I just had to share with you what I read this morning during my Bible study time. Maybe it’s information I should’ve already known – but if I’m honest, I have to say I didn’t; and, I truly enjoyed the message. I hope you will enjoy it as well. (I apologize that much of this will be quoted from my source. To make it easier, I will put all the quotes from this commentary in italics. My thoughts and other quotes will be in the regular type.)*
This came from a commentary as I’m reading about David in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel and in 1 Chronicles. The title of this less than 2 page commentary is Understand the Story with the subtitle of David of Judah. As you might gather from that title, it’s details about David – however, it’s much more than that before it culminates with his story.
“God loves to take broken people and do great things through them. Judah is a prime example. His life reads like a sordid play from the past. He is the fourth son of Leah, Jacob’s unloved wife. He feels the sting of favoritism when Jacob honors Joseph, Rachel’s firstborn son, over his brothers.”
You’ll remember the story about how Joseph voiced dreams that he’d had indicating that not only all his brothers, but also his parents, would be bowing down to him. These stories did not endear him to his brothers for a single minute. After that, Jacob gifts only his son Joseph with a beautiful coat – another rub for his brothers. Then Jacob sends Joseph out on an errand – he wants him to go check on his brothers. When they spotted him, they were plotting to kill him. But wait – his brother Judah convinced them to sell him to the traders instead of killing him. Judah bucked his brothers in order to save the life of Joseph.
“Soon after, Judah leaves, moving away from the rest of the family. His life falls apart in this time of separation. His wife dies, he loses two sons in God’s judgment, and he has sex with a woman he thinks is a prostitute (but is actually his daughter-in-law, Tamar…)” “The only good to come of this time is two children, including Perez, through whom the royal lineage comes.”
“When a severe famine hits, Judah returns to his family and, with nine of his brothers, travels to Egypt to buy grain.” Then the story in Genesis 42 tells about how these brothers unknowingly appear before their long lost brother Joseph – and what do they do? They bow down before him. As Joseph questions them they admit they have another brother that didn’t travel with them – Benjamin – who is Joseph’s natural brother. Joseph tells them that if they want to do business with him and purchase more grain, they’ll need to bring Benjamin back with them when they return.
In Genesis 42:37 Reuben offers to guarantee Benjamin’s safety if his father will allow him to travel with them. Reuben says that his father can kill his two sons if he doesn’t bring him back – but Jacob refused him.
In Genesis 43 it tells about how the famine persisted and their family again needed grain. When Jacob told his sons to return to Egypt it was Judah that spoke up and reminded their father that they wouldn’t be able to get any more grain if Benjamin didn’t go with them. Then in verses 8-9: “Judah said to his father, ‘Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we will all die of starvation—and not only we, but you and our little ones. I personally guarantee his safety. You may hold me responsible if I don’t bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame forever.’” Only then with the word of Judah did Jacob agree to allow Benjamin to travel with them. (A bit odd considering Judah’s promise was less dramatic than Rueben’s offer.)
After arriving back in Egypt, when the brothers are once again presented to Joseph you again see them all bowing down before him. Then, “Joseph’s final test forces Judah to keep that promise, and he delivers a moving speech in which he offers himself ‘as a slave instead of the boy’ (Genesis 44:33)”
Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers then his father along with the entire family come to reside in Egypt. In Genesis 48 Jacob’s health is failing so Joseph and his two sons go to visit him and Jacob blesses his grandsons. Then he calls all his other sons in so that he can bless them. “Jacob’s dying blessing to Judah indicates the favor Judah has found from his father and from the Lord: ‘The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor’ (Genesis 49:10)”
(I’m not sure of the source, but I found this information regarding a father’s blessing in the Bible: “In the Old Testament, a father’s blessing to his son symbolized approval, purpose, and a spoken legacy. This blessing wasn’t just a formality but a spiritual act through which a father called down God’s favor upon his child.”)
“The genealogy of 1 Chronicles tells us that Judah became the most powerful among his brothers (see 1 Chronicles 5:2). How did Judah become so powerful? By laying down his life for his brother (see Genesis 44:18-34).”
“Judah’s descendants carried on the tradition of self-sacrifice. Caleb stood for the Lord when the ten spies led the people to rebellion; he was willing to lay down his life for truth…(Joshua 14:14).” “Boaz helped the Moabite widow Ruth when others would likely have scorned her, and he acted as family redeemer for Naomi by marrying Ruth, even though she was a foreigner.” (Ruth was David’s great grandmother so played an important role in the lineage of Jesus – her role made possible by Boaz’s sacrifice.)
“David, another descendant of Judah, exhibits self-sacrifice early in life…” Endangering himself, he protected his father’s sheep from wildlife, with God’s help. He was willing to lay down his life when he defeated the giant Goliath at probably only about 15 years old – to defend the honor of his Lord. He passed on two opportunities to kill Saul, as Saul was pursuing David to kill him – risking his own life, he instead honored the Lord. When David became king he wanted to honor the Lord with a Temple. “While God refuses his desire, He makes a remarkable covenant with David: ‘Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’ God thus confirms to David the promise made to his ancestor Judah.”
“What does this promise ultimately mean? From Judah’s line would come the Ruler; from David’s line would come the King.”
“When the King finally makes His entrance…His lineage can be traced through David and Judah…He offers Himself, the Innocent One, in place of the guilty, and like Judah, He prevails.”
So Judah – one of those broken people – achieved great things in his life – primarily establishing the lineage from which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came. Pretty impressive if you ask me and that should give hope to any of us that believe we too are broken people. God can use us to accomplish great things as well if we’ll but yield our lives to Him.
Written by Karran Martin – April 25, 2025
All Bible verses are quoted from the NLT
[All bold emphasis is mine]
*The One Year Chronological Study Bible / Tyndale
Karran's Korner 