JUDAH

13. Why might Judah have felt anxious when it was his turn to hear his father’s words?

¹³ Judah was the next son to be addressed by his father. After hearing Jacob’s words to his older brothers, Judah may have felt anxious. After all, he had made some serious mistakes too. He evidently shared in plundering the city of Shechem. (Gen. 34:27) He joined his brothers in selling Joseph as a slave and in deceiving their father about it. (Gen. 37:31-33) Later, he had sexual relations with his daughter-in-law Tamar, thinking that she was a prostitute.​—Gen. 38:15-18.

14. What good things had Judah done? (Genesis 49:8, 9)

¹⁴ Yet, under inspiration, Jacob offered Judah only blessing and commendation. (Read Genesis 49:8, 9.) Judah had shown great concern for the feelings of his elderly father. And he had also shown compassion for his youngest brother, Benjamin.​—Gen. 44:18, 30-34.

15. In what ways did Judah’s blessing prove true?

¹⁵ Jacob foretold that Judah would have a leading role among his brothers. However, the fulfillment of that prophecy was a long time in coming. Judah is first mentioned as taking the lead some 200 years later when, after the Exodus, the tribe led the nation of Israel through the wilderness into the Promised Land. (Num. 10:14) Decades later, Judah took the lead in the conquest of the Promised Land. (Judg. 1:1, 2) And David, one of Judah’s descendants, was the first of a long line of kings coming from that tribe. But there is more.

16. How was the prophecy found at Genesis 49:10 fulfilled? (See also the box “Jacob’s Deathbed Prophecy.”)

¹⁶ Jacob revealed that the permanent Ruler of mankind would be a descendant of Judah. (Read Genesis 49:10 and footnote.) That Ruler is Jesus Christ, the one whom Jacob called Shiloh. Of Jesus, an angel said: “Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father.” (Luke 1:32, 33) Jesus is also called “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.”​—Rev. 5:5.

17. How can we imitate Jehovah in the way we view others?

¹⁷ What can we learn? Jehovah blessed Judah even though he made some serious mistakes. But could it be that Judah’s brothers wondered what Jehovah saw in him? Whatever the case, Jehovah saw good in Judah and blessed him for it. How can we imitate Jehovah’s example? When a fellow Christian receives a special privilege, we might at first be tempted to focus on that person’s imperfections. But we do well to remember that Jehovah is certainly pleased with his fine qualities. Jehovah looks for the good in his worshippers. Let us strive to do the same.

18. Why do we need to be patient?

¹⁸ Another lesson we can learn from Judah’s experience is the need to be patient. Jehovah always fulfills his promises, but he does not always do so in a manner or at a time that we expect. Judah’s descendants did not immediately begin taking the lead among God’s people. But they loyally supported those whom Jehovah appointed to do so, whether it was Moses the Levite, Joshua the Ephraimite, or King Saul the Benjaminite. May we too support whomever Jehovah chooses to take the lead among us today.​—Heb. 6:12.