III. PATRIARCHAL AND TRIBAL LINEAGE:  FROM JUDAH TO DAVID (Ruth 4:18–22; Matthew 1:2–6)

1. Name and Meaning
• Name: Judah (Hebrew: יְהוּדָה, Yᵊhûḏāh)
• Meaning: “Praise” or “thanksgiving,” from the root yādāh, meaning “to praise” or “to give thanks”; named by Leah as praise to the Lord (Genesis 29:35)

2. Genealogical Placement and Lineage Role
• Position: Twenty-third generation from Adam; thirteenth generation after the flood in the Messianic line
• Father: Jacob (Israel) – patriarch of the twelve tribes
• Son: Perez – born through Tamar, continues the Messianic line
• Lineage Role: Forefather of the royal tribe of Judah; the prophetic origin of Israel’s kings and the lineage of the Messiah (Genesis 49:10)

3. Life Summary and Historical Setting
• Fourth son of Jacob and Leah; played a leading role among his brothers
• Convinced his brothers to sell Joseph rather than kill him (Genesis 37:26–27)
• Fathered twins, Perez and Zerah, through his daughter-in-law Tamar (Genesis 38), ensuring continuation of the Messianic line despite moral failure
• Later displayed spiritual maturity and leadership by offering himself as a substitute for Benjamin (Genesis 44:18–34)

4. Theological and Christological Significance
• Blessed by Jacob with the scepter prophecy: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah…” (Genesis 49:10)
• Judah becomes the royal tribe—King David and ultimately Jesus descend from him (Matthew 1:2–3; Luke 3:33)
• Typologically foreshadows Christ as the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5)—the royal, sacrificial, and redemptive king
• His transformation from self-interest to self-sacrifice mirrors key Christ-like attributes

5. Legacy and Interpretive Reflections
• Judah’s tribe became the southern kingdom (Judah) after Israel’s division and preserved the Davidic line during exile
• The name “Jew” (Hebrew: Yehudi) derives from Judah, symbolising his centrality in Israel’s identity
• Praised in Scripture not for perfection, but for redemptive leadership and covenantal destiny
• Honoured in biblical and messianic theology as the tribe chosen for kingship and salvation

6. Summary Insight
• Judah, though flawed, became the divinely chosen line of kings and the Messiah, exemplifying the redemptive transformation that foreshadows Christ the Lion of Judah.

7. Biblical References
• Genesis 29:35; 37; 38; 44–49
• 1 Chronicles 2:3–4
• Matthew 1:2–3
• Luke 3:33
• Revelation 5:5
• Hebrews 7:14