We often think of the latter part of Genesis as being all about Joseph. There is no doubt that the role of Joseph here is major. Yet we might also wonder, why Joseph? After all, he is not in the line of Jesus.
Joseph is the reason why Jacob and his sons will end up in Egypt, and this is a significant part of God’s plan to bring about the promises given to Abraham (Gen 12:1-7). By coming down to Egypt and being isolated, the children of Israel are able to grown into the nation that God wanted so that the greater plans of bringing about the Messiah, Jesus, could happen. There are many components to this story and many layers that, coming together, provide the framework for how God accomplished His purposes.
It is easy to get caught up in the individual stories here, and if we are not careful in our reading, we might lose sight of the greater purposes. When we think of Joseph, we think of the fact that is the favored son of Jacob because he is the firstborn of Jacob’s beloved Rachel. We think of the special coat given to Joseph by Jacob. We think of the dreams that Joseph claimed indicating that his family would one day bow down to him (Gen 37). We even may point out that Joseph telling his brothers about these dreams was probably not very wise, given how much the brothers already disliked him. We also think about how mistreated Joseph was by his brothers, how they planned to kill them, then wound up selling him into slavery and winding up in Egypt. Then we think about Joseph rising to top positions as a servant. We recall how Joseph, as a servant of Potiphar, was in charge of the household and how Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him. We see Joseph, in Genesis 39 saying that he could commit such a sin against God, and he ran from Potiphar’s wife while she held his coat (notice how important clothing is in these accounts of Joseph, how his brothers use Joseph’s coat to convince their father he was dead, and how Potiphar’s wife used his garment to claim that Joseph tried to force himself upon her, then later how Joseph’s clothing as an Egyptian helped fool his brothers.).
The point is that we see Joseph as the main character and we stress the stories of Joseph trying to do what is right and God using him to rise to top levels in Egypt. We see at the end of the story how God brought about His plans, that though the brothers meant harm against Joseph, God meant the events to turn out for the good. We see a pattern here for trying to better understand what we often term as God’s providence, God’s hand in bringing about the results He desires. God is indeed always in control. Of course, Joseph was far from perfect, yet these are the issues we usually stress. There are some powerful lessons in these events.
Let’s bring something else to the table. The main character that is so often overlooked in these chapters is, in fact, Judah. We see Judah doing some bad stuff here, so we may think of him more as a side character. We come to Genesis 38, where Judah actually commits a terrible sin by going in to his daughter-in-law thinking she was a harlot. We wonder, why in the world is this chapter here? Why are we reading this about Judah when the main story is supposed to be about Joseph?
I believe the answer is that the main story is supposed to be about Judah. This is not to diminish the major role played by Joseph. We must not overlooked what happened to him and how took care of him. Yet Judah has a larger role than we may at first think, and I believe it sets up perhaps one of the most important features of these chapters. Let’s survey what’s happening with Judah here and see why this is critical to the overarching narrative of God’s people.
Who is Judah?
Judah was the fourth son of Leah, the older sister of Rachel (Gen 29:35). In this position, one might not expect much at first. After all, he is not the firstborn son so we would not expect the greater blessings to go to him or his family. Through Genesis 36, all we are told about him is that he is the fourth son. We might even expect that fade into obscurity as so many have done. Yet God had other plans, and Judah’s role in the story will become much greater.
Judah was among the brothers of Joseph when Joseph told them about having dreams of rulership over them (Gen 37). The text says, “And his brothers were jealous of him” (v. 11), and there is no reason to think that Judah was as jealous as the others. The brothers conspired to kill Joseph. Initially Reuben, the oldest brother, saved Joseph’s life. Instead of killing Joseph outright, they would put Joseph into a pit. Reuben thought to come back later and rescue him.
As the brothers were eating, apparently without Reuben, a caravan of Ishmaelites passed through on their way to Egypt. “Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.’ And his brothers listened to him.” (Gen 37:26-27).
