuah]], in hand-to-hand combat, after first having deposed Jashub from his horse by throwing an extremely heavy stone (60 [[shekel]]s in weight) at him from a large distance away (the [[Midrash Wayissau]] states 177⅓ cubits, while other sources have only 30 [[cubits]])<ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia''</ref>; the accounts say that Judah was able to achieve this even though he was himself under attack, from arrows which Jashub was shooting at him with both hands<ref>ibid</ref>. The accounts go on to state that while Judah was trying to remove Jashub's armour from his corpse, nine assistants of Jashub fell upon him in combat, but after Judah killed one, he scared away the others<ref>ibid</ref>; nevertheless, Judah killed several members of Jashub's army (42 men according to the [[Sefer haYashar (midrash)|midrashic ''Book of Jasher'']], but 1000 men according to the ''[[Testament of Judah]]'')<ref>ibid</ref>.
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With reference to I Chronicles 5:2, Judah is represented in rabbinical literature as chief over his brothers, who obeyed him and who did nothing without his approval; he is styled "the king."[7][8] He is therefore held responsible by the rabbis for the deception that his brothers practised upon their father by sending to him Joseph's coat dipped in the blood of a young lamb.[9] Judah was punished for it in a similar manner, Tamar sending to him his pledge, saying, "Discern, I pray thee, whose are these."[10][11] The death of his wife and his two sons[12] is also considered by Midrash Tanhuma[13] as a divine retribution for the suffering which he caused his father by selling Joseph.
 
  
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According to Midrash Genesis Rabbah 95:1 and Midrash Tanhuma, l.c., Jacob suspected Judah of having killed Joseph; Tanhuma even adds that it was Judah himself who brought Joseph's coat to Jacob. Judah's attempt to rescue Joseph[14] is considered insufficient; for, as he was the chief, he should have brought Joseph on his shoulders to his father.[15] His brothers, on seeing their father's grief, deposed Judah and excommunicated him, saying: "If he, our chief, had ordered us to bring Joseph home, we would have done so" (Midrash Exodus Rabbah 42:2; Tanhumah, Vayeshev, 12). Judah atoned for that fault by confessing that it was he who had given Tamar the pledge; and he was rewarded for that confession by a share in the future world.[16]
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===Selling Joseph===
  
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Bat Shua (Genesis 38:12), according to Jubilees 34:20, was the name of Judah's wife, while in Sefer ha-Yashar (section Vayeshev) her name is given as Illit.
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In the Torah's [[Joseph (dreamer)|Joseph]] narrative, when his brothers are jealous of Joseph and contemplate murdering him, Judah suggests that the brothers should sell Joseph to some passing [[Ishmael]]ites<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|37:26-27|}}</ref>; it is unclear from the narrative whether Judah's motives were to save Joseph, or to harm him but keep him alive. The narrative goes on to state that the brothers dipped Joseph's coat in fresh goat's blood, and showed it to Jacob, after Joseph had gone, so that he would think that Joseph was dead; according to some classical rabbinical sources, Jacob suspected that Judah had killed Joseph<ref>''[[Midrash Genesis Rabbah]]'' 95:1; ''Midrash Tanhuma''</ref>, especially, according to the [[Midrash Tanhuma]], when Judah was the one who had brought the blood stained coat to Jacob<ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia''</ref>.  
  
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Since rabbinical sources held Judah to have been the leader of his brothers, these sources also hold him responsible for this deception, even if it was not Judah himself who brought the coat to Jacob<ref>ibid</ref>. Even if Judah had been trying to save Joseph, the classical rabbinical sources still regard him negatively for it; these sources argue that, as the leader of the brothers, Judah should have made more effort, and carried Joseph home to Jacob on his (Judah's) own shoulders<ref>''[[Genesis Rabbah]]'' 85:4</ref>. These sources argue that Judah's brothers, after witnessing Jacob's grief at the loss of Joseph, deposed and [[excommunication|excommunicated]] Judah, as the brothers held Judah entirely responsible, since they would have brought Joseph home if Judah had asked them to do so<ref>''[[Exodus Rabbah]]'' 42:2; ''Tanhumah'', Vayeshev, 12</ref>. Divine punishment, according to such classical sources, was also inflicted on Judah in punishment; the death of Er and Onan, and of his wife, are portrayed in by such classical rabbis as being acts of divine retribution<ref>''[[Tanhuma]]'', ''Vayiggash'' 10</ref>.
  
