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Judah Charged First and His Face Was a Lion's Face

Seven Canaanite kings ringed the camp at Shechem. Jashub rode in iron, shooting from both hands. Judah ran at him first.

Curated by Arthur · Told by Maggid ·
Table of Contents
  1. Jacob Spread His Hands
  2. Judah Ran First
  3. The Stone of Sixty Shekels
  4. The Head Beside the Feet

The kings of Canaan had waited long enough. Jacob's sons had come back to Shechem, to the field their father had bought from Hamor, the city two of them had once emptied of its men. The city had been rebuilt. About three hundred souls lived there. The surrounding rulers decided the Hebrews would not finish the job a second time.

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Jashub of Tapnach sent to his neighbors. Elan of Gaash. Ihuri of Shiloh. Parathon of Chazar. Susi of Sarton. Laban of Bethchoran. Shabir of Othnay-mah. They assembled like sand on the seashore and divided into seven camps, seven divisions against the household of Jacob. Their messenger came with a declaration. Come out to the plain. Answer for Shechem.

Jacob Spread His Hands

They had only just come from Bethel. Jacob was ninety-nine when he built the altar there, as the Lord had told him. Deborah, Rebecca's nurse, died under an oak, and he named the place Allon-bachuth, oak of weeping. Then word came that Rebecca herself had died in Hebron at one hundred and thirty-three years, and Jacob wept for his mother and for the nurse together. From that oak they had turned toward the fat pasture at Shechem. Now seven armies stood in the way.

Ten of Jacob's sons girt on weapons. A hundred and two servants stood with them. Jacob went with them to the heap of Shechem and spread his hands.

"O God, deliver my sons from the hand of their enemies who are coming to fight them this day. Give them strength of heart. If You mean to take their lives, take them by Your own ministers, not by the kings of the Amorites."

When he ceased, the earth shook. The sun darkened. The Lord impressed the kings with terror and made them hear the voice of chariots, the voice of mighty horses, the voice of a great army accompanying the sons of Jacob. There were one hundred and twelve men advancing. The kings heard a host. They were inclined to retreat, then refused, because it would be a disgrace to retreat from the Hebrews twice.

Judah Ran First

Judah ran first before his brothers, ten of his servants with him, toward the kings. He did not wait for a battle line. He did not call a council. He ran.

Jashub came forth to meet him, a valiant man covered with iron and brass from head to foot, riding a powerful horse, shooting arrows with both hands from before and behind, and he never missed. The distance between them was about thirty cubits. Arrows came. The Lord bound Jashub's hand, and the arrows rebounded on his own men. Jashub kept advancing anyway.

Judah's wrath kindled. He ventured his life. His face was a lion's face. His eyes were fire. The seven armies looked at him, and their hearts melted, and their strength failed. They had modeled sand. They had not modeled this.

The Stone of Sixty Shekels

Judah took up a large stone from the ground. Its weight was sixty shekels. He ran at Jashub and struck him on the shield. Jashub was stunned. He fell off the horse. The shield burst asunder and sprang about fifteen cubits, and fell before the second camp. The kings saw at a distance what Judah had done, and they were terribly afraid.

Judah drew his sword and smote forty-two men of Jashub's camp. The whole camp fled and left their king prostrate. Jashub rose in terror and stood opposite Judah, shield toward shield. He took his spear to strike Judah on the head. Judah got his shield up. The spear split it.

When Judah saw the split shield, he drew his sword and smote Jashub at the ankles and cut off his feet. Jashub fell. The spear fell from his hand. Judah picked it up, severed the head, and cast it next to the feet.

The Head Beside the Feet

When the sons of Jacob saw what Judah had done to Jashub, they all ran into the ranks of the other kings. They caused fifteen thousand to fall, and they smote them as if smiting at gourds, and the rest fled for their lives. Judah was still standing by the body. He stripped Jashub of his coat of mail. He took off the iron and brass.

The coalition that had assembled from every city in the region to destroy the household of Jacob was broken in a day. Jacob lifted his hands again and blessed the Lord who had delivered him from his enemies. His sons were fighters. It was Judah who had moved first, before the formation was set, before anyone else had decided that running toward an armored king was an action a man could survive.

Years later Jacob would call him a lion's whelp (Genesis 49:9). On the plain before Tapnach the kings had already seen the face.

