Judah

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Judah the son of Jacob

The son of Jacob and the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. He was in the line of Christ through Joseph. (Matthew 1:2-3)

Judah the tribe of Israel

Judea was known as Judah in the time of the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament.

Benjamin and Judah were the two tribes that stayed with David's lineage when the kingdom divided at Solomon's death. (1 Kings 11:35-12:24)

(The ESV Study BibleTM, English Standard Version (ESV) by Crossway Bibles, 2007. Page 1369)

After Saul died, David was anointed in Hebron over the house of Judah, but Abner the son of Ner made Ish-bosheth the son of Saul king over Israel. (2 Samuel 2:1-11)

In the Battle of Gibeon, Joab the son of Zeruiah represented David and Abner the son of Ner, Ish-bosheth. 19 of David's men were missing at the end of the day, while 360 of Abner's men were struck down. (2 Samuel 2:12-32)

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, "Behold, we are your bone and flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.'" So the elders made a covenant with David and anointed him king over Israel. (2 Samuel 5:1-5)

David sways the hearts of Judah through Zadok and Abiathar to bring him back as king, then they argue over David with Israel

After David's servants won against Absalom and Israel, Israel fled for their homes and began asking why no one was doing anything to bring back the king. David told Zadok and Abiathar to tell the elders of Judah, "Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king? You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?" and to Amasa, "Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab." Judah sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.”

All Judah met him at the Jordan to escort him back to Jerusalem.

Afterwards, Israel and Judah fought over David. "Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?” Judah answered Israel, “Because the king is our close relative. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's expense? Or has he given us any gift?” Israel answered Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

(2 Samuel 19:8-43)

Judah does not sway when Sheba, the son of Bichri, leads Israel away from David in rebellion

Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite, blew the trumpet and said, "We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!” All the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba, while the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly as they returned him to Jerusalem from the Jordan. David had Amasa assemble Judah within three days, but he was late. David had Abishai pursue Sheba with Joab's men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. Ultimately, Sheba was beheaded during Joab's siege against Abel of Beth-maacah.

(2 Samuel 20)

Census

The anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and King David was incited against them into conducting a census. Joab and the army commanders numbered the people, traveling from Aroer, the city in the middle of the valley, Gad, Jazer, Gilead, Kadesh in the land of the Hittites, Dan, Sidon, the fortress of Tyre, all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites, and the Negeb of Judah at Beersheba. They came to Jerusalem after 9 months and 20 days, having counted 800,000 valiant men in Israel and 500,000 in Judah. (2 Samuel 24:1-9)

Judah worships Baals

Israel went up on every high hill and under every green tree and played the whore. The LORD thought she would return after all this, but she did not. Her treacherous sister Judah saw it, that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, He sent her away with a decree of divorce, but she did not fear and too played the whore. She took her whoredom lightly and did not return with her whole heart but in pretense. So faithless Israel is more righteous than treacherous Judah. (Jeremiah 3:6-11)

Babylonian captivity

In 586, Nebuchadnezzar conquered them and the Neo-Babylonians took the elite class of the Judeans into the Babylonian Empire. (Hillsdale College - Ancient Christianity)

Cyrus's rule

Cyrus the Great, the LORD's anointed, overthrows the Neo-Babylonians and allowed the Jews to rebuild their temples and return home. They reestablish themselves under Ezra and Nehemiah while managing opposition from the Samaritans. (Hillsdale - Ancient Christianity, Isaiah 45)

Timeline