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[edit] Preeminence of Judah's Tribe in rabbinic literature
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===Protecting Benjamin===
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The tribe of Judah had the preeminence over the other tribes in that Elisheba, the mother of all the priests; Othniel, the first judge; Bezaleel, the builder of the Tabernacle; and Solomon, the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem; and all the pious kings were of the tribe of Judah, as will be the Messiah. This distinction was given to the tribe of Judah as a reward for its zeal in glorifying God at the passage of the Red Sea.
 
  
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When the children of Israel were about to cross, a dispute arose among the tribes, each desiring to be the first to enter the water. The tribe of Benjamin sprang in first, for which act the princes of Judah threw stones at it.[17] In Exodus Rabbah 24:1, it is stated, on the contrary, that the other tribes refused to enter the slimy bed of the sea until the tribe of Judah set them the example by plunging in.
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The Biblical Joseph narrative eventually describes Joseph as meeting his brothers again, while he is in a position of power, and without his brothers recognising him; in this latter part of the narrative, Benjamin initially remains in Canaan, and so Joseph takes [[Simeon (Biblical figure)|Simeon]] hostage, and insists that the brothers return with their younger brother (Benjamin) to prove they aren't ''spies''<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|42:24|}}, {{BibleVerse-nb||Genesis|42:34|}}</ref>. The narative goes on to state that Judah offers himself to Jacob as [[surety]] for Benjamin's safety, and manages to persuade him to let them take Benjamin to [[Egypt]]; according to classical rabbinical literature, because Judah had proposed that he should bear any blame ''forever'', this ultimately led to his bones being rolled around his coffin without cease, while it was being carried during [[the Exodus]], until [[Moses]] interceded with God, by arguing that Judah's confession (in regard to having sex with Tamar) had led to [[Reuben (Bible)|Reuben]] confessing his own incest<ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia''</ref>.
  
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According to R. Judah, the Temple in Jerusalem was erected on Judah's land — another reward to the tribe;[18] but a different opinion is that only the whole eastern side of the edifice, including the courtyards and the altar, was on Judah's ground, while the Temple proper was on land belonging to Benjamin.[19]
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When, in the Joseph narrative, the brothers return with Benjamin to Joseph, Joseph tests whether the brothers have reformed by tricking them into a situation where he can demand the [[slavery|enslavement]] of [[Benjamin]]<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|44:1-17|}}</ref>. The narrative describes Judah as making an impassioned plea against enslaving Benjamin, ultimately making Joseph recant and reveal his identity<ref>{{BibleVerse||Genesis|44:18-34|}}</ref>; the ''[[Genesis Rabbah]]'', and particularly the midrashic ''book of Jasher'', expand on this by describing Judah's plea as much more extensive than given in the Torah, and more vehement<ref>''Sefer haYashar'' (midrashic), ''Vayiggash''</ref><ref>''Genesis Rabbah'' 93:7</ref>.  
  
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The people of Judah are said to have been versed in the laws of the Torah (bene Torah), because in the wilderness the tribe was placed on the east side of the camp,[20] being thus near to Moses and Aaron.[21] It seems that the soil of Judah's territory was remarkable for the excellent quality of its grain, one measure of Judean grain being worth five measures of that produced in Galilee.[22]
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The classical rabbinical literature goes on to argue that Judah reacted violently to the threat against Benjamin, shouting so loudly that [[Hushim]], who was then in Canaan, was able to hear Judah ask him to travel to [[Egypt]], to help Judah destroy it<ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia''</ref>; some sources have Judah angrily picking up an extremely heavy stone (400 shekels in weight), throwing it into the air, then grinding it to dust with his feet once it had landed<ref>''Sefer haYashar''</ref>. These rabbinical sources argue that Judah had [[Naphtali]] enumerate the [[Nome (Egypt)|districts of Egypt]], and after finding out that there were 12 (historically, there were actually 20 in [[Lower Egypt]] and 22 in [[Upper Egypt]]), he decided to destroy three himself, and have his brothers destroy one of the remaining districts each<ref>''Jewish Encyclopedia''</ref>; the threat of destroying Egypt was, according to these sources, what really motivated Joseph to reveal himself to his brothers<ref>ibid</ref>.
  