JudahJacobBattleCanaanJasherChronicles Of JerahmeelPatriarchs
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The texts behind this telling. Some cards carry a translation of the source; others are our own retelling of it, and each card says which. Every card links out to the original.

Jasher 37Book of Jasher

Retold in our words. Read the original at the link below.The Book of Jasher, J. H. Parry edition (1887) · Public Domain

The familiar story is this: from Genesis 34: how Jacob's daughter Dinah is defiled by Shechem, son of Hamor, and how Simeon and Levi exact a brutal revenge, slaughtering all the men of the city. But the fallout? That's a story often left untold.

Well, the Book of JASHER, a non-canonical Jewish text referenced in the Bible itself (Joshua 10:13 and (2 Samuel 1:1)8), fills in some of those gaps. And Chapter 37 plunges us right back into the thick of it.

It's been about nine years since Jacob and his family settled in Canaan after their time in Padan-aram. According to Jasher, they've returned to Shechem, specifically to the part of the field Jacob bought from Hamor. The city has been rebuilt, though it's still relatively small, with only around 300 inhabitants.

Their arrival doesn't go unnoticed. The surrounding Canaanite and Amorite kings are not exactly thrilled. "Are these Hebrews going to come back and finish what they started?" they wonder. "Are they going to drive us out or kill us too?"

Paranoia sets in.

The kings, led by JASHUB, king of Tapnach, decide to band together. Jasher even names some of these kings: Elan of Gaash, Ihuri of Shiloh, Parathon of Chazar, Susi of Sarton, Laban of Bethchoran, and Shabir of Othnay-mah. Jashub sends a call to arms: "Come help me! Let's wipe out Jacob and his sons. They’re back to take Shechem and kill everyone!"

A massive army assembles – "like the sand upon the sea shore," Jasher tells us. They divide into seven camps, ready to face the sons of Jacob. Then, they send a message: "Come out and meet us in the plain. We're here to avenge the men of Shechem!"

Understandably, Jacob’s sons are not pleased. Ten of them, along with 102 servants, arm themselves and prepare for battle. Jacob, ever the patriarch, goes with them, and they all stand on the "heap of Shechem", presumably a high point offering a tactical advantage.

And here's where it gets really interesting. Jacob, knowing the odds are stacked against them, prays. It's a powerful, poignant prayer. "God, you are Almighty," he cries out. "Deliver my sons! Give them strength! But if it's your will to take them, take them mercifully, not at the hands of these Amorites!"

The response is immediate. The earth shakes, the sun darkens, and the kings are terrified. According to Jasher, God "impressed the hearts of all the kings and their hosts with the terror and awe of the sons of Jacob." They hear the sounds of chariots and a mighty army, even though it's just a small band of men.

Panic sets in.

The kings consider retreating, but pride gets in the way. "We can't back down twice!" they say. As the sons of Jacob advance with a tremendous shout, the kings realize just how outnumbered they are.

But the sons of Jacob are undeterred. They call out to God: "Help us, O Lord! We trust in you! Don't let us die at the hands of these uncircumcised men!"

And then, the battle begins.

JUDAH, ever the bold one, leads the charge, with ten servants by his side. He faces off against King Jashub himself, who’s riding a powerful horse and covered head-to-toe in armor. Jashub is a skilled archer, known for never missing his target.

But as Jashub fires arrows at Judah, a miracle occurs. The Lord "bound the hand of Jashub," and the arrows rebound, hitting his own men! Still, Jashub presses forward.

Judah, seeing the onslaught, grabs a massive stone – a stone weighing sixty shekels (about 1.5 pounds, though weights varied). He hurls it at Jashub, striking his shield with such force that Jashub is knocked off his horse. The shield shatters, flying fifteen cubits away!

The other kings, witnessing Judah's strength, are filled with dread. Judah, not wasting a moment, draws his sword and slays forty-two men from Jashub's camp. The rest flee, leaving their king on the ground.

Jashub, regaining his composure, rises to face Judah in single combat. His men, however, are nowhere to be seen. Jashub tries to spear Judah, but Judah deflects the blow with his shield, which splinters.

Seeing his opportunity, Judah swiftly draws his sword and cuts off Jashub's feet. As the king falls, Judah grabs Jashub's own spear and beheads him, casting his head next to his feet.

