Lamentations 5:11 — Word Study
WLCנָשִׁים֙ בְּצִיּ֣וֹן עִנּ֔וּ בְּתֻלֹ֖ת בְּעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃
BSA◂Womenʼishshâh [wives, female persons] have been ravishedʻânâh■ [defiled, oppressed] in ZionTsîyôwn [the city of Jerusalem, a mountain] virginsbᵉthûwlâh [maids, young unmarried women] in the citiesʻîyr [towns, settlements] of JudahYᵉhûwdâh [the region, the tribe]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נָשִׁים֙ | women | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| בְּצִיּ֣וֹן | in Zion | Preposition, noun proper |
| עִנּ֔וּ | men have humiliated | Verb, Piel, perfect third person common plural |
| בְּתֻלֹ֖ת | virgins | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| בְּעָרֵ֥י | in [the] cities of | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct |
| יְהוּדָֽה׃ | Judah | Noun proper |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah. |
| KJV | They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah. |
| ASV | They ravished the women in Zion, The virgins in the cities of Judah. |
| YLT | Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins — in cities of Judah. |
| WEB | They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah. |
| BBE | They took by force the women in Zion, the virgins in the towns of Judah. |
The translations agree on the key terms and their meanings in this verse.
The sentence consists of two main clauses that parallel the suffering of women and virgins, emphasizing the widespread nature of the tragedy.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbעָנָה
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 — Lamentations 5:11
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 — The Lament over Jerusalemgenerated
Lamentations 5:11 expresses deep sorrow over the atrocities committed against women and virgins in Jerusalem, highlighting the societal breakdown and the suffering of the innocent during a time of crisis. This verse is part of a larger lament that reflects the pain and humiliation experienced by the people of Judah, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 28:30 | You will be pledged in marriage to a woman, but another man will violate her. You will build a house but will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but will not enjoy its fruit. |
| 2 | Isaiah 13:16 | Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes, their houses will be looted, and their wives will be ravished. |
| 3 | Zechariah 14:2 | For I will gather all the nations for battle against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נָשִׁים֙, na.Shimgenerated
The word אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It encompasses a broad range of meanings, from a general female person to a specific wife. The term's roots connect it to the masculine form אִישׁ (ish), indicating its foundational role in understanding gender in Hebrew.
In this verse, נָשִׁים specifically refers to women who have suffered violence, emphasizing their vulnerability in the context of the destruction of Zion. The use of this term draws attention to the plight of women during times of war and oppression.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations generally agree on the meaning of נָשִׁים as 'women' and בְּתֻלֹ֖ת as 'virgins.' The BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all convey the same sense of the original Hebrew.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main clauses: the first addresses the women in Zion, while the second focuses on the virgins in the cities of Judah. The finite verb עִנּ֔וּ (men have humiliated) serves as the central action connecting both clauses.
The structure emphasizes the parallel between the two groups affected by the violence, highlighting the widespread suffering in both Zion and the cities of Judah.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew נָשִׁים is rendered as γυναῖκας (gynaikas), which also means 'women.' This choice maintains the focus on the feminine subject of the verse.
The Greek term does not alter the meaning but reinforces the gravity of the situation faced by women in the context of the lament.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 5:11 speaks of the suffering of women and virgins in Jerusalem and Judah, highlighting the violence they faced during a time of crisis. This verse is part of a larger lament that reflects the pain and devastation experienced by the people.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The verse reveals a time of great suffering and violence, particularly against women and virgins, indicating a breakdown of societal norms.
Their mention highlights the vulnerability of these groups during times of war and oppression, emphasizing their suffering.
The lament serves as a reminder of the consequences of violence and the importance of protecting the vulnerable in society.
It connects with themes of justice, protection of the innocent, and the consequences of national sin, as seen in other prophetic books.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can we ensure the protection of vulnerable individuals in our communities today?
- What lessons can we learn from the lament over Jerusalem about the consequences of violence?
- In what ways can we respond to suffering in our society, particularly for women and children?
- How does this verse challenge us to reflect on our own actions and their impact on others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators, like Thomas Aquinas, reference this verse to discuss the moral implications of the violence against women in Jerusalem.
Here special persons are viewed. For instance, women ravished in Zion by men corrupting women. As Deuteronomy 28:30 records: "You shall betroth a wife,Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 5 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 5:11 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey ravished the women in Zion,.... Or "humbled" them (w); an euphemism; the women that were married to men in Zion, as the Targum; and if this wickedness was committed in the holy mountain of Zion,
Read John Gill on Lamentations 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah. They ravished the women in Zion. So, in just retribution, Babylon itself should fare in the end (Isaiah 13:16).