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== See also ==
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*[[Tribe of Judah]]
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*[[Kingdom of Judah]]
  
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[edit] Judah as a legendary hero
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{{Sons of Jacob}}
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Judah is represented as a man of extraordinary physical strength. When he shouted his voice was heard at a distance of 400 parasangs; when he became angry the hair of his chest became so stiff that it pierced his clothes; and when he took into his mouth lumps of iron he reduced them to dust. According to others, blood flowed from his two bucklers.[23]
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{{Adam to David}}
  
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He was a prominent figure in the wars between the Canaanites and his father's family after the latter had destroyed Shechem. These wars are alluded to by Pseudo-Jonathan (on Genesis 48:22) and in Midrash Vayissa'u,[24] and are described at great length in Sefer ha-Yashar, section Vayishlah.[25]
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==Notes==
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{{Reflist|3}}
  
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Judah's first remarkable exploit was the killing of Jashub, King of Tappuah. The latter, clad in iron armor, came riding on a horse and shooting arrows with both hands. While still at a distance of thirty cubits from him, Judah threw at Jashub a stone weighing sixty shekels, unhorsing him. Then in a hand-to-hand fight Judah killed his adversary. While he was stripping the armor from the body, he was assailed by nine of Jashub's companions, of whom he killed one and put to flight the rest. Of Jashub's army he killed 1,000 men,[26] or, according to Sefer ha-Yashar (l.c.), forty-two men.
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==Publications==
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* [[Hugo Winckler|Winckler]], ''Geschichte Israels'' (Berlin, 1895)
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Great exploits were said to be performed by him at Hazar and Gaash, where he was the first to jump upon the wall and create havoc among the enemy. Midrash Vayissa'u describes also the battle between the children of Jacob and those of Esau, in which the chief part was taken by Judah. When Judah interfered on behalf of Benjamin (Genesis 44:18–34), he at first had a heated discussion with Joseph, which is given at great length in the Sefer ha-Yashar (section Vayiggash, agreeing in many points with Genesis Rabbah 93:7).
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* [[Eduard Meyer|Ed. Meyer]], ''Die Israeliten und ihre Nachbarstämme'' (Halle, 1906)
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* [[Paul Haupt|Haupt]], in ''Studien ... Welthausen gewidmet'' (Giessen, 1914)
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The following incidents may be mentioned: When Joseph retained Benjamin, Judah shouted so loudly that Hushim, the son of Dan, who was in Canaan at a distance of 400 parasangs from him, heard his voice. Hushim came immediately to Egypt, and with Judah desired to destroy the land. In the Sefer ha-Yashar it is stated that Judah lifted a stone weighing 400 shekels, threw it into the air, and finally ground it to dust with his foot. He then told Naphtali to count the districts of Egypt, and when the latter reported that there were twelve of them, he said to his brothers: "I take three for myself and let each one of you take one, and we shall destroy the whole of Egypt." It was this decision that induced Joseph to disclose himself to his brothers.
 
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Because Judah had pledged himself to bring Benjamin back to his father, saying, "If I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever,"[27] his bones were rolled about without rest in the coffin during the forty years that the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. Moses then prayed to God, arguing that Judah's confession had induced Reuben to confess his sin with Bilhah.[16][28] Judah's name was engraved on the emerald in the high priest's breastplate.[29]
 
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[edit] Historical view
 
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It is generally maintained by historical critical studies of the Bible that Judah is the eponymous ancestor of the tribe of that name, and that the narrative in Genesis gives the history of the tribe in the form of personal history.
 
