Judah

Family: Israel · Role: Leah's son · First appears: Genesis 29

Judah was born to Leah as a son of Jacob, who named him Judah after Leah praised the LORD. He was one of Jacob’s twelve sons, alongside Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. In Genesis 37, Judah persuaded his brothers not to kill Joseph but to sell him instead: “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.”

In Genesis 38, Judah married Shuah and became the father of Er, Onan, and Shelah. He commanded Onan to marry Tamar and raise seed for his deceased brother, and later gave Tamar his signet, bracelets, and staff; she conceived by him and, about three months later, revealed those belongings as proof of his fatherhood. In Genesis 43, Judah guaranteed Benjamin’s safe return, and in Genesis 44 offered himself as Joseph’s bondman instead of Benjamin.

Judah was sent ahead to Joseph to direct Jacob’s household toward Goshen. His sons included Pharez and Zarah, while Er and Onan died in Canaan; Zerah’s family was later named among Judah’s descendants. In Genesis 49, Jacob blessed his sons and granted Judah praise, authority, and dominion over his brothers. Before his death, Moses blessed Judah and asked God to help him against his enemies.