יְהוּדָה
Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
Definition
The proper noun יְהוּדָה (Yᵉhûwdâh) primarily refers to Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah (Genesis 29:35). It subsequently denotes the tribe descended from him, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, which became the most prominent and royal tribe. The term also refers to the territory allotted to this tribe in southern Canaan (Joshua 15:1-12) and, later, to the southern kingdom of Judah after the division of the united monarchy (1 Kings 12:21). Ultimately, the name is central to the identity of the Jewish people and is the source of the word 'Jew.'
Biblical Usage
The word is used extensively throughout the Old Testament, appearing 747 times. It is most frequent in historical books (Genesis, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles) and prophetic books (especially Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah). It functions as a personal name (e.g., Judah the son of Jacob in Genesis 37:26), a tribal name (e.g., the tribe of Judah in Numbers 1:27), a geographical designation (e.g., the land of Judah in Joshua 20:7), and a political entity (the Kingdom of Judah in 2 Kings 17:18). A key pattern is its development from a person, to a tribe, to a nation, and finally to a people group.
Etymology
Derived from the root יָדָה (yādâ, H3034), meaning 'to praise' or 'to give thanks.' Leah named her son Judah at his birth, saying, 'This time I will praise the LORD' (Genesis 29:35). Thus, the name means 'praised' or 'celebrated.' This root is also the basis for the word 'Jew' (יְהוּדִי, Yᵉhûwdî, H3064), connecting the people's identity to the act of praise.
Semantic Range
Judah is profoundly significant in biblical theology. Jacob's blessing prophesied that the royal scepter would not depart from Judah, pointing to a future, eternal ruler from his line (Genesis 49:10). This messianic promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the 'Lion of the tribe of Judah' (Revelation 5:5). The tribe's preeminence, the Davidic covenant established through Judah's lineage (2 Samuel 7), and the preservation of the southern kingdom as the locus of God's temple and promises all highlight Judah's central role in God's redemptive plan. Understanding this name enriches the reading of both Old Testament history and New Testament fulfillment.
In the ancient Near East, a name often encapsulated identity, destiny, or circumstance. Judah's name, meaning 'praised,' set a tone for his lineage. Culturally, the tribe of Judah held a position of leadership and military strength (as seen in the census of Numbers 1:26-27). After the kingdom split, the term 'Judahite' or later 'Jew' became an ethnic, religious, and political identifier, distinguishing them from the northern Israelites (Kingdom of Israel) and other nations. This is a key difference from the modern understanding of 'Jew,' which is primarily a religious and ethnic identity not tied to a specific kingdom.
יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yiśrā'ēl, H3478) — The broader national name for all twelve tribes, whereas יְהוּדָה often specifies the southern tribe/kingdom. יְהוּדִי (Yᵉhûwdî, H3064) — An individual descendant of Judah; a Jew. יְהוּדִית (Yᵉhûwdîth, H3066) — The feminine form or the language of Judah (Jewish language).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →