ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA HEBREA
Yehudah (H3063) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
Yehudah (H3063) is the Hebrew name Judah, meaning praised, borne by Jacob's fourth son and the tribe and territory descended from him.
Significado de la palabra
The lemma יְהוּדָה (Yehudah) is the Hebrew name Judah. The lexicon defines it as the personal name of five Israelites in the Old Testament, the tribe descended from the first and most prominent bearer, and the territory belonging to that tribe. The name is associated with the meaning 'praised,' connected to the Hebrew root יָדָה (yadah), which expresses giving thanks or praise.
In its simplest use, יְהוּדָה designates the patriarch Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. Genesis 29:35 records the naming: Leah says 'This time will I praise Jehovah' and calls his name Judah (יְהוּדָה). The name therefore captures Leah's declaration of praise to God at the birth of this son.
Beyond the individual, the term extends to his descendants (the tribe of Judah) and the land allotted to them. The KJV consistently renders the term simply as 'Judah,' leaving the referent (person, tribe, or region) to context.
Uso en las Escrituras
In the example verses from Genesis, יְהוּדָה appears overwhelmingly as the personal name of Judah the patriarch. Genesis 35:23 lists him among Leah's sons as the fourth. The narrative chapters of Genesis 37 and 38 place Judah in pivotal roles: he proposes to spare Joseph's life by selling him (Gen 37:26), and the whole of chapter 38 follows Judah through his marriages, the death of his sons Er and Onan, and the events involving Tamar (Gen 38:1–15).
Outside Genesis the term shifts fluidly to denote the tribe and the southern territory of Israel, but the examples provided here focus on the patriarch. Readers should note that the same spelling carries the names of five different Israelites in the Old Testament; the surrounding passage is the only reliable guide to which Judah is meant.
La palabra en detalle
- H3063 יְהוּדָה (Yehudah) is rendered 'Judah' in the KJV. The lexicon lists it as the name of five Israelites, the tribe descended from the first, and its territory. The associated meaning is 'praised,' derived from the root יָדָה, and confirmed by Leah's naming statement in Genesis 29:35.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Genesis 29:35 The naming verse: Leah declares 'This time will I praise Jehovah' and names her son יְהוּדָה (Judah), fixing the meaning of H3063 as 'praised.'
- Genesis 37:26 Judah (יְהוּדָה) proposes to spare Joseph's life by selling him rather than slaying him, showing Judah as the leading voice among the brothers.
- Genesis 38:1 Judah (יְהוּדָה) 'went down from his brethren,' introducing the independent Judah narrative of chapter 38 and his marriages.
Preguntas frecuentes
What does the name Judah (יְהוּדָה) mean?
It means 'praised.' The name comes from the Hebrew root יָדָה (yadah) and is tied to Leah's words in Genesis 29:35, 'This time will I praise Jehovah.'
Does H3063 refer only to the patriarch Judah?
No. The lexicon notes five Israelites bear this name, and the term also designates the tribe descended from Judah and its allotted territory, depending on context.
How is יְהוּדָה typically translated in the KJV?
It is rendered consistently as 'Judah' regardless of whether the referent is the person, tribe, or land, leaving context to determine which is meant.