Judah means "praise", or "to praise".
Gen 29:35 (NIV) She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the Lord." So she named him Judah...It is pronounced "Yehuda". It is where the word "Jew" comes from. Many of the other tribes were scattered or rejected by God, and so the Levites, Benjamin, and Judah were collectively called the "Jews": those left to "praise God" on earth. This praise/Jew double meaning runs throughout scripture...Ro 2:29 (NIV) No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God. Ro 15:11 (NIV) And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples."Interestingly, it is translated into English in the New Testament as the name "Judas". Judas was the representative "Jew", or un-Jew... as the case turned out.
Luke 17:17-18 (NIV) Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"This is a prophetic parable of what was to occur in general.
John 1:11 (KJV) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.Thus, the contrast is made:
John 8:39-47 (NIV) "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does." "We are not illegitimate children," [note the accusation here towards Jesus] they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."Rev 3:9 (NIV) [Jesus, again:] "'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie--I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you."
Joel 2:28 (NIV) "'And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people...'"
Lu 3:8 (NIV) "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
Mt 21:16 (NIV) "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?"
Lu 10:21 (NIV) At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure."
Ps 51:15 (NIV) O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
Ps 71:23 (NIV) My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you-- I, whom you have redeemed.
Heb 13:15 (NIV) Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.
