Hosea 5:12 — Word Study
WLCוַאֲנִ֥י כָעָ֖שׁ לְאֶפְרָ֑יִם וְכָרָקָ֖ב לְבֵ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה׃
BSASo I amʼănîy like a mothʻâsh [a fragile, easily destroyed creature] to EphraimʼEphrayim and like decayrâqâb [rottenness, moral corruption] to the housebayith [dwelling place, family] of JudahYᵉhûwdâh [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַאֲנִ֥י | and I | Conjunction, pronoun |
| כָעָ֖שׁ | [am] like moth | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| לְאֶפְרָ֑יִם | to Ephraim | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| וְכָרָקָ֖ב | and like rottenness | Conjunction, preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| לְבֵ֥ית | to [the] house of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| יְהוּדָֽה׃ | Judah | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah. |
| KJV | Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness. |
| ASV | Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness. |
| YLT | And I [am] as a moth to Ephraim, And as a rotten thing to the house of Judah. |
| WEB | Therefore I am to Ephraim like a moth, and to the house of Judah like rottenness. |
| BBE | And so to Ephraim I am like a wasting insect, and a destruction to the children of Judah. |
The translations agree on the key metaphors of moth and decay in this verse.
The sentence structure presents two comparisons, emphasizing God's judgment on both Ephraim and Judah.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֲנִי
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Hosea 5:12
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Judgment on Israelgenerated
Hosea 5:12 illustrates God's judgment against Ephraim and Judah, depicting His role in their decline. Ephraim, representing the northern kingdom, is warned of the consequences of their idolatry and moral decay. This verse emphasizes the fragility of their state, as God likens Himself to a moth and decay, suggesting that their downfall is inevitable unless they turn back to Him.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 13:28 | So man wastes away like something rotten, like a moth-eaten garment. |
| 2 | Isaiah 50:9 | Surely the Lord GOD helps Me. Who is there to condemn Me? See, they will all wear out like a garment; the moths will devour them. |
| 3 | Isaiah 51:8 | For the moth will devour them like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool. But My righteousness will last forever, My salvation through all generations.” |
| 4 | Proverbs 12:4 | A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones. |
| 5 | Jonah 4:7 | When dawn came the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant so that it withered. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — כָעָשׁ, kha.'Ashgenerated
The word עָשׁ, transliterated as ash, refers to a moth, a creature known for its fragility and destructiveness. This metaphor highlights the idea that God's influence can lead to deterioration, similar to how a moth can destroy fabric over time.
In this context, the use of ash signifies that God's presence brings about decay rather than protection, indicating the seriousness of Israel's spiritual condition. The choice of a moth, something small yet destructive, underscores the idea that even minor issues can lead to significant consequences.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered consistently across translations, with the BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all conveying the idea of God being like a moth and decay to Ephraim and Judah.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main clauses linked by a conjunction: וַאֲנִי, and I, and וְכָרָקָב, and like rottenness. Each clause presents a comparison, emphasizing the nature of God's judgment.
The structure highlights the parallelism between Ephraim and Judah, with both being subject to the same divine metaphor, reinforcing the theme of inevitable decay due to their actions.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates כָעָשׁ as ταραξὴ, meaning 'disturbance' or 'trouble'. This choice suggests a broader interpretation of God's role in causing turmoil for Ephraim, emphasizing the chaotic consequences of their unfaithfulness.
This rendering indicates a shift from a specific image of a moth to a more general sense of disturbance, reflecting the translators' understanding of the impact of God's judgment.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Hosea 5:12 shows God saying He is like a moth to Ephraim and like decay to the house of Judah. This means that God's presence can bring destruction, similar to how a moth can ruin clothing and decay can spoil a home. The verse warns both Ephraim and Judah about the consequences of their actions.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that God's presence can lead to destruction and decay, just as a moth destroys fabric over time.
Decay symbolizes moral corruption and deterioration, indicating that Judah's spiritual state is in decline due to their unfaithfulness.
This verse encapsulates the theme of judgment in Hosea, where God warns Israel about the consequences of their idolatry and calls them to repentance.