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleUsual outrages of barbarous soldiers. The Hebrew is, They humbled, a modest term to express these actions by.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 5:11 They ravished the women in Zion, [and] the maids in the cities of Judah.Ver. 11. They ravished the women in Zion.] Heb., They humbled, i.e., they dishonested: although Virgo invita vexari quidem potest, violari non potest. The Chaldee paraphraseth thus, The wives were ravished by the Romans, and the maids by the Chaldees; for the Jewish doctors do understand this book of the Lamentations concerning both the destructions of Jerusalem.
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 11. They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.] The evil mentioned here was predicted by Moses, Deuteronomy 28:30; Deuteronomy 28:32, and by Jeremiah, Jeremiah 6:12.
Read AdamClarke on Lamentations 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11, 12. We notice the sudden harking back to incidents connected immediately with the capture of the city.
Read Cambridge on Lamentations 5 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible11-13. Ravished the women — In those verses we have individualizing illustrations of the unhappy lot of the people.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Lamentations 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
Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah.
They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah.
Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah.
They raped women in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.
Tyndale line
They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.
They ravished the women in Zion, The virgins in the cities of Judah.
They ravished the women in Zion, the maidens in the cities of Judah.
They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of Judah.
They defiled the women in Zion, and the maydes in the cities of Iudah.
Strictly literal
They have ravished the women in Zion, the maids in the cities of Judah.
Wives in Zion they have humbled, Virgins — in cities of Judah.
Wives in Zion they have humbled, || Virgins—in cities of Judah.
Women have they ravished in Zion, virgins, in the cities of Judah.
Women are raped in Zion, and virgins in the cities of Judah.
From the Latin
They oppressed the women in Sion, and the virgins in the cities of Juda.
Simplified
They raped women in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.
They took by force the women in Zion, the virgins in the towns 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 aligns with the Septuagint in its wording, confirming the same key terms and structure. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the Masoretic Text, though they contain some partially restored words, indicating the preservation of the verse's core message.
נָשִׁים֙ בְּצִיּ֣וֹן עִנּ֔וּ בְּתֻלֹ֖ת בְּעָרֵ֥י 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.
נשים בציון ענו בתולות בערי יהודה
3 words on the leather — 3 partly restored.
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 Lamentations 5:11
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.
אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means 'woman,' 'wife,' or 'female.' It can refer to a woman in general, a wife in relation to a man, or the female of animals. The term also has distributive and reciprocal uses, indicating 'each woman' from her neighbor. The word is derived from the masculine forms אִישׁ (ish) and אִישָׁה (ishah), indicating a broad range of meanings.
אִשָּׁה 773 n.f. woman, wife, female
woman
Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)
Female of animals
With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one
base
H802 אִשָּׁה woman, wife, female . woman
. Wife (woman belonging to a man, usually cstr. or sf.)
. Female of animals
. With distrib. & recipr. sense, each woman from her neighbor; each one
802 'ishshah ish-shaw'
feminine of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym
{naw-sheem'}; a woman (used in the same wide sense as
582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X many, + none,
one, + together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.
see HEBREW for 0376
see HEBREW for 0582
see HEBREW for 0582
אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman.
: woman
1) woman, wife, female
1a) woman (opposite of man)
1b) wife (woman married to a man)
1c) female (of animals)
1d) each, every (pronoun)
אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: wife.
: wife/widow
1) woman, wife, female
1a) woman (opposite of man)
1b) wife (woman married to a man)
1c) female (of animals)
1d) each, every (pronoun)
אִשָּׁה (ish.shah) — woman: another.
: another
1) woman, wife, female
1a) woman (opposite of man)
1b) wife (woman married to a man)
1c) female (of animals)
1d) each, every (pronoun)
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
The position of women in the Hebrew commonwealth contrasts favorably with that which in the present day is assigned to them generally in eastern countries. The most salient point of contrast in the usages of ancient as compared with modern Oriental society was the large amount of liberty enjoyed by women. Instead of being immured in a harem, or appearing in public with the face covered. The wives and maidens of ancient times mingled freely and openly with the other sex in the duties and amenities of ordinary life. Rebekah travelled on a camel with her face unveiled until she came into the presence of her affianced. (Genesis 24:64,65) Jacob saluted Rachel with a kiss in the presence of the shepherds. (Genesis 29:11) Women played no inconsiderable part in public celebrations (
צִיּוֹן (Tsiyyôn) refers to Zion, often identified as a mountain in Jerusalem and a symbolic name for the city itself, particularly in prophetic contexts. The term is linked to the Hebrew word for Jerusalem and is noted for meaning 'parched place.' It is consistently recognized across lexicons as a proper noun.
צִיּוֹן 154 n.pr.loc. Ṣiyyôn, Zion
base
H6726 צִיּוֹן Ṣiyyôn, Zion
6726 Tsiyown tsee-yone'
the same (regularly) as 6725; Tsijon (as a permanent
capital), a mountain of Jerusalem:--Zion.
see HEBREW for 06725
צִיּוֹן (tsiy.yon) — Zion.
