Amazing Trip Through the Bible – Page 5 – Amazing Bible Timeline with World History

Posted on February 24, 2016March 29, 2016 by Kat Cendana — 2 Comments

Jacob Blesses His Sons

After 17 years in Egypt, Jacob fell ill and the time of his death drew near. He gathered all his sons after blessing Manasseh and Ephraim and gave most of them blessings while some were a recipient of admonitions and curses befitting their deeds while they lived in Canaan. This event is listed on the Bible Timeline around 1670 BC. These were given first to the sons of Leah, then to the sons of his concubines Bilhah and Zilpah, and last to the sons of Rachel (see Genesis 49).

Sons Who Received Blessings

Judah was the first son to receive blessings from his father. Jacob said that his brothers shall praise him while enemies and his brothers will bow down before him (Genesis 49:8). He was also likened to a lion (v 9) and his role as the family’s leader was established by Jacob (v 10). King David and Jesus were also descended from Judah. Additional blessings in the form of material prosperity were also bestowed upon Judah (v 11, 12).
Issachar’s ‘blessing’ started off as positive with him being described as a “rawboned (strong) donkey lying between saddlebags” (v 14) and inheriting a good land. But when he saw “how pleasant the land was, he worked too hard and became a slave” (v 15 CEV).
Zebulun, Leah’s youngest son “will live by the seashore and become haven for ships” (v 13).
Joseph: Apart from Judah, Jacob’s blessings for Joseph is one of the longest and probably, the most eloquent. Jacob recounted his son’s suffering and eventual triumph in Egypt (v 22-24), as well as reiterated God’s help during his trials.
Benjamin was described as a ravenous wolf who was set to devour the prey and divide the plunder (v 27). The future tribe’s reputation will be that of warriors starting from Ehud (Judges 3:15) to Saul, who later on would become Israel’s first king.
Dan: Jacob said that this handmaid’s son “will provide justice to his people” (v 16), but “will be a snake by the roadside… that bites horse’s heels” (v 17).
Naphtali: Bilhah’s son “is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns” (v 21).
Gad: Zilpah’s first son “will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.” (v 19)
Asher: Jacob blessed Zilpah’s second son with prosperity, saying that “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king (v 20).

Joseph in Egypt and his sons — “Joseph with his father Jacob and brothers in Egypt”

“Joseph with his father Jacob and brothers in Egypt”

Sons Who Received Admonitions and Curses

Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn by Leah, but his birthright was forfeited because of his sexual involvement with his father’s concubine Bilhah (v 3-4).
Simeon and Levi were lumped together for admonitions and curses (v 5-7) for their acts of violence against the men of Shechem after the rape of their sister Dinah (Genesis 34). Jacob’s curse against the two was explicitly stated in Genesis 49: 7.Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.

References:
Picture By Painters of Sultan Murad III – Zubdat-al Tawarikh (Illustrated manuscript)http://www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/~history/Ext/Zubdat.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19900596

Posted on February 23, 2016February 24, 2016 by Kat Cendana — Leave a comment

Joseph’s sons born in Egypt by Asenath, daughter of Potipherah, Priest of On – (1704 BC)

Manasseh and Ephraim were Joseph’s sons born in Egypt during the height of his power as Egypt’s administrator. This is listed on the Bible Timeline Chart around 1704 BC. Apart from their father’s high position in the Egyptian court, they were also descended from priests. This was through their mother Asenath and their grandfather Potiphera (not to be confused with the captain of the guard Potiphar in Genesis 39). Thereby cementing their position in the Egyptian society, as well as later in the establishment of Israel as a nation-state.

Their father’s story began in the 37^th chapter of Genesis after Jacob settled his family in the land of Canaan. The deep-seated envy of Joseph’s brothers resulted in him being sold to Ishmaelite traders and later on as a slave in Egypt. This story culminated in the succeeding chapters after he rose as Egypt’s ruler (second only to Pharaoh) by interpreting the king’s dreams about the years of abundance followed by years of famine. This life-changing moment also established Joseph as a member of Egypt’s elite. The Pharaoh personally gave him a new Egyptian name “Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Sun City or Heliopolis, the modern-day suburb of Ain Shams), to be his wife.” (Genesis 41:45 NIV).