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[edit] Publications
 
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Winckler, Geschichte Israels (Berlin, 1895)  
 
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Ed. Meyer, Die Israeliten und ihre Nachbarstämme (Halle, 1906)  
 
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Haupt, in Studien ... Welthausen gewidmet (Giessen, 1914)  
 
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[edit] See also
 
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Tribe of Judah
 
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Kingdom of Judah
 
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Hebrew Bible/Old Testament's Genealogy from Adam to David
 
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This box: view • talk • edit
 
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Creation to Flood Adam Seth Enos Kenan Mahalalel Jared Enoch Methuselah Lamech Noah Shem
 
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Origin of the Patriarchs Arpachshad Shelah Eber Peleg Reu Serug Nahor Terah Abraham Isaac Jacob
 
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Nationhood to Kingship Judah Peretz Hezron Aram Amminadab Nahshon Salmon Boaz Obed Jesse David
 
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Sons of Jacob by wife in order of birth (D = Daughter)
 
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Leah Reuben (1) Simeon (2) Levi (3) Judah (4) Issachar (9) Zebulun (10) Dinah (D)
 
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Rachel Joseph (11) Benjamin (12)
 
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Bilhah (Rachel's servant) Dan (5) Naphtali (6)
 
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Zilpah (Leah's servant) Gad (7) Asher (8)
 
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[edit] References
 
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^ Genesis 29:35
 
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^ Sotah 10b
 
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^ Genesis 43:3–14
 
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^ Genesis 44:16–34
 
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^ Ruth 4:18–22
 
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^ I Chronicles 2:3–15
 
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^ Genesis Rabbah 84:16
 
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^ Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Judah, 1
 
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^ Genesis 37:31–32
 
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^ Genesis 38:25
 
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^ Genesis Rabba 84:19, 85:12
 
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^ Genesis 38:7–12
 
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^ Tanhuma, Vayiggash, 10
 
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^ Genesis 37:26
 
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^ Genesis Rabbah 85:4
 
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^ a b Sotah 7b
 
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^ Sotah 37a
 
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^ Midrash Genesis Rabbah 99:1
 
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^ Yoma 12a; Zevahim 53b
 
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^ Numbers 2:3
 
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^ Numbers Rabbah 18:4
 
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^ Bava Batra 122a
 
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^ Genesis Rabbah 93:6–7
 
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^ Jellinek, "B. H." 3.1–5
 
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^ see also Jubilees, 34:1–9; Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Judah, 3–7)
 
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^ compare Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, l.c.
 
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^ Genesis 43:9
 
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^ Makkot 11b
 
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^ Numbers Rabbah 2:6
 
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[edit] External links
 
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Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah_%28Biblical_figure%29"
 
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Category: Founders of Biblical tribes
 
  
 
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Revision as of 15:40, 12 April 2008

Judah/Yehuda (Hebrew: יְהוּדָה, Standard Yəhuda) was, according to the Book of Genesis, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah, and the founder of the Israelite tribe of Judah.

Judah's name

The text of the Torah explain that the name Judah refers to Leah's intent to praise Yahweh, on account of having achieved four children. In classical rabbinical literature, the name is interpreted as being a combination of Yahweh and dalet (the letter d). The dalet has the numerical value 4, which these rabbinical sources argue refers to Judah being Jacob's fourth son[1].

However, some Biblical scholars believe that Judah's tribe was not originally part of the Israelite confederation and that Judah's name, being derived from the name of the Israelite God, is eponymous—created after the fact. The Bible itself admits that tribe of Judah was not purely Israelite, but contained a number of others, the Jerahmeelites, and the Kenites, merging into the tribe at various points.

Biography

According to the rabbinical literature, Judah was born on the fifteenth of Sivan[2]. Sources differ on the date of death, with the Book of Jubilees advocating a death at age 119, 18 years before Levi[3]. However, the midrashic Book of Jasher advocates a death at the age of 129[4]. The marriage of Judah and births of his children are described in a passage widely regarded as an abrupt change to the surrounding narrative[5]. The passage is often regarded as presenting a significant chronological issue, as the surrounding context appears to constrain the events of the passage to happening within 22 years[6], and the context together with the passage itself requires the birth of the grandson of Judah and of his son's wife[7], and the birth of that son[8], to have happened within this time (to be consistent, this requires an average of less than 8 years gap per generation). According to textual scholars, the reason for the abrupt interruption this passage causes to the surrounding narrative, and the chronological anomaly it seems to present, is that it derives from the Jahwist source, while the immediately surrounding narrative is from the Elohist[9][10][11].