It teaches us that even small issues in our lives can lead to significant consequences if not addressed, emphasizing the importance of spiritual vigilance.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life might I be experiencing decay, and how can I address them?
- How can I be more aware of the subtle influences that may lead to spiritual decline?
- What steps can I take to strengthen my relationship with God and avoid the pitfalls of moral corruption?
- How can I support others who may be struggling with their spiritual health, similar to Ephraim and Judah?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Jerome comments on this verse, explaining the imagery of moth and decay as representing God's judgment and the consequences of sin.
"And I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like rottenness to the house of Judah." LXX: "And I am like a tribulation to Ephraim, and like a stimulus to the house of Judah." In the Hebrew language "moth" is called "Recob" for "rot and decay";Early Church Fathers on Hosea 5 →
Just as the moth consumes clothing and decay or dry-rot consumes wooden things (which both occur over a long time), in the same manner God,Early Church Fathers on Hosea 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Hosea 5:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleTherefore [will] I [be] unto Ephraim as a moth,.... Which eats garments, penetrates into them, feeds on them privately, secretly, without any noise, and gradually and slowly consumes them; but at
Read John Gill on Hosea 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryTherefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness. Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth - consuming a garment (Job 13:28; Psalms 39:11; Isaiah 50:9).
Read Robert Jamieson on Hosea 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTherefore, or And, Heb. I will be; I am; it is concise in the Hebrew, and might be thus expressed, But, or And, as for me, I am, and will be, to the ten tribes. As a moth: moths do leisurely eat up and mar our clothes; so God was then, and had been from Jeroboam’ s death to this day, weakening the ten tribes; their seditions did eat them up. And to the house of Judah; the two tribes, who now with Ahaz did, as Ephraim, cast God off. As rottenness; shall secretly consume and rot as wood doth by worms; so God will punish both Israel and Judah, these shall be forerunners and preparatories to the final desolation of both; of the one by Assyria, and of the other by Babylon.
Read Matthew Poole on Hosea 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsHosea 5:12 Therefore [will] I [be] unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.Ver. 12. Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth] Their sin was the greater because they were so willing to it, and so easily drawn to idolatry, as most agreeable to their nature, and making much of their ease; which was Jeroboam’ s main argument. It may very well be that he threatened punishment to those that disobeyed his commandment: but here they should have stood out, and have bid the worst; choosing affliction rather than sin; which because they did not, therefore they should perish by their own hand and counsels; they shall be moth-eaten, as a garment that breedeth the moth, and as a…
Read John Trapp on Hosea 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) Rottenness.—The Authorised version is right in this rendering (the disease caries) rather than worm (margin). Both images express concealed causes of irreparable destruction which come suddenly to view when it is too late.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Hosea 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 12. Unto Ephraim as a moth] I will consume them by little and little, as a moth frets a garment.
Read AdamClarke on Hosea 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12. Therefore will I be …] Rather, And as for me, I am, &c. The same two figures are of frequent occurrence; they are combined again in Job 13:28. A gradual inward corruption was destroying the two Israelitish states quite as effectually as a foreign conquest. Anarchy and civil war combined with a retrograde religion and a lax morality to bring northern Israel in particular to the verge of ruin. Elsewhere Hosea describes its condition as a living death (Hosea 13:1).
Read Cambridge on Hosea 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleTherefore I will be unto Ephraim a moth - Literally, “and I as a moth.” This form of speaking expresses what God was doing, while Ephraim was “willingly following” sin.
Read Albert Barnes on Hosea 5 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.
Therefore I am to Ephraim like a moth, and to the house of Judah like rottenness.
So I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like decay to the house of Judah.
I will be like a moth to Ephraim, like wood rot to the house of Judah.
Tyndale line
Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
Therefore am I unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
Therefore will I be to Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
Therefore wil I be vnto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Iudah as a rottennesse.
Strictly literal
And I will be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
And I [am] as a moth to Ephraim, And as a rotten thing to the house of Judah.
And I [am] as a moth to Ephraim, || And as a rotten thing to the house of Judah.
But like the moth became I unto Ephraim, and like rottenness to the house of Judah.
