יְהוּדָה (ye.hu.dah)
ye.hu.dah
Judah
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 689 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Yehudah means "praised," reflecting Leah’s declaration at his birth that she would be celebrated (Genesis 29:35). It begins as the proper name of Jacob’s fourth son, but quickly expands to identify the tribe descended from him, the territory they occupied, and eventually the southern kingdom itself. This semantic shift marks a transition from a personal identity to a national and geographic one.
After the division of Israel following Solomon’s death, Yehudah referred specifically to the kingdom comprising Judah and Benjamin, with Jerusalem as its capital. In prophetic literature, such as Jeremiah, this term often contrasts with Ephraim or the northern kingdom of Israel. Over time, especially after the exile, the name came to signify the entire land and people of Israel, as seen in Haggai.
The word appears frequently in historical books like Kings and Chronicles, tracking the rise and fall of the southern monarchy. Its usage underscores how a single family’s story became the foundation for a nation’s identity and history.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Judah carries the weight of praise and the promise of leadership. Born to Leah with a declaration that she would praise Yahweh, this word traces a path from a personal moment of gratitude to the foundation of a nation. It reminds us that individual acts of faithfulness can ripple outward, shaping entire communities and generations.
In the biblical narrative, Judah evolves from a single son into the tribe that holds royal authority. This shift highlights how God often uses humble beginnings to establish lasting structures. When we encounter this name in Scripture, it points toward a lineage where human failure meets divine purpose, ultimately leading to the hope of restoration for all who seek Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 689 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Judah618×
- and/ Judah34×
- in/ Judah26×
- to/ Judah12×
- from/ Judah10×
- on/ Judah7×
- of/ Judah7×
- O Judah7×
- [belongs] to/ Judah5×
- [is] in/ Judah4×
- [belonged] to/ Judah3×
- for/ Judah2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יְהוּדָ֔ה135×
- יְהוּדָ֑ה103×
- יְהוּדָ֖ה89×
- יְהוּדָֽה\׃75×
- יְהוּדָה֙59×
- יְהוּדָ֗ה58×
- יְהוּדָ֛ה23×
- יְהוּדָ֜ה21×
- יְהוּדָ֤ה10×
- יְהוּדָ֣ה9×
- בִּֽ/יהוּדָ֔ה9×
- לִֽ/יהוּדָ֑ה6×
Key Verses
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Genesis 29:35
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
This verse establishes the root meaning of the name as praise, linking the individual’s identity directly to gratitude toward God.
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Genesis 49:8
“Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father’s sons will bow down before you.
Jacob’s blessing here predicts royal dominance for this tribe, shifting the focus from personal history to future national leadership.
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Genesis 43:8
Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
Judah steps forward as a responsible mediator, showing how the name becomes associated with intercession and family preservation.
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Genesis 49:9
Judah is a lion’s cub. From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, as a lioness. Who will rouse him up?
The lion imagery here solidifies Judah’s role as a symbol of strength and kingly authority within the tribal structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Judah mean?
How does the meaning of Judah change in the Bible?
Why is Judah significant in biblical history?
Every Occurrence (689 verses across 30 books)
Genesis 26 verses
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then…
Genesis 35:23The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
Genesis 37:26Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
Genesis 38:1At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
Genesis 38:2There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.
Genesis 38:6Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
Genesis 38:7Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight. So Yahweh killed him.
Genesis 38:8Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her, and raise up…
Genesis 38:11Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown…
Genesis 38:12After many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to…
Genesis 38:15When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.
Genesis 38:20Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend, the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, but…
Genesis 38:22He returned to Judah, and said, “I haven’t found her; and also the men of the place said, ‘There has been no prostitute…
Genesis 38:23Judah said, “Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold, I sent this young goat, and you haven’t found her.”
Genesis 38:24About three months later, Judah was told, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute. Moreover, behold,…
Genesis 38:26Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I didn’t give her to Shelah, my son.” He knew…
Genesis 43:3Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is…
Genesis 43:8Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die,…
Genesis 44:14Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.
Genesis 44:16Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity…
Genesis 44:18Then Judah came near to him, and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t…
Genesis 46:12The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez…
Genesis 46:28Jacob sent Judah before him to Joseph, to show the way before him to Goshen, and they came into the land of Goshen.
Genesis 49:8“Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father’s sons will bow down…
Genesis 49:9Judah is a lion’s cub. From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, as a lioness.…
Genesis 49:10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs.…