Zion = "parched place"
another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
zi'-on (tsiyon; Sion):
1. Meaning of the Word
2. The Zion of the Jebusites
3. Zion of the Prophets
4. Zion in Later Poetical Writings and Apocrypha
5. Omission of Name by Some Writers
6. The Name "Zion" in Christian Times
LITERATURE
1. Meaning of the Word:
A name applied to Jerusalem, or to certain parts of it, at least since the time of David. Nothing certain is known of the meaning. Gesenius and others have derived it from a Hebrew root tsahah, "to be dry"; Delitzsch from tsiwwah, "to set up" and Wetzstein from tsin, "to protect." Gesenius finds a more hopeful suggestion in the Arabic equivalent cihw, the Arabic cahwat signifying "ridge of a mountain" or "citadel," which at any rate suitably applies to what we know to have been the original Zion (compare Smith, HGHL, under the word).
Zion
Sunny; height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it surpasses in height by 105 feet. It was the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem.
When David took it from the Jebusites (Josh. 15:63; 2 Sam. 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it became “the city of David” (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21, 31; 1 Chr. 11:5). In the later books of the Old Testament this name was sometimes used (Ps. 87:2; 149:2;
[JERUSALEM]
monument; raised up; sepulcher
עָנָה (anah) is a Hebrew verb with a range of meanings related to affliction and humility. It can denote being occupied, as well as being bowed down, depressed, or afflicted. The word has various forms, including ways to humble oneself or to afflict others, and it appears in contexts of discipline and humility, particularly in relation to fasting.
[עָנָה] vb. be occupied, busied with
base
[עָנָה] vb. be bowed down, afflicted
Qal
be put down or become low, of song of triumph
be depressed, downcast
be afflicted
Niph.
humble oneself
be afflicted
Pi.
humble, mishandle, afflict
humble, a woman by cohabit.
afflict as a discipline
humble, weaken
Pu.
be afflicted, in discipline by God
be humbled by fasting
Hiph. afflict, in discipline
Hithp.
humble oneself
be afflicted
humble oneself in fasting
base
H6031a עָנָה be occupied, busied with H6031b עָנָה be bowed down, afflicted .. be put down or become low, of song of triumph
. be depressed, downcast
. be afflicted
. . humble oneself
. be afflicted
. . humble, mishandle, afflict
. humble, a woman by cohabit.
. afflict as a discipline
. humble, weaken
. . be afflicted, in discipline by God
. be humbled by fasting
. afflict, in discipline
. . humble oneself
. be afflicted
. humble oneself in fasting
6031 `anah aw-naw'
a primitive root (possibly rather ident. with 6030 through
the idea of looking down or browbeating); to depress literally
or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various
applications, as follows):--abase self, afflict(-ion, self),
answer (by mistake for 6030), chasten self, deal hardly with,
defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt,
ravish, sing (by mistake for 6030), speak (by mistake for
6030), submit self, weaken, X in any wise.
see HEBREW for 06030
see HEBREW for 06030
see HEBREW for 06030
see HEBREW for 06030
עָנָה (a.nah) — be occupied.
(Qal) to be occupied, be busied with
עָנָה (a.nah) — to afflict.
1) to afflict, oppress, humble, be afflicted, be bowed down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be put down, become low
1a2) to be depressed, be downcast
1a3) to be afflicted
1a4) to stoop
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to humble oneself, bow down
1b2) to be afflicted, be humbled
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to humble, mishandle, afflict
1c2) to humble, be humiliated
1c3) to afflict
1d4) to humble, weaken oneself
1d) (Pual)
1d1) to be afflicted
1d2) to be humbled
1e) (Hiphil) to afflict
1f) (Hithpael)
1f1) to humble oneself
1f2) to be afflicted
Aramaic equivalent: a.nah (עֲנָי "to afflict" H6033)
V-Piel-Perf-3cp — Verb · Piel · perfect third person common pluralHVpp3cp
בְּתוּלָה (bthuwlah) means 'virgin' and is derived from a passive participle of an unused root that suggests separation. It can also refer to a bride and, in a figurative sense, to a city or state. The term appears in contexts related to purity and marital status.
בְּתוּלָה 60 n.f. virgin
base
H1330 בְּתוּלָה virgin
1330 bthuwlah beth-oo-law'
feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to
separate; a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by
continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or
state:--maid, virgin.
בְּתוּלָה (be.tu.lah) — virgin.
virgin
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.
עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage
base
עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town
city, town, abode of men
of fortress in a city
appar. fortified place, of any size
base
H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men
. of fortress in a city
. appar. fortified place, of any size
5892 `iyr eer
or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)
{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a
watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or
post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
see HEBREW for 05782
עִיר (ir) — excitement.
1) excitement, anguish
1a) of terror
עִיר (ir) — city.
1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)
1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)
1a) city, town
עִיר (ir) — City (of On).
Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)
This name means city, town
Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)
עִיר (ir) — Ir-.
#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;
son of: Tehinnah (H8468)
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural constructHR/Ncmpc
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