So I will be like a moth to Ephraim, and like rot to the house of Judah.
From the Latin
And I will be like a moth to Ephraim: and like rottenness to the house of Juda.
Simplified
I am like a maggot to Ephraim, and like something rotten to the people of Judah.
And so to Ephraim I am like a wasting insect, and a destruction to the children of Judah.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of וַאֲנִי כָעָשׁ לְאֶפְרָיִם וְכָרָקָב לְבֵית יְהוּדָה. The Septuagint matches every Hebrew word, preserving the original meaning while adapting the expression in Greek.
וַאֲנִ֥י כָעָ֖שׁ לְאֶפְרָ֑יִם וְכָרָקָ֖ב לְבֵ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Hosea 5:12
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I
589 'aniy an-ee'
contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X
which, X who.
see HEBREW for 0595
אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.
I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronounHC/Pp1bs
עָשׁ (ash) refers to a moth, while עֲשַׂב (a.sav) denotes herbage or grass. The word is built from the root associated with vegetation. There is a connection to Aramaic, indicating a broader range of meaning related to plant life.
עָשׁ moth
base
עֲשַׂב n.[m.] herbage, grass
base
H6211a עָשׁ moth H6211b עֲשַׂב herbage, grass
6211 `ash awsh
from 6244; a moth:--moth. See also 5906.
see HEBREW for 06244
see HEBREW for 05906
עָשׁ (ash) — moth.
moth
עֲשַׂב (a.sav) — grass.
herbage, grass
Aramaic of e.sev (עֵ֫שֶׂב "vegetation" H6212)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
moth (`ash; compare Arabic `uththat, "moth"; colloquial, `itt; cac, "worm" (Isa 51:8); compare Arabic sus, "worm," especially an insect larva in flesh, wood or grain; ses, "moth" (Mt 6:19,20; Lu 12:33); setobrotos, "moth-eaten" (Jas 5:2)):
The moths constitute the larger division of the order Lepidoptera. Two of the points by which they are distinguished from butterflies are that they are generally nocturnal and that their antennae are not club-shaped. Further, the larva in many cases spins a cocoon for the protection of the pupa or chrysalis, which is never the case with butterflies. The Biblical references are to the clothes-moth, i.e. various species of the genus Tinea…
Moth
Heb. ‘ash, from a root meaning “to fall away,” as moth-eaten garments fall to pieces (Job 4:19; 13:28; Isa. 50:9; 51:8; Hos. 5:12).
Gr. ses, thus rendered in Matt. 6:19, 20; Luke 12:33. Allusion is thus made to the destruction of clothing by the larvae of the clothes-moth. This is the only lepidopterous insect referred to in Scripture.
By the Hebrew word we are certainly to understand some species of clothes-moth (tinea). Reference to the destructive habits of the clothes-moth is made in (Job 4:19; 13:28; Psalms 39:11) etc. (The moth is a well-known insect which in its caterpillar state is very destructive to woollen clothing, furs, etc. The egg of the moth, being deposited on the fur or cloth, produces a very small shining insect, which immediately forms a house for itself by cuttings from the cloth. It east away the nap, and finally ruins the fabric. There are more than 1500 species of moths. --McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia.)
The common moth is an insect destructive to woolen cloths. The egg is laid by a small shining worm; which by another transformation becomes a miller. Allusions to the moth, as devouring clothes, and as a frail and feeble insect, are frequent in Scripture, Job 4:19 13:28 27:18 Isa 50:9 Ho 5:12 Mt 6:19,20. See GARMENTS.
The insects called in general moths, of which the above is only one species, are exceedingly numerous. The main genus is called by naturalists Phaloena, and contains more than fifteen hundred species. Moths fly abroad only in the evening and night; differing in this respect from the tribe of butterflies that fly only by day. Their larva, or the worms from which…
אֶפְרַ֫יִם (Ephrayim) refers to Ephraim, a son of Joseph and Asenath, and the tribe descended from him. The term signifies 'double fruit' and encompasses various meanings, including a geographical region, a chief gate of Jerusalem, and a reference to the northern kingdom. Notably, it appears in Genesis 41:52.