Jacob_with_Ephraim_and_Manasseh — Jacob with Ephraim and Manasseh

Joseph’s sons Manasseh and Ephraim were born before the years of famine. Joseph named his eldest Manasseh (‘to forget’ in Hebrew) because “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household,” while his younger son was named Ephraim (‘to be fruitful’) “because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.” (Genesis 41:50-52 NIV) There are no records as to whether Joseph had more children by Asenath apart from Manasseh and Ephraim. The boys were later on blessed by Jacob in his deathbed.

References:
On (Heliopolis: Ancient City of Egypt)
Ain Shams
Manasseh: Meaning of Name and Background
Ephraim: Meaning of Name and Background
Picture By Owen Jones – http://www.gallery.oldbookart.com/main.php?g2_itemId=30588, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18474305

Posted on February 22, 2016February 22, 2016 by Kat Cendana — Leave a comment

Pharaoh’s Death – Israel Enslaved 1530 BC

The last chapter of Genesis recounts the death of Joseph in the land of Egypt at the age of 110. This can be found on the Bible Timeline Poster around 1530 BC. He had lived a long and successful life as a vizier of Egypt appointed by Pharaoh. The Hebrew people also thrived and multiplied in the land, they settled in (Exodus 1:7.).

“Departure of the Israelites”, by David Roberts, 1829″

The unnamed pharaoh who appointed Joseph as administrator had also died and a new pharaoh who did not know about Joseph and what he had done for Egypt ascended into power. Fearing that the large Hebrew population under his rule might rebel against him, he ordered them to hard labor and appointed slave drivers over them.

There are two pharaohs during the time of the Exodus (both, unfortunately, were unnamed). One was the pharaoh that decreed the Israelites as their (Egyptians’) slaves, and the other one was the pharaoh during the time of the plagues which was also the same one whose army perished during the crossing of the Red Sea.

The tyranny was imposed in two stages. First was slavery in hard labor and the subsequent infanticide of newborn male Hebrew babies. According to several passages in the Bible and Jewish tradition, Jacob’s descendants will stay and be enslaved in the land of Egypt for four hundred years (Genesis 15:13, Exodus 12 40-41, and Acts 7:6-7)

References:
Picture By David Roberts – Usenet, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10293374

Posted on February 15, 2016February 15, 2016 by Amy — Leave a comment

Esau married Judith and Bashmeth, Hittites

Esau is the elder twin brother of Jacob, sons of Isaac and Rebekah.

At the age of 40, he married his first two wives, Judith and Bashemath, who both came from the Canaanite tribe of the Hittites. This event is listed on the Biblical Timeline Poster around 1829 BC. Judith is the daughter of Beeri the Hittite while Bashemath is the daughter of Elon the Hittite.

Esau's Wives — “Hittite chariot, from an Egyptian relief”

“Hittite chariot, from an Egyptian relief”

His union with the two Canaanite women was against the wishes of his parents. Hittite women were considered heathens of Canaan at that time. Which was because of their ungodly ways of idolatry and adultery.

In Genesis 36, Esau’s two Canaanite wives were again mentioned; however, they went with different names from that of the wives referred in Genesis 26 and 28. In this later chapter, his wives were named Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon the Hivite. His third wife was called Bashemath, Ishmael’s daughter and Nebajoth’s sister. Scholars have since equated the three wives with those mentioned in earlier chapters.

When Esau saw that his father blessed Jacob, sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife, and commanded him not to marry any daughter of the degenerate Canaanites, he changed his evil ways. He went to visit his uncle Ishmael and married his cousin, Mahalath, whose name means “forgiveness.” By merit of his latest marriage, God forgave Esau all his sins.

After his father’s death, Esau took his wives, children, servants, and cattle to move away from Jacob and settle at Mount Seir.

References:
http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8221/jewish/Chapter-26.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esau#Family
http://biblehub.com/genesis/28-1.htm
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hittite_Chariot.jpg

Posted on February 2, 2016March 29, 2016 by Kat Cendana — Leave a comment

Milcah

Milcah – means ‘counsel’ and related to the Hebrew word for ‘queen’ (מלכה – malka) Phonetic Pronunciation: MIHL-kah. She can be found on the Bible Timeline around 1829 BC.