What Judah said to the brothers made sense to them. While Judah is not particularly noble here, he does at least persuade the brothers not to kill Joseph, “for he is our brother, our own flesh.” Never mind that he sold his own brother into slavery, but perhaps he at least though that was better than death and the brothers would be appeased. This event helps shape the rest of what happens. Note also that while Joseph is the reason for the family coming down to Egypt, Judah is the reason for Joseph going to Egypt first.
Judah’s Sin
This brings us to Genesis 38, a passage that some see as troubling not only for content, but for placement in the book of Genesis. Why is it here? What is the point?
The text first tells us that Judah married a Canaanite woman who conceived and had a son named Er. Then she had other sons. Next, we are told that Judah took a wife, named Tamar, for his son, Er. However, because Er was so wicked in the sight of the Lord, the Lord put him to death. Judah then had his second son, Onan, marry Tamar so they could have children. Onan, however, prevented this from happening, and because of his wickedness, God put him to death, also. One is reminded of Eli and his wicked sons who were put to death by God. God was not being honored. Yet the problems are not over.
Notice some connections here. Judah “went down from his brothers” (Gen 38:1), which is the same terminology as in Genesis 39:1 regarding Joseph who was brought down to Egypt. One went willingly, the other did not, but both indicate separation from the family and a turning point for both of them. Judah married a Canaanite, just like Esau had done. Recall that when Esau married Canaanite women (Hittite women), this made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah (Gen 26:34-35), and Rebekah, who loathed the situation, feared that if Jacob did the same she couldn’t live with it (Gen 27:46). Jacob was specifically told, ““You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women” (Gen 28:1). The Canaanites were wicked, and this had an impact on those who were supposed to be God’s people. These stories were meant to teach the children of Israel later, who were not to marry with Canaanites. Esau did it, and Genesis 36, which gives the genealogy of Esau, starts with, “Esau took his wives from the Canaanites” (v. 2). Now we are in Genesis 38, and see this: “There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her” (Gen 38:2). Things will not turn out well.
Notice, also, the connections of the terms “saw” and “took” together. These are the same terms used of Eve when she saw and took of the forbidden tree (Gen 3:6), and when the “sons of God” “saw” and “took” the daughters of men in Genesis 6:2. The princes of Pharaoh “saw” and “took” Sarai, Abram’s wife, to Pharaoh in Genesis 12:15. Shechem “saw” and “took” Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, in Genesis 34:2. Achan “saw” and “took” of the forbidden spoils of Jericho in Joshua 7:21, and David when he “saw” and “took” Bathsheba (2 Sam 11:2-4). Such is the nature of what leads to sin. We “see” what we think is good, and we “take” it. Judah saw and took a wife from the Canaanites. These terms in Genesis 38 help us see that the what is about to happen will not be good. In fact, we see how wicked the sons of Judah are here, and they were put to death for it. One great counter-example is in Genesis 22:13 where Abraham, in his display of faith, saw and took the ram that God provided and offered it as a burnt offering instead of Isaac. Abraham’s faith stands in sharp contrast to others. What we “see” and “take” from this is critical.
After his sons died, Judah told Tamar to live as a widow until another son, Shelah, could grow up enough to marry her. However, though Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him. In the meantime, Judah’s wife died. One day as Judah was going to sheer his sheep at Timnah, Tamar was told about this. She took off her widow’s garments and veiled herself so that when Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute. The story shows that he went to her, promising to give her a young goat for payment. She asked for a pledge until then, and he gave her a signet ring, a cord, and a staff to hold. When it all over, she conceived, and put her widow garments back on.
Again, what happens next is a stark reminder of what would later happen with David and Bathsheba, when Nathan accused him (2 Sam 12). Judah was told about Tamar’s immorality, given that she was now expecting. Judah’s response was, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” When they were doing this, Tamar presented the ring, the cord, and the staff, and Judah then realized what had happened. “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah” (v. 27).