In this passage, Judah married the daughter of Shuah, a Canaanite. The Book of Jubilees argues for Bat Shua as the name of the wife[12], the midrashic Book of Jasher argues for lllit as her name[13]. The passage goes on to state that Judah and his wife had three children between them - Er, Onan, and Shelah - and that the first married Tamar[14]; after Er died without any children, Tamar became Onan's wife in accordance with custom, but he too died without children[15]. The narrative continues by stating that Judah decided that marriage to Tamar was cursed to be fatal, and so avoided letting Shelah marry her[16]; this would have left Tamar unable to have children, so she managed to trick Judah into having sex with her, by pretending to be a prostitute[17]. According to the text, when Judah discovered that Tamar was pregnant, he intended to have her burnt[18], but when he discovered that he was the father, he recanted and confessed that he had used a prostitute[19]; she was pregnant with twins, and they were Pharez and Zerah, the fourth and fifth sons of Judah[20]. According to the Talmud, Judah's confession atoned for some of his prior faults, and itself resulted in him being divinely rewarded by a share in the future world[21].

The main motive of the Tamar narrative, is, according to many Biblical scholars, an eponymous aetiological myth concerning the fluctuations in the constituency of the tribe of Judah; textual scholars attribute the narrative to the Yahwist, though Biblical scholars regard it as concerning the state of the clans not much earlier[22][23]. A number of scholars have proposed that the deaths of Er and Onan reflect the dying out of two clans[24][25]; Onan may represent an Edomite clan named Onam[26], who are mentioned in an Edomite genealogy in Genesis[27], while Er appears from a genealogy in the Book of Chronicles[28] to have later been subsumed by the Shelah clan[29][30].

Some scholars have argued that the narrative secondarily aims to either assert the institution of levirate marriage, or present an aetiological myth for its origin, since it highlights cases of marriage for pleasure not for having children (Onan), of refusal to perform the marriage (Jacob, on behalf of Shelah), and of levirate activities with men related to the dead husband other than fraternally[31]; Emerton regards the evidence for this as inconclusive, though according to classical rabbinical writers this is the origin of levirate marriage[32]. A number of scholars, particularly in recent decades (as of 1980), have proposed that the narrative reflects an anachronistic interest in the biblical account of king David, with the character of Tamar being the same[33][34]; the proposals partly being due to the scenes of the narrative - Adullam, Chezib, and Timnah - overlapping[35][36].

The Book of Chronicles mentions that ... a ruler came from Judah ...[37], which classical rabbinical sources took to imply that Judah was the leader of his brothers, terming him the king[38][39]. The same part of the Book of Chronicles also describes Judah as the strongest of his brothers[40], and rabbinical literature portrays him as having had extraordinary physical strength, able to shout for over 400 parasangs, able to crush iron into dust by his mouth, and with hair that stiffened so much, when he became angry, that it pierced his clothes[41].

Fighting Canaanites

Classical rabbinical sources allude to a war between the Canaanites and Judah's family (which isn't mentioned in the Bible), as a result of their destruction of Shechem in revenge for the rape of Dinah[42][43][44][45][46]; Judah features heavily as a protagonist in accounts of this war. In these accounts Judah kills Jashub, king of Tappuah, in hand-to-hand combat, after first having deposed Jashub from his horse by throwing an extremely heavy stone (60 shekels in weight) at him from a large distance away (the Midrash Wayissau states 177⅓ cubits, while other sources have only 30 cubits)[47]; the accounts say that Judah was able to achieve this even though he was himself under attack, from arrows which Jashub was shooting at him with both hands[48]. The accounts go on to state that while Judah was trying to remove Jashub's armour from his corpse, nine assistants of Jashub fell upon him in combat, but after Judah killed one, he scared away the others[49]; nevertheless, Judah killed several members of Jashub's army (42 men according to the midrashic Book of Jasher, but 1000 men according to the Testament of Judah)[50].

