I know I didn’t put my sources in the post, my apologies but I was trying not to make it longer than it already was. Plus I’m just trying to get my thoughts out. Maybe some of them are wrong? I appreciate your honesty in telling me so.
My comment about Judah vs. Jerusalem is because of the divided kingdom of Israel, Jerusalem being its capital, and Judah the two southern tribes which Israel separated themselves from. 1 Kings 12:16-19
The 10 tribes of Israel made Jeroboam king and the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, along with the Levites, remained with Rehoboam. The split was prophesied by the Lord (1 Kings 11:11-13, 29-39) because of Solomon’s sin. The kingdom of Judah was located in the same area as modern day Palestine. Why this is relevant I’m not sure, but I find it interesting when talking about the two baskets of figs in Jeremiah. Israel also turned to idolatry with Jeroboam’s Golden Calves at this time.
I’ll explain how I researched the two names, starting with the first use of the name Judah. The reason why I am researching the Hebrew words is simple. I, unlike the people Jesus was speaking to, do not know Hebrew. Both Hebrew and Aramaic are ancient languages and while English came from ancient Hebrew it is much different. The original ancient Hebrew was pictorial, much like Jesus’ parables. I have found that if I research the Hebrew it will give you very precise meaning. It also helps to understand the cultural aspects of the Hebrews which brings even more context to what is being said. It is the language of nomadic shepherds, each letter of their alphabet was a picture which by itself has more concrete meaning than the somewhat ambiguous Greek and now English words. There has been much difficulty in arriving at an accurate or adequate translation. Plus our cultures are completely different so it’s an East vs. West situation.
When two Hebrew letters are put together they form a family, when three are put together then they form a child. The imagery of the Hebrews was very powerful and not ambiguous at all, but it makes a word for word translation very difficult and maybe impossible without leaving off loads of meaning that the ancient Hebrews, and those of Jesus time would have understood easily. Here is the first mention of the word Judah:
Genesis 29:35
And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
From the context of the verse we can see that there was a reason that Leah named her son Judah. Now if we get into the definition of the Hebrew words which (while I am in no way claiming to be an expert at) is what I look too if I want to understand the word and it’s cultural context better. (The source I’m copying from is a free Bible app called Kairos which allows me to look up the words like I would in a Strong’s Concordance). Here is what I found:
Judah
H3063
Lemma:
יהוּדה ⟺ יְהוּדָה
Transliteration:
yehûdâh
Pronunciation:
yeh-hoo-daw’
Part of Speech:
Proper Name Masculine
Root Word (Etymology):
From יָדָה H3034
BDB Lexicon:
Judah = “praised”
- the son of Jacob by Leah
- the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob
- the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah
- the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon
- a Levite in Ezra’s time
- an overseer of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah
- a Levite musician in the time of Nehemiah
- a priest in the time of Nehemiah
Strong’s Definitions:
From יָדָה H3034; celebrated ; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory: - Judah.
Occurrences in Bible:
818
Occurrences in Verses:
754
KJV usage:
Judah (808x), Bethlehemjudah (with H1035) (10x).
The Hebrew words are really wonderful in that they have roots that provide a pictorial explanation along with masculine, feminine, and other tenses which allow us to understand exactly what the user was talking about. In this case I see that there is a root word:
Praise
H3034
Lemma:
ידה ⟺ יָדָה
Transliteration:
yâdâh
Pronunciation:
yaw-daw’
Part of Speech:
Verb
Root Word (Etymology):
A primitive root; used only as denominative from יָד H3027
BDB Lexicon: - to throw, shoot, cast
a. (Qal) to shoot (arrows)
b. (Piel) to cast, cast down, throw down
c. (Hiphil) - to give thanks, laud, praise
- to confess, confess (the name of God)
d. (Hithpael) - to confess (sin)
- to give thanks
Strong’s Definitions:
A primitive root; used only as denominative from יָד H3027; literally to use (that is, hold out) the hand ; physically to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively to bemoan (by wringing the hands): - cast (out), (make) confess (-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank (-ful, -s, -sgiving).
Occurrences in Bible:
114
Occurrences in Verses:
111
KJV usage:
praise (53x), give thanks (32x), confess (16x), thank (5x), make confession (2x), thanksgiving (2x), cast (1x), cast out (1x), shoot (1x), thankful (1x).
And there is a reference to another word; H3027 or Hand the first use of the word is found in Gen. 3:22 (here is where I begin to appreciate why they called Strong’s Concordance Exhaustive).
Hand
H3027
Lemma:
יד ⟺ יָד
Transliteration:
yâd
Pronunciation:
yawd
Part of Speech:
Noun Feminine
Root Word (Etymology):
A primitive word
BDB Lexicon: - hand
a. hand (of man)
b. strength, power (figuratively)
c. side (of land), part, portion (metaphorically) (figuratively)
d. (various special, technical senses) - sign, monument
- part, fractional part, share
- time, repetition
- axle-trees, axle
- stays, support (for laver)
- tenons (in tabernacle)
- a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)
- wrists
Strong’s Definitions:
A primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), in distinction from כַּף H3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote: - (+ be) able, X about, + armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad, [broken-] handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, + creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship, force, X from, hand [-staves, -y work], X he, himself, X in, labour, + large, ledge, [left-] handed, means, X mine, ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain, power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by them, X them-selves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing, + thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, [way-] side, where, + wide, X with (him, me, you), work, + yield, X your-selves.
Occurrences in Bible:
1615
Occurrences in Verses:
1447
KJV usage:
hand (1,359x), by (44x), consecrate (with H4390) (14x), him (14x), power (12x), them (11x), places (8x), tenons (6x), thee (6x), coast (6x), side (5x), misc (130x).
There is another great study tool that I have found if you are interested which has simplified this process for me a great deal. It is the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible authored by Jeff A. Benner the founder of the Ancient Hebrew Research Center. But I still use my Strong’s dictionary too, and they tie together.
Does this help to understand my initial approach?