Who
Younger twin of Esau, who received the blessing of the firstborn (Genesis 27) and saw the ladder set between earth and heaven, which Christ applies to himself (Genesis 28:12; John 1:51). After wrestling at Peniel he was named Israel (Genesis 32:28), and his twelve sons by Leah, Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah became the twelve tribes. On his deathbed he blessed them, giving Judah the promise of the sceptre (Genesis 49).
Key verses
- Genesis 27:15
Rebekah took the good clothes of Esau, her elder son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob, her younger son.
- Genesis 28:12
He dreamed and saw a stairway set upon the earth, and its top reached to heaven. Behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
- Genesis 29:28
Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
- Genesis 30:4
She gave him Bilhah her servant as wife, and Jacob went in to her.
- Genesis 30:9
When Leah saw that she had finished bearing, she took Zilpah, her servant, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
- Genesis 32:28
He said, “Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
- Genesis 34:1
Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
- Genesis 49:1
Jacob called to his sons, and said: “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in the days to come.
- 1 Chronicles 1:34
Abraham became the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 2:1
These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,
- Matthew 1:2
Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.
- Luke 3:34
the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
Where the Bible names him
Named 256 times in 32 books.
- Only the man himself is counted, not the people or the tribe that bears his name.
- ✓ In the deuterocanon, which the verse index does not cover: found in the text and checked by hand.
Verse index: TIPNR, STEPBible.org (Tyndale House), CC BY 4.0.
Family
- Children
- JudahMatthew 1:2; Luke 3:33–34; 1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Reuben1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Simeon1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Levi1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Issachar1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Zebulun1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Dan1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Joseph1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Benjamin1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Naphtali1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Gad1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- Asher1 Chronicles 2:1–2
- DinahGenesis 34:1
- Brothers and sisters
Discussed by
Comments on the verses that name him (8 of 91).
- Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 1:2Catena Aurea on Matthew
Matthew, by beginning with Christ’s genealogy, shews that he has undertaken to relate Christ’s birth according to the flesh. But Luke, as rather describing Him as a Priest for the atonement of sin, gives Christ’s…
- Ambrose of Milan on Matthew 1:2Catena Aurea on Matthew
For Abraham was the first who deserved the witness of faith; “He believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” It behoved therefore that he should be set forth as the first in the line of descent, who…
- John Chrysostom on Matthew 1:2Catena Aurea on Matthew
Matthew then, desiring to preserve in memory the lineage of the Lord’s humanity through the succession of His parents, begins with Abraham, saying, “Abraham begat Isaac.” Why does he not mention Ismael, his…
- Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 1:2Catena Aurea on Matthew
Yet he names all the brethren of Judah with him in the lineage. Ismael and Esau had not remained in the worship of the true God; but the brethren of Judah were reckoned in God’s people.
- John Chrysostom on Matthew 1:2 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
Or, he names all the twelve Patriarchs that he may lower that pride which is drawn from a line of noble ancestry. For many of these were born of maidservants, and yet were Patriarchs and heads of tribes.
- Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 1:2 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
But Judah is the only one mentioned by name, and that because the Lord was descended from him only. But in each of the Patriarchs we must note not their history only, but the allegorical and moral meaning to be drawn…
- Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 1:2Catena Aurea on Matthew
Isaac is interpreted, ‘laughter,’ but the laughter of the saints is not the foolish convulsion of the lips, but the rational joy of the heart, which was the mystery of Christ. For as he was granted to his parents in…
- Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 1:2Catena Aurea on Matthew
Jacob is interpreted, ‘supplanter,’ and it is said of Christ, “Thou hast cast down beneath Me them that rose up against Me.” [Ps 18:43]