Selling Joseph

In the Torah's Joseph narrative, when his brothers are jealous of Joseph and contemplate murdering him, Judah suggests that the brothers should sell Joseph to some passing Ishmaelites[51]; it is unclear from the narrative whether Judah's motives were to save Joseph, or to harm him but keep him alive. The narrative goes on to state that the brothers dipped Joseph's coat in fresh goat's blood, and showed it to Jacob, after Joseph had gone, so that he would think that Joseph was dead; according to some classical rabbinical sources, Jacob suspected that Judah had killed Joseph[52], especially, according to the Midrash Tanhuma, when Judah was the one who had brought the blood stained coat to Jacob[53].

Since rabbinical sources held Judah to have been the leader of his brothers, these sources also hold him responsible for this deception, even if it was not Judah himself who brought the coat to Jacob[54]. Even if Judah had been trying to save Joseph, the classical rabbinical sources still regard him negatively for it; these sources argue that, as the leader of the brothers, Judah should have made more effort, and carried Joseph home to Jacob on his (Judah's) own shoulders[55]. These sources argue that Judah's brothers, after witnessing Jacob's grief at the loss of Joseph, deposed and excommunicated Judah, as the brothers held Judah entirely responsible, since they would have brought Joseph home if Judah had asked them to do so[56]. Divine punishment, according to such classical sources, was also inflicted on Judah in punishment; the death of Er and Onan, and of his wife, are portrayed in by such classical rabbis as being acts of divine retribution[57].

Protecting Benjamin

The Biblical Joseph narrative eventually describes Joseph as meeting his brothers again, while he is in a position of power, and without his brothers recognising him; in this latter part of the narrative, Benjamin initially remains in Canaan, and so Joseph takes Simeon hostage, and insists that the brothers return with their younger brother (Benjamin) to prove they aren't spies[58]. The narative goes on to state that Judah offers himself to Jacob as surety for Benjamin's safety, and manages to persuade him to let them take Benjamin to Egypt; according to classical rabbinical literature, because Judah had proposed that he should bear any blame forever, this ultimately led to his bones being rolled around his coffin without cease, while it was being carried during the Exodus, until Moses interceded with God, by arguing that Judah's confession (in regard to having sex with Tamar) had led to Reuben confessing his own incest[59].

When, in the Joseph narrative, the brothers return with Benjamin to Joseph, Joseph tests whether the brothers have reformed by tricking them into a situation where he can demand the enslavement of Benjamin[60]. The narrative describes Judah as making an impassioned plea against enslaving Benjamin, ultimately making Joseph recant and reveal his identity[61]; the Genesis Rabbah, and particularly the midrashic book of Jasher, expand on this by describing Judah's plea as much more extensive than given in the Torah, and more vehement[62][63].

The classical rabbinical literature goes on to argue that Judah reacted violently to the threat against Benjamin, shouting so loudly that Hushim, who was then in Canaan, was able to hear Judah ask him to travel to Egypt, to help Judah destroy it[64]; some sources have Judah angrily picking up an extremely heavy stone (400 shekels in weight), throwing it into the air, then grinding it to dust with his feet once it had landed[65]. These rabbinical sources argue that Judah had Naphtali enumerate the districts of Egypt, and after finding out that there were 12 (historically, there were actually 20 in Lower Egypt and 22 in Upper Egypt), he decided to destroy three himself, and have his brothers destroy one of the remaining districts each[66]; the threat of destroying Egypt was, according to these sources, what really motivated Joseph to reveal himself to his brothers[67].

See also

Children of Jacob by wife in order of birth (D = Daughter)
Leah Reuben (1) Simeon (2) Levi (3) Judah (4) Issachar (9) Zebulun (10) Dinah (D)
Rachel Joseph (11) Benjamin (12)
Bilhah (Rachel's servant) Dan (5) Naphtali (6)
Zilpah (Leah's servant) Gad (7) Asher (8)
 Hebrew Bible Genealogy from Adam to David
Creation to Flood Adam Seth Enos Kenan Mahalalel Jared Enoch Methuselah Lamech Noah Shem
Origin of the Patriarchs Arpachshad Shelah Eber Peleg Reu Serug Nahor Terah Abraham Isaac Jacob
Nationhood to Kingship Judah Pharez Hezron Ram Amminadab Nahshon Salmon Boaz Obed Jesse David


Notes

  1. ↑ Sotah 10b
  2. ↑ Jewish Encyclopedia
  3. ↑ Jubilees 28:15
  4. ↑ Sefer haYashar (midrashic), Shemot
  5. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  6. ↑ compare Genesis 37:2 (... young man of 17 ...) - with Genesis 41:46 (... was 30 years old ...), 41:53 (... 7 years ...), and 45:6 (... for 2 years ...)
  7. ↑ Genesis 46:12 ( ... sons of Pharez ... )
  8. ↑ Genesis 38:3 (... gave birth to Er ...)
  9. ↑ Cheyne and Black, Encyclopedia Biblica
  10. ↑ Jewish Encyclopedia
  11. ↑ Richard Elliott Friedman, Who wrote the Bible?
  12. ↑ Jubilees 34:20
  13. ↑ Sefer haYasher (midrashic), Vayeshev
  14. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  15. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  16. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  17. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  18. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  19. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  20. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  21. ↑ Sotah 7b
  22. ↑ J. A. Emerton, Judah And Tamar
  23. ↑ This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
  24. ↑ J. A. Emerton, Judah And Tamar
  25. ↑ Cheyne and Black, Encyclopedia Biblica
  26. ↑ Cheyne and Black, Encyclopedia Biblica
  27. ↑ Genesis 36:23
  28. ↑ 1 Chronicles 4:21
  29. ↑ J. A. Emerton, Judah And Tamar
  30. ↑ Cheyne and Black, Encyclopedia Biblica
  31. ↑ J. A. Emerton, Judah And Tamar
  32. ↑ Genesis Rabbah 85:6
  33. ↑ J. A. Emerton, Judah And Tamar
  34. ↑ Encyclopedia Brittanica, Tamar, 1911 edition
  35. ↑ J. A. Emerton, Judah And Tamar
  36. ↑ Encyclopedia Brittanica, Tamar, 1911 edition
  37. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  38. ↑ Genesis Rabbah 84:16
  39. ↑ Testament of Judah 1
  40. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  41. ↑ Genesis Rabbah 93:6–7
  42. ↑ in great detail in the midrashic Book of Jasher, Vayishlah
  43. ↑ Pseudo-Jonathan (on Template:BibleVerse)
  44. ↑ Midrash Vayissa'u
  45. ↑ Book of Jubilees 34:1-9
  46. ↑ Testament of Judah 3-7
  47. ↑ Jewish Encyclopedia
  48. ↑ ibid
  49. ↑ ibid
  50. ↑ ibid
  51. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  52. ↑ Midrash Genesis Rabbah 95:1; Midrash Tanhuma
  53. ↑ Jewish Encyclopedia
  54. ↑ ibid
  55. ↑ Genesis Rabbah 85:4
  56. ↑ Exodus Rabbah 42:2; Tanhumah, Vayeshev, 12
  57. ↑ Tanhuma, Vayiggash 10
  58. ↑ Template:BibleVerse, Template:BibleVerse-nb
  59. ↑ Jewish Encyclopedia
  60. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  61. ↑ Template:BibleVerse
  62. ↑ Sefer haYashar (midrashic), Vayiggash
  63. ↑ Genesis Rabbah 93:7
  64. ↑ Jewish Encyclopedia
  65. ↑ Sefer haYashar
  66. ↑ Jewish Encyclopedia
  67. ↑ ibid

Publications

  • Winckler, Geschichte Israels (Berlin, 1895)
  • Ed. Meyer, Die Israeliten und ihre Nachbarstämme (Halle, 1906)
  • Haupt, in Studien ... Welthausen gewidmet (Giessen, 1914)

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