Judah as Plot Mover
If you have spent much time in a church for Sunday sermons, read Bible stories aimed at children, attended a VBS, or have a general knowledge of well-known Hebrew Bible stories; you have heard the story of a man by the name of Joseph. He seems to be cast in the modern day as the main character of Genesis 37-50, but I will attempt to question this premise.
He is the teenager, loved and adorned, with fine clothes by his father and hated by his brothers. He is the character whom the reader is reassured “the Lord was with [him]” (Genesis 39:2, 21). Joseph is eventually raised to second in command of all Egypt by YHWH’s providence. Although, I do not mean to dismiss these heavy claims, I presume there is more to these 13 chapters rather than less. I believe this is a story bursting with robust characters and much can be said about so many of them. I suggest the story is about Israel and all 12 of his sons, and I would like to take a closer look at Israel’s fourth son Judah.
A brief map of how the following argument will lay out: we will see how Judah shows up five key times in the narrative and serve to move the plot along in significant ways. First, he is the brother who suggests that selling Joseph for murder does not profit men but slavery sale does (37:26-28). Second, the reader gets a seemingly random side story about Judah and Tamar, the conclusion of which may allude to Judah’s future change of heart (Chapter 38). Third, Israel and his family are deliberating about returning to Egypt, and Judah offers his life and honor before his father in exchange for his little brother (43:8-10). Fourth, Judah again offers his own life and honor to Joseph in place of Benjamin’s (44:18-34). Fifth, the radical turn of events for Judah culminate in the messianic blessing over Judah’s line given by his father, Israel (49:8-12). I would suggest these five instances move the plot along in substantial ways and provide a strong case for Judah being seen as a major plot mover in the story.
The Violent Schemer repents
Judah’s suggestion to “sell him [Joseph] to the Ishmaelites,” (Genesis 37:27) ends a set of three separate suggestions made by Joseph’s ten brothers about what they will do with Joseph. The first collective suggestion comes as they spot Joseph approaching them, and conspire to kill him, “Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits” (37:20). The attentive reader already knows of YHWH’s abhorrence for murder as demonstrated in chapter 4 with Cain and Abel. The second suggestion by Reuben looks altruistic on the surface, although a closer reading reveals it is worse than the first. Reuben says to his brothers, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him” and afterwards the reader gets a window into Reuben’s motives not available to the narrative’s characters in the form of an aside, “—that he [Reuben] might rescue him [Joseph] out of their hand and restore him to his father” (37:22). This would seem genuine had the reader not been told two chapters earlier Reuben slept with his father’s wife and is still needing to get back into his good graces. Thus, to be clear, Reuben seeks to commandeer Joseph’s life as the price he is willing to pay for regaining his father’s good graces for a most disgraceful act. Furthermore, I am suggesting the author of Genesis is using irony saying Reuben “delivered,” and restored Joseph (37:21-22) by allowing Joseph to stay in a hole in the wilderness until Reuben can hatch his scheme.
The third suggestion, made by Judah, is yet more evil than the last two. One of the central stories for Torah is the Exodus; it involves the epitome of rebellion and evil by the kingdoms of this world in the character of Pharaoh who commits the worst of all evil: he enslaves the Israelites into forced labor, which is likened to a fate worse than death. Thus, the reader will hear Judah’s words are echoed by the later Pharaoh who knows nothing of Joseph and enslaves the entirety of the 12 brothers’ progeny. Judah has preemptively become the epitome of evil by the kingdoms of this world and the least likely candidate for the blood line through which YHWH’s messianic king will one day come, however this is the best starting place for the fully redemptive work of YHWH.