Notice all the deception that is part of these accounts, once again. People lie, deceive, act immorally. Judah was responsible to provide a husband for Tamar, which is highlighted by the fact that she is still called his “daughter-in-law” (v. 16). Judah had broken his promise to Tamar, and Tamar, to secure her position and inheritance through Judah deceived him as a result. Broken promises and lies drive the events. Yet in all of this, God is faithful and still had a plan even though the people involved here are so wicked. God can indeed use terribly flawed people to bring about greater purposes. Salvation is not about God saving perfect people because they were so great. What wondrous grace we see!
Tamar, by Judah, had twins, named Perez and Zerah. At this point, the story about Judah seems to disappear for a time, so what is the point of this in the overall story?
Remember that God is bringing about the purposes and plans based on His promise to Abraham. What is happening here is that we are being shown, well in advance, the role of Judah in the line of Jesus Christ. When we open up the Gospel of Matthew, we are met with these words in Matthew 1:2-3: “Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron…”
Perez, son of Judah and Tamar, are in the lineage of Christ. Matthew traces Joseph’s line to show legal lineage, but we also see Perez’s name in Luke’s account of Jesus’ genealogy (Luke 3:33), which may establish Mary’s side of the family. Jesus was from the tribe of Judah, and even though there are immoral people in his lineage, God is able to overcome all of this to carry out His plan of salvation. God’s plan was never dependent upon people being righteous in themselves.
Judah’s Turn to Savior
Next, we encounter Judah after Joseph interpreted the various dreams and came to power in Egypt. When a famine hit the land, the sons of Jacob were sent to Egypt to get food, and Joseph was already in place with a plan in place to deal with the famine (Gen 42). When the brothers came to Joseph, they did indeed bow down to him, and Joseph recognized them. Joseph appears to be testing the resolve and character of the brothers as he made it appear that they had stolen grain and demanded that they bring back their youngest brother. The brothers feared greatly, and now they were faced with the idea of taking Benjamin, Joseph’s younger full brother, down to Egypt with them. This is the one thing Jacob did not want. It is here that Judah steps up with an attitude that is a pivotal point in the account. In order to convince Jacob to let them take Benjamin, “Judah said to Israel his father, ‘Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever” (Gen 43:8-9).
They went back to Egypt, with Benjamin, and Joseph used the situation to further test the brothers, making it appear that Benjamin had stolen Joseph’s cup. This would mean that Benjamin would be unable to return home and could face death. Notice here how the narrative proceeds in Genesis 44:14: “When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground.” Judah is put forward as the leading brother. It’s not just the brothers, but “Judah and his brothers.” When Joseph set up the situation to make an accusation against Benjamin, Judah is the one who stepped in, and his speech in Genesis 44:18-34 changes everything.
Judah turns into a savior here. He transformed from an immoral man who failed to keep his word to a man of integrity who is willing to give his life for another. He tells the story of what happened to have them bring Benjamin down to Egypt, which included how grieved their father was over the whole scenario. Here is Judah’s pivotal statement (Gen 44:30-34):
“Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’ Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”
This event was the breaking point for Joseph, who could no longer keep up the charade. He revealed himself to his brothers, though they were terrified of what Joseph might do to them. Joseph reassured them that God meant these events for good. Now the family was to come to Egypt along with their father. Judah not only changed himself, but he effected change in others. He was the leader now. According to Genesis 46:28, Judah was the one led the way to reunite Joseph with Jacob. Judah had become a leader in the family, the one through whom they could find their path to reconciliation.
One of the concepts we see here is the interaction between Judah and Joseph, both representatives of what will later become the north and south division of Israel with Judah in the south and Ephraim, a son of Joseph, as the main family of the north. They had been divided, but for a moment they come together. Later, the families of Joseph and Judah will be divided due to the sins of the leaders, and only through Christ will the divisions be made right.
There are important, practical lessons we learn through the narrative of Judah. Here are a few to consider:
Judah points to Jesus.
In Salvation: Think back to Genesis 44:18-34. Note particularly how Judah became a pledge for Benjamin so that his life was tied up in Benjamin’s life. He was willing to bear the blame and to take the place of Benjamin. Does any of this remind us of someone else? Someone who would bear the sins of others, who would become a pledge for others, who would give His life for the lives of others? Does this not point us ultimately to Jesus?