Milcah is related to the Hebrew word for ‘queen’

There are two Milcahs in the Bible. One being the fourth daughter of Zelophehad (Numbers 26:33). The more distinguished is Milcah, the daughter of Haran (Abraham’s oldest brother), wife (and niece) of Nahor, and brother of Lot. As Abraham’s niece, she plays a crucial role in continuing the line of the patriarchs as she is also the grandmother of Rebekah, who will later marry Abraham’s son Isaac, great-grandmother to Jacob and Esau, and one of the matriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel. She bore eight children to Nahor including Betheul, Rebekah’s father.

Intermarriage between close family members was forbidden in Chaldea where Milcah’s family originated. However, there seems to be an exception between uncles and nieces during that time. The Mosaic Laws were established long after Milcah’s (other patriarchs’ death). These laws mentioned specific prohibitions on and punishments for sexual relations between a number of close relatives in Leviticus 20. Although, the laws do not specifically state and forbid the sexual relations or marriage between uncles and nieces. It has been implied later on that the prohibitions in Leviticus 20 cover this type of relationship as well.

There is little to no information regarding Milcah’s later life and death.

References:
http://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Milcah.html#.Vq6pFdJ97Mw
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+11%3A29&version=NIV
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonian_law
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0320.htm#19

Posted on November 14, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 3 Comments

Joseph and Mary

Joseph and Mary are Jesus Christ‘s earthly parents. Mary who was engaged to Joseph but had not yet married and was still a virgin was chosen by God to conceive by the Holy Ghost (Mathew 1:18) and care for Jesus. Joseph was described as a righteous man and proved it by being kind to Mary when he found she was pregnant before their marriage. Declining to follow the law which justified death for Mary, Joseph decided to ‘put her away privily'(Mathew 1:19). While he was thinking on this and wondering what to do, an ‘angel of the Lord’ came to him in a dream instructing him to take Mary as his wife for she had been called upon by God to bear Jesus. That he was sent to ‘save his people from their sins’ (Mathew 1:21).

‘Now this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”‘

‘Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.’ (Mathew 1:22-25)

Mary

The meaning of the name Mary is not clearly translated or recognized for something specific but a few definitions listed are: ‘sea of bitterness’, ‘rebelliousness’ or ‘wished for child’. It is thought to have originated from Egypt and related to ‘mry‘ or ‘beloved’, possibly ‘mr‘ meaning ‘love’.

Mary played a vital role all throughout Christ‘s life, she was there from the day he was born till the time of his death. Her bravery and faithfulness shone brightly from the very beginning at God’s call for her to conceive Christ although not yet wed. Accepting such responsibility and likely great criticism from others with the threat of death being with child before marriage showed an unwavering trust in God. Her passing is not mentioned in the Bible, some believe that she was taken into heaven and spared the pain of death. Hyppolitus of Thebes recorded that Mary was alive for 11 years past the crucifixion of Christ and died around 54 AD.

‘Sagrada Familia del pajarito, by Murillo’

Joseph

The name Joseph in Hebrew is translated into ‘Yosef’ which means ‘he will add’. He is part of Christ’s history on the Bible Timeline Chart around 1 AD. Not much is recorded about Joseph and his relationship with Jesus as he grew. The scriptures do tell us that he was a good man who was faithful to God and obeyed his words. It was clear that he was dedicated to God by how often he has lead his family out of danger after being warned and hearkening to God’s guidance. One particular occurrence was their journey to Egypt away from Bethlehem just in time to escape Herod the Great‘s massacre of male infants in an attempt to destroy Jesus.

The last mention of Joseph in the scriptures was when Christ was only 12. After that during Christ’s life as an adult Mary is spoken of in terms that indicate she was a widow. Joseph was not recorded in key events during those times that would have called for involvement on his part. He was not recorded to be standing there at Christ’s crucifixion and Jewish tradition would have placed responsibility on Joseph for the caring of Christ’s body after his death but this charge was undertaken by Joseph of Arimathea. Christ also would not have given Mary’s care into the hands of John if Joseph was still around.

