Week 3 Genesis 49
Jacob gave Judah a pretty nice blessing. Here’s part of it: Judah, your brothers will praise you…your father’s sons will bow down to you…The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
I’ve read the OT before and so I know that the Judah family-line is eventually headed for tribal stardom. But there’s not much evidence in Judah’s biography to show that he earned it. Or deserved it.
For instance there was the time the brothers want to kill Joseph. Judah’s suggestion was what will we gain if we kill our brother?…Let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites. The slavery alternative doesn’t make me think Judah was a hero. And the Judah-Tamar story in chapter 38 doesn’t highlight him as a character-guy either.
Later the brothers have to take Benjamin to Egypt and Judah promises Jacob: I myself will guarantee his safety…If I do not bring him back…I will bear the blame before you all my life. Then when things go sideways Judah pleads with Joseph: please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of (Benjamin).
I admit that Judah did seem to step-up. But my real question was: can I find biographical information to show why each son deserved or merited their specific blessings?
And so far I’m not finding much of that.
Note: quotes from Genesis 49:8-10 (abbreviated) 37:26-27 43:9 44:33 (NIV)