The author of Genesis does not make the reader wait long to begin to see Judah’s redemption. The book’s second self-contained story about a woman is well placed to bring Judah down from his place of violent scheming and make way for the redemptive line of the future messianic king. Much can be said about the story of Judah and Tamar and within the limits of time and space we will not say most of it. It turns out Judah’s violent scheming ways are evident enough that his first two sons end up being the same way. Their wickedness ends up with them being killed by the Lord, first Er (38:7) and second Onan (38:11). This leads to Judah sending Tamar back to her parents with his unreliable word that she will be given his youngest son as a husband when he comes of age. Time goes on and Judah fails to make good on his word, signifying his is still the same schemer that stripped his brother of his cloak and sold him into slavery. Tamar wisely takes action against Judah for herself, and it is important to note that she acts only within the well-defined allowable boundaries. She asserts herself sexually within the familial line that still owes her a son and has only failed to provide it because of the preponderance of wickedness between the eldest two brothers. Judah has yet another opportunity to demonstrate a change of heart and predictably acts completely unmercifully to the Tamar in demanding she be burned to death (38:24). It is only at the sign of all the possessions that prove who he is – his signet, cord, and staff – that his eyes are finally opened.
The ending of the story provides the turning point for Judah. He sees his things sent by Tamar and is able to realize a foreign widow has acted more righteously than himself. This is the moment the reader should gasp and be speechless. The most unlikely character has shown unprecedented boldness and wisdom to the point YHWH uses it to repent a heart as hard as Judah’s. The Gospel of Matthew agrees with the importance of Tamar, hence her inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus among three other bold women (Matthew 1:3). Judah shows his honor for Tamar by taking her into his household and not lying with her again.
Judah the Redeemer
The brilliance of biblical narrative is how robust it develops a character with such economy of words. By placing both stories of Judah laying down his life and honor for Benjamin side-by-side the reader understands the full measure of repentance Judah underwent. His character is fully redeemed displaying the “broken and contrite heart,” acceptable to YWHW (Psalm 51:17). He displays it to both characters he sinned against in enslaving Joseph. First, Judah puts his own life and honor before his father as surety to bring Benjamin back in one piece from Egypt (Genesis 43:9). Although this action is for a different cause, it may serve as retribution for taking the life of Joseph from his Father even though he does not ultimately have to make good on his offer because all is restored to Israel in the end. Second, Judah makes full retribution in the sight of Joseph for what he did to Joseph earlier. He enters Joseph’s house leading his brothers and explains the whole story to Joseph. Judah offers the rest of his life in enslavement to Joseph, which is what he took from him earlier in the story. Furthermore, the brother for whom Judah makes this offer is Joseph’s little brother and his only full brother. The author of Genesis meticulously details Judah making retribution for the entire earlier episode with Joseph.
The second situation of Judah’s repentance overtakes Joseph to the point that he is no longer able to hold in his identity. He reveals himself to his brothers. I would suggest it came about in large part because of Judah’s display of redemption before him. Judah started out as a violent schemer who is brought low by the wise actions of his daughter-in-law. It ends up with him being the redemptive bloodline of the Messiah, which Israel predicts before he dies (Genesis 49:8-12). I believe this suggests YHWH’s desire for fully redemptive work in our lives and through our lives. Israel does not give the messianic prophecy to Joseph, although he could have, and these blessings by Israel situated at the end of the story should help us be closer and more attentive readers of the story of Israel and all 12 of his sons. Retrospectively, Jesus was the ultimate redeemer who is foreshadowed in a long line of redeemers like Judah.
Redeemed Readers
Great! You are at the end of a creative retelling of the story you have known to be about Joseph your whole life, but quite frankly so what? I am glad you asked. Joseph has long been recognized as the first depiction of a messiah to come who would endure suffering while staying faithful to YHWH. This makes Judah even more exciting to us because if Joseph is a Jesus-like figure then Judah is a disciple-like figure. We see in Judah’s redemption the redemption the Lord desires in our own lives. He comes face-to-face with the wickedness with which his own heart is filled as a result of his wise and bold daughter-in-law. This leads Judah to turn from his ways to be fully redeemed. In other words, the very man who betrays the one like the messiah is redeemed by the one like the messiah when Judah finds himself at his feet laying down his life in servanthood. This kind of redemption is close enough to the heart of YHWH that Judah is the family line of Jesus too.
Life in Tension 