References:
http://christianity.about.com/od/newtestamentpeople/p/josephprofile.htm
http://www.openbible.info/topics/joseph_and_mary
http://www.behindthename.com/name/joseph/wiki/Saint_Joseph
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus)
http://christianity.about.com/od/newtestamentpeople/p/marymotherjesus.htm
http://www.behindthename.com/name/mary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph#mediaviewer/File:Bartolom%C3%A9_Esteban_Perez_Murillo_003.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph#mediaviewer/File:Sagrada_Familia_del_pajarito_(Murillo).jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus)#mediaviewer/File:Eustache_Le_Sueur.jpg

Posted on October 26, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 6 Comments

Azariah or Uzziah, King

In Hebrew, the name Uzziah or Azariah means “Yahweh is my strength”. This man was noted as one of the Kingdom of Judah‘s finest kings. Although he ruled at a very young age, he was able to show great wisdom and character as a king, and this was the reason he remained in his reign for as much as 52 years. However, he was only his father’s co-regent during the initial 24 years that he ruled the kingdom.

According to some historians, King Azariah reigned from 783 to 742 BC, which is where he can be found on the Biblical Timeline. In the Bible, he suffered from leprosy because of is disobedience to God. At this time, Jotham, his son, took his place. Another ruler named Pekah led the kingdom during the final year of King Azariah’s reign.

Life of Azariah

According to researchers, Azariah began his reign when he was only 16 years of age. Although he started as a young ruler, it was noted that his time was one of the most prosperous. He was also inspired and guided by Zechariah, a prophet, who helped him during the onset of his reign. Azariah remained faithful to God, and he did his best to always do what was pleasing to the Lord.

king_uzziah — ‘The King successfully made great machines used for battles including ones that can hurl big stones or shoot arrows, in case they were under attack by invaders.’

The king successfully made great machines used for battles including ones that can hurl big stones or shoot arrows, in case they were under attack by invaders. In 2 Chronicles 26, Azariah was able to defeat the Arabians and the Philistines. He also reorganized the country, and his army was re-equipped with strong weapons to use for battles. Indeed, the king was a responsible and committed ruler. His contributions made him popular in various lands including Egypt, as stated in 2 Chronicles 26:8.

The Downfall of a Great King

Unfortunately, things fell to an end when he allowed his pride to get the best of him. He made a mistake by entering the Lord’s temple to burn incense on the altar. When the high priest discovered this, a group of 80 priests confronted the King to say that he was not supposed to do a thing as that. Burning incense at the altar of the temple was supposed to be reserved solely to the priests who were Aaron‘s descendants.

Afterwards, there was a strong earthquake that occurred, and a large hole appeared in the temple where brilliant rays radiated from it. The ray hit the king’s face, and he was instantly afflicted with leprosy. Immediately, he was asked to leave the temple, and he was forced to find himself a separate dwelling where he stayed until he died.

Thus, Jotham, son of Azariah, was on a co-regency where his reign lasted for 11 years. This period was the last 11 years of the king’s life. In his death, he was given a separate grave, which was described as lonely and isolated.

This was the life of a powerful ruler who started his reign being admired by many, yet his pride caused him to lose everything he had even at the time of his death.

References:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Kings%2015
http://biblehub.com/topical/u/uzziah.htm
http://www.bibleview.org/en/Bible/KingsOfJudah/10_KingAzariahJudah/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uzziah#mediaviewer/File:Rembrandt_Harmensz._van_Rijn_032.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catapult#mediaviewer/File:Catapult_1_Mercato_San_Severino.jpg

Posted on October 25, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Arvad, Gebal, Phoenicia founded cities of

According to the Bible, Arvad was referred to as the city, which was the progenitor of the Canaanite group called the Arvadites. In 2nd BC, this island was occupied by the Phoenicians, who also ruled over the land. Arvad and Gebal can be found on the Bible Timeline Poster around 2200 BC. During the time of the Phoenician’s reign in this land, it was considered as an independent kingdom. It was either referred to as Jazirat or Arvad, yet the Phoenicians gave another name for it, which was believed to be Aynook.

Among the Greek, Arvad was popularly called Arados, and it also was mentioned as Arphad or Arpad in ancient sources. However, Antiochus I Soter decided to rename the land to Antiochia.

In terms of economy, Arvad was one of the thriving cities because it served as a base for commercial purposes. This base became functional when it comes to commercial trades in ancient times to Orontes Valley.

Arvad_island — The Island started out as nothing but rock.