While not every facet of this transfer to Jesus, and no type does that, there are significant pointers here to the idea of one who will step in to give his life for another. In this sense, then, Judah is a type for the Messiah, Jesus Christ. What did Christ do for us?
“Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:4-6)
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Pet 2:24-25).
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21).
“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb 10:10).
What Judah did is, in small measure, what Christ does for us in great measure. If Judah, by his actions, could essentially save the life of his brother Benjamin, Jesus, by His actions saves the lives of all who put their trust in Him.
In Kingship: Not only does Judah point to the salvific work of Jesus, but also to His kingship. Genesis 49 gives us our last glimpse of Judah in the book of Genesis, and it has to do with the blessings given by Jacob. Notice this section:
“Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
your father’s sons shall bow down before you.
Judah is a lion’s cub;
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down; he crouched as a lion
and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (Gen 49:8-10)
Kingship is promised to the line of Judah here. This promise will be carried forward in David, who comes from Judah (2 Sam 7:12-13). Ultimately, the kingship will be Christ’s. He is the One to whom belongs the obedience of the peoples. This is why the spread of the gospel goes to all nations (Matt 28:18-20). Christ is our King! He is the King of kings and Lord of Lords. To Him belongs the scepter and the rule. As Revelation 19:15-16 puts it:
“From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
Judah shows what transformation looks like.
Our sins need not define us forever. The gospel is about transformation and reconciliation. Here we see Judah transforming from one type of man to a very different type of man. He moves from selfish to selfless, faithless to faithful, dishonest to honest. By the end, he is a man of integrity who steps up and does what he knows is right.
Judah is, in a sense, the story of the gospel bound up in a person. We see him at his worst, then we see him at his best as a new man. He encapsulates what the message of the gospel proclaims. Think about this when reading a passage like 1 Corinthians 6:9-11:
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
This is the gospel. If God could use Judah, to take him from his selfish, proud, sinful ways and transform him into a selfless, sacrificial man of integrity, what can He do with us? When I read this, I am encouraged because I can see that my sins do not need to define me. God can use Judah to accomplish something great, and God can use you and me to do His will in this world. When I read about Judah, I see hope. I see change. I know that God can forgive and use me.
Judah shows how to become a leader through humble service and selfless sacrifice.
Modern concepts of leadership often include ambition that goes beyond how God would have us act, thrusting ourselves out in front of everyone else and taking charge because it’s what we want. Biblical leadership, however, starts with humility and godly submission, traits that our world fights against. In reality, Scripture does call us to be “leaders” as much as servants, and it is through serving that we show love for one another and, in the end, pave a path for others to follow. Judah was the peacemaker who brought reconciliation.
Jesus did give His life for us, His brethren. And we are called to follow this example:
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16).
Judah’s actions impacted the actions of others. As seen in the text, Judah’s attitude is what brought about Joseph’s breaking point where he finally revealed himself to his brothers. This led to bringing the family to Egypt and seeing the reconciliation of Joseph with his father Jacob.
Conclusion
Judah is no minor character in these accounts. Indeed he becomes the one through whom the Messiah would eventually come. God used imperfect people to carry out a perfect plan for salvation. In many ways Judah mirrors the same problems we have today with sin, deceit, and consequences. Yet there was redemption in the end. Judah became a man who was willing to give his life for another, which provides us a snapshot of what our Savior, Jesus Christ, would do for us. He also shows what it means to lead through service and sacrifice. May we learn to avoid the sins that led Judah down the wrong path, and may we follow his example in selfless sacrificial service.
Doy Moyer
[Note: I do not claim originality for all of these thoughts. Over the years I have read what several others have said and I have gleaned bits and pieces from them, and they, no doubt, have influenced my thinking. For example, Robert Alter’s The Art of Biblical Narrative has some helpful sections for reading stories like these, and he has a section focused on Judah. What I wanted to do here was just try to see what the text says while comparing what happened with Judah to others. I am sure there is much more to learn from the material, but this is the beauty of Bible study. With every layer we peel back, more layers will be found. Dig in!]