אֶפְרַ֫יִם n.pr.m. Ephraim
base
H669 אֶפְרַ֫יִם Ephraim
669 'Ephrayim ef-rah'-yim
dual of masculine form of 672; double fruit; Ephrajim, a son
of Joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its
territory:--Ephraim, Ephraimites.
see HEBREW for 0672
אֶפְרַ֫יִם (eph.ra.yim) — Ephraim.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.41.52;
son of: Joseph (H3130) and Asenath (H0621);
brother of: Manasseh (H4519);
father of: Shuthelah (H7803), Becher (H1071H), Tahan (H8465), Ezer (H5827), Elead (H0496) and Beriah (H1283H); also called Ephrathite (NIV: Ephraimite) at 1Sa.1.1; Ephron (Qere, KJV: Ephrain) at 2Ch.13.19;
§ Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful"
1) second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh
2) the tribe, Ephraim
3) the mountain country of Ephraim
4) sometimes used name for the northern kingdom (Hosea or Isaiah)
5) a city near Baal-hazor
6) a chief gate of Jerusalem
אֶפְרַ֫יִם (eph.ra.yim) — Ephraim (Gate).
§ Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful"
a chief gate of Jerusalem
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
Ephraim
Double fruitfulness (“for God had made him fruitful in the land of his affliction”). The second son of Joseph, born in Egypt (Gen. 41:52; 46:20). The first incident recorded regarding him is his being placed, along with his brother Manasseh, before their grandfather, Jacob, that he might bless them (48:10; comp. 27:1). The intention of Joseph was that the right hand of the aged patriarch should be placed on the head of the elder of the two; but Jacob set Ephraim the younger before his brother, “guiding his hands wittingly.” Before Joseph’s death, Ephraim’s family had reached the third generation (Gen. 50:23).
a city "in the district near the wilderness" to which our Lord retired with his disciples when threatened with violence by the priests. (John 11:54)
The second son of Joseph, born in Egypt, Ge 41:52. Although the youngest, he yet had the chief blessing of his grandfather Jacob, and the tribe was always more distinguished than that of Manasseh, Ge 48:8-20 Nu 2:18-21. The portion of Ephraim was large and central, and embraced some of the most fertile land in all Canaan. It extended from the Mediterranean across to the Jordan, north of the portions of Dan and Benjamin and included Shiloh, Shechem, etc. A range of mountainous country, which runs through it, is called "the mountains of Ephraim," or "mount Ephraim." This extends also farther south into the portion of Judah, and is there called "the mountains of Judah." Samaria, the capital of the ten tribes, being in Ephraim…
fruitful; increasing
רָקָב (raqab) refers to rottenness or decay, often used in a figurative sense. It is derived from the root word רָקַב (raqab), which also relates to decay. The term appears in contexts discussing physical deterioration.
רָקָב n.[m.] rottenness, decay
base
H7538 רָקָב
7538 raqab raw-kawb'
from 7537; decay (by caries):--rottenness (thing).
see HEBREW for 07537
רָקָב (ra.qav) — rottenness.
rottenness, decay (always fig)
Conj | Prep | N-ms — Conjunction · preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Rd/Ncmsa
The Hebrew word בַּיִת (*bayith*) means 'house' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including dwelling, family, and place. It can refer to physical structures, such as homes and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like the body or household affairs. The word is built from the root related to 'between' and appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between
base
בַּ֫יִת 2034 n.m. house
house
place
receptacle
of house as containing a family
household, family (592 t.)
house, including household affairs
lit. housewards, hence metaph. inwards
מִבַּיִת
adv. on the inside
prep. within
base
H1004a בֵּית fem. of בַּיִן, בֵּין prep. between H1004b בַּ֫יִת house
1004 bayith bah'-yith
probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest
variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court,
daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as
would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold),
inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet,
temple, web, + within(-out).
see HEBREW for 01129
בֵּית (bet) — place.
nm
place, origin, between
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — house: home.
: home/temple/building
nm
1) house
1a) house, dwelling habitation
1b) shelter or abode of animals
1c) human bodies (fig.)