The Island started out as nothing but rock.

Arvad was positioned about 50 kilometers in the northern part of Tripolis. Initially, the island was nothing but a barren rock, which was popular for its fortifications and residences that are high-rise in nature. As for the total area of the island, it measured about 800 meters in length and 500 meters in width. Arvad was protected by a strong wall, as well as a harbor that was artificial in nature. The harbor was made in Arvad’s east and up to the mainland. In the early parts of the island’s development, it has become a trading city that was just like the other cities populated by Phoenicians. Arvad also had a thriving city and navy, and some of the ships found in this island were stated in Assyrian and Egyptian monuments during ancient times. Arvad was noted for its coinage and successful local dynasty, and the island’s inhabitants were even stated in the Book of Genesis in 10:18. On the other hand, in Ezekiel 27:8-11, Arvad’s soldiers, and seamen were under the service of Type. Under the leadership of the island’s rulers, a few neighboring cities on Arvad’s mainlands were established including Simyra and Marathos. Other cities that were built including the ones on the south and opposite portion of the island.

Additional Facts about Arvad

arvad_history — ‘ This land, which was known as Arados or Arado to Greeks, had a small fishing town that belonged to modern-day Syria.’

‘ This land, which was known as Arados or Arado to Greeks, had a small fishing town that belonged to modern-day Syria.’

Arvad was first established by a group of Amorite settlers during 2nd BC. Initially, Canaanites settled on the land, but then a strong Phoenician kingdom soon took over. This land, which was known as Arados or Arado to Greeks, had a small fishing town that belonged to modern-day Syria. It is situated about 3 kilometers from Tartus, and it covers an area of about 700 meters in length.

Since there were limited resources on the island, the people relied mainly on the mainland for essential supplies necessary for survival. Nevertheless, Arvad still became an important point for commercial trades in the Orontes Valley. Interestingly, there was a small city that remained under the control of Arvad, including some of Northern Canaan’s regional cities.

Arvad was often referred to as a typical kingdom of the Phoenicians, although it was also regarded as the first republic ever established in the world. The citizens were also the ones who formed the island’s first government, and there were some kings who were recorded to have reigned during a certain period in Arvad.

References:
http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsMiddEast/CanaanArvad.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arwad
http://phoenicia.org/history.html
http://pixabay.com/en/island-sunset-st-lawrence-river-409939/
http://pixabay.com/en/beach-coast-stones-rock-sea-water-192981/
http://pixabay.com/en/boot-sea-adventure-atlantic-367490/

Posted on October 24, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — Leave a comment

Shang Dynasty Care for Old and Polygamy

The Shang Dynasty was believed to have been established during 1766 to 1122 BC. However, some accounts claimed that the dynasty lasted for at least 500 years until it ended in mid-11 BC when the Zhou dynasty took over. It can be found on the Bible Timeline Chart starting around 1704 BC. Primarily, the dynasty remained in the Yellow River, although there have been 5 different occasions when the capital was moved. However, it was in modern-day Anyang when the capital remained for over 250 years. The move was made possible by Pan Geng, the dynasty’s great ruler in 1384 BC. The Shang was regarded for their sophisticated use of bronze materials, which they used in making bells, fish hooks, pins, and other valuable items that enabled the production of axes. It was also during this era that structures were made, and these had walls made of pounded earth reaching about 9 meters in height. Ceremonial centers were also built, and these areas were constructed around other sites such as animal pens, storage pits and shops.

care_for_elderly — They relied mostly on agricultural products.

They relied mostly on agricultural products.

Lifestyle and Practices

Since ancient Chinese people relied mostly on agricultural products, they were able to raise cattle, chicken and pigs for consumption. Moreover, they cultivated hemp for clothing while hunting was also practiced to make fur coats that helped the people survive bitter cold winters. As for the religion of the people in this dynasty, they believed mainly on worshipping ancestral spirits. They also considered Shang Di as their supreme God, which they also praised and worshipped through various rituals and traditions. In fact, decisions were often made with the help of the divine, and there were ancestral temples where people verified whether the choice they were to make would be a wise one or not. During this era, the king was considered as the ruler of the feudal system. This means, he had the right to call on other members of nobility for help once there is a need to fight against invaders. The culture practiced was also quite traditional. The oldest people were regarded as the ones closest to the great ancestors. Although the culture practiced was patriarchal, women can only become a matriarch in case she was the last and oldest survivor in her family.