The sons of Jacob, inspired by Judah's victory, surge into the ranks of the other kings. They slaughter fifteen thousand men, "as if smiting at gourds," Jasher says poetically.

Meanwhile, Judah strips Jashub of his armor. As he does, nine of Jashub's captains approach to avenge their king. Judah, without hesitation, grabs another stone and kills one of them instantly. The remaining eight flee, but Judah and his ten men pursue and slay them all.

While all this is happening, LEVI sees ELON, king of Gaash, approaching with fourteen captains. Levi, with twelve servants, turns to face this new threat and slays Elon and his captains with the sword.

The chapter ends with the sons of Jacob victorious, having routed the armies of the Canaanite and Amorite kings.

What are we to make of this story? It's a raw, violent account, but it also highlights themes of faith, courage, and divine intervention. The sons of Jacob, though outnumbered, trust in God and fight with unwavering determination. Judah's single-handed defeat of King Jashub is evidence of his strength and bravery.

The Book of Jasher, while not part of the biblical canon, offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of Jewish legend and lore. It expands on the familiar stories of the Torah, adding details and perspectives that enrich our understanding of these ancient narratives. And it leaves us pondering the complexities of justice, revenge, and the ever-present struggle for survival in a turbulent world.

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Jasher 36Book of Jasher

Retold in our words. Read the original at the link below.The Book of Jasher, J. H. Parry edition (1887) · Public Domain

Book of Jasher turns to Jacob Returns to Bethel and Builds an Altar.

Even in this sacred space, life keeps happening. She's buried beneath an oak tree near Bethel.

Then, a heavy blow: Rebecca, Jacob’s mother, dies in Hebron at the age of 133. The Book of Jasher emphasizes Jacob's profound grief. He weeps bitterly, mourning not only his mother but also Deborah. He names the place Allon-bachuth, meaning "oak of weeping."

If that wasn't enough, Laban, the tricky uncle, also dies around this time. That God smote him for violating the covenant he made with Jacob. A reminder that actions have consequences, even for family.

Amidst all this loss, there's a glimmer of hope. At 100 years old, God appears to Jacob again, blesses him, and reaffirms his name as Israel. And Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, conceives.

The family then journeys from Bethel toward Hebron, to Jacob's father's house. But tragedy strikes again. As they approach Ephrath, Rachel goes into a difficult labor and dies giving birth to her son. Jacob buries her on the road to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem, marking her grave with a pillar that, stands to this day. She was only 45 years old. Jacob names the son born of this sorrow Benjamin, which the text explains as meaning "born to him in the land on the right hand."

After Rachel's death, Jacob moves his tent into that of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid. This act sparks jealousy in Reuben, Jacob's eldest son, who is fiercely protective of his mother Leah. In his anger, Reuben removes his father's bed from Bilhah's tent.

Now, this act has significant consequences. According to the Book of Jasher, Reuben's actions lead to the removal of the birthright, the kingly office, and the priesthood from his lineage. The birthright goes to Joseph, the kingship to Judah, and the priesthood to Levi. All because Reuben "defiled his father's bed."

The text then lists the sons of Jacob, reminding us of the twelve tribes of Israel. It names the sons of Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah, solidifying the family's lineage.

Jacob and his family eventually arrive in Mamre, near Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had lived. They settle there with Jacob's father, Isaac. Meanwhile, Esau and his descendants move to the land of Seir, where they prosper.

The chapter concludes with a genealogy of Esau's descendants and the families of Seir the Horite, the original inhabitants of the land. There’s even a strange tale about Anah, son of Zibeon, who, while tending his father’s asses, encounters bizarre creatures emerging from the sea – beings that are human from the waist down but have the upper bodies of bears and other fearsome animals. These creatures ride the asses away, never to be seen again. It's a curious, almost surreal, interlude.

It also notes that Timna, the sister of Lotan, desired to marry into Jacob's family, but was rejected. She then became a concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son, and bore him Amalek - a name that would later become synonymous with Israel's enemies.

So, what do we take away from this chapter? It's a potent reminder that life is woven from threads of joy and sorrow, blessings and challenges. It shows us how families are built, how lineages are forged, and how even in the midst of loss, life goes on. The story of Jacob, Rachel, and their sons is a story of resilience, faith, and the enduring power of family, even when faced with unimaginable hardship. And perhaps, a little bit of the bizarre too.

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