1d) of Sheol
1e) of abode of light and darkness
1f) of land of Ephraim
2) place
3) receptacle
4) home, house as containing a family
5) household, family
5a) those belonging to the same household
5b) family of descendants, descendants as organized body
6) household affairs
7) inwards (metaph.)
8) (TWOT) temple
adv
9) on the inside
prep
10) within
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(ashbea).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Combined with ash.be.a (אַשְׁבֵּעַ "Ashbea" H0791)
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth (Haggan).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Combined with hag (גַּן "Haggan" H1588)
בַּ֫יִת (ba.yit) — Beth-(togarmah).
nm
This name is used for a house, habitation
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
יְהוּדָה (yehudah) means 'Judah' and is derived from a root meaning 'praised.' It refers to the son of Jacob and Leah, the tribe descended from him, and the territory they occupied. The term also encompasses the southern kingdom of Judah, which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Additionally, it identifies various individuals, including Levites and overseers during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
יְהוּדָה 820 n.pr.m. et terr. Judah
n.pr.m.
son of Jacob and Leah
tribe descended from Judah
nation, of southern kingdom under dynasty of David, as distinguished from northern kingdom of Ephraim or Israel
Levite, Ezra’s time
an overseer of Jerus.
Levite musician
priest
n.pr.terr. land of Judah
base
H3063 יְהוּדָה Judah
3063 Yhuwdah yeh-hoo-daw'
from 3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five
Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of
its territory:--Judah.
see HEBREW for 03034
יְהוּדָה (ye.hu.dah) — Judah.
A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.29.35;
son of: Israel (H3478) and Leah (H3812);
brother of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074) and Dinah (H1783);
half-brother of: Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); married to Bath-shua (H1323I) and Tamar (H8559);
father of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209), Shelah (H7956), Perez (H6557) and Zerah (H2226I)
§ Judah = "praised"
1) the son of Jacob by Leah
2) the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob
3) the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah
4) the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon
5) a Levite in Ezra's time
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Judah
Praise, the fourth son of Jacob by Leah. The name originated in Leah’s words of praise to the Lord on account of his birth: “Now will I praise [Heb. odeh] Jehovah, and she called his name Yehudah” (Gen. 29:35).
It was Judah that interposed in behalf of Joseph, so that his life was spared (Gen. 37:26, 27). He took a lead in the affairs of the family, and “prevailed above his brethren” (Gen. 43:3-10; 44:14, 16-34; 46:28; 1 Chr. 5:2).
Soon after the sale of Joseph to the Ishmaelites, Judah went to reside at Adullam, where he married a woman of Canaan. (See ONAN; TAMAR.) After the death of his wife Shuah, he returned to his father’s house, and there exercised much…
(praised, celebrated), the fourth son of Jacob and the fourth of Leah. (B.C. after 1753.) Of Judah’s personal character more traits are preserved than of any other of the patriarchs, with the exception of Joseph, whose life he in conjunction with Reuben saved. (Genesis 37:26-28) During the second visit to Egypt for corn it was Judah who understood to be responsible for the safety of Benjamin, ch. (Genesis 43:3-10) and when, through Joseph’s artifice, the brothers were brought back to the palace, he is again the leader and spokesman of the band. So too it is Judah who is sent before Jacob to smooth the way for him in the land of Goshen. ch. (Genesis 46:28) This ascendancy over his brethren is reflected in the last words…
The fourth son of Jacob and Leah, born in Mesopotamia, B. C. 1755, Ge 29:35. His name appears honorably in the history of Joseph, Ge 37:26,27 44:16-34; but disgracefully in that of Tamar his daughter-in-law, Ge 38:1-30. The dying benediction of Jacob foretells the superior power and prosperity of the family of Judah, and their continuance as chief of the Jewish race until the time of Christ, Ge 49:8-12. Though not the firstborn, Judah soon came to be considered as the chief of Jacob’s children, and his tribe was the most powerful and numerous. The southeastern part of Palestine fell to their lot. See JUDEA. On the border of their territory was Jerusalem, the seat of the…
the praise of the Lord; confession