China_polygomy — Kings in this dynasty had the right to marry several women.

Kings in this dynasty had the right to marry several women. Thus, polygamy was practiced by the nobles, although there were some kings who remained to be married to only one woman for the rest of their lives. Interestingly, there were oracle ones discovered that revealed a king who had 3 wives while 26 kings in the dynasty had just one wife until his death.

Care for the old was also practiced, as this was one way for the younger generation to show respect to their elderly. The people looked up to the oldest members of their family for guidance and wisdom, and the elderly people were offered deep respect and recognition as important members of the household and the society.

In the Shang, the culture and language of China developed immensely. There are also various pictograms and ideograms that showed the civilization of the people in this dynasty. Hence, the dynasty proved to be a great turning point in China’s history because of numerous contributions it made to the country’s unique culture.

References:
http://www1.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22689.htm
http://www.history-of-china.com/shang-dynasty/
http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Myth/shang.html
http://pixabay.com/en/elderly-woman-wrinkles-old-poor-450726/
http://pixabay.com/en/cows-cow-austria-pasture-sky-blue-203460/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese_women_in_pink,_dancing_(2007-07-05).jpg

Posted on October 23, 2014October 4, 2017 by Amy — 14 Comments

Judah, Son of Jacob

In the Book of Genesis, Judah was considered the founder and leader of the Tribe of Judah of the Israelites and can be found on the Bible Timeline around 1704 BC. He was Jacob and Leah’s fourth son, whose name means “praise” or “thanksgiving”. As mentioned in Genesis 29:35, upon giving birth to Judah, Leah sang praises to the Lord for having been blessed with a son.

In the Scriptures, Judah had several brothers including Reuben, Levi, Simeon, Zebulun and Issachar. In the Bible, narrations on Judah’s birth was followed by stories about how he and his brothers were jealous of Joseph, who was the favorite son of their father. When they had the chance they took Joseph and threw him into a pit and debated about what should be done with him. In Genesis 37:26-28, it was Judah who saw an Ishmaelite caravan passing them at that moment. The said caravan was bound for Egypt, and Judah suggested that instead of killing Joseph, he should be sold as a slave to this group of people. He believed it was better to gain profit from selling Joseph, which the other brothers took as a wise suggestion.

Eventually, Judah was wed to a Canaanite, who was the daughter of Shua. He soon had three children named Er, Onan, and Shelah. When Er died after marrying Tamar, Onan took her in based on what was the custom that prevailed during that time. However, Onan died, and before his death, he refused to have any children with Tamar. Based on the custom, Tamar had a choice to marry Shelah, yet Judah was against it. However, Tamar decided to trick Judah by disguising herself as a prostitute. The two had intercourse, and this resulted in Tamar’s pregnancy. Upon discovering that he was tricked, Judah attempted to have Tamar killed, but what stopped him from doing so was the revelation that he was the father of the unborn child.

Joseph and Judah

judah_and_joseph — Joseph and his family reunite.

After Joseph had been sold as a slave, he experienced great fortunes in the land of Egypt. In fact, he soon was awarded a high position, and he became successful about 20 years after his brothers’ betrayal.

When the brothers came to Egypt, they did not recognize at first that it was Joseph whom they were speaking with. An incident happened during their visit, and Simeon was told to remain as a hostage. And would only be released as soon as Benjamin another of Jacob’s sons was brought to the palace upon the brothers’ next visit.

Judah spoke to Jacob and assured his father that Benjamin would be kept safe during their return to Egypt. However, another incident occurred, and Joseph ordered for Benjamin to stay in Egypt as his slave. Judah, who was responsible for Benjamin, decided to plead by taking the place of their youngest brother instead, until Joseph finally revealed his real identity upon discovering that his brothers have changed for the better.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah_(biblical_person)
http://www.keyway.ca/htm2013/20130421.htm
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0011_0_10397.html
http://pixabay.com/en/girl-praying-hands-eyelashes-15599/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamar_(Genesis)#mediaviewer/File:Rembrandt%27s_school_Tamar.JPG
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Figures_Joseph_Reveals_Himself.jpg