The Case of Three Brothers: Biblical Reflections on Leadership
Main Article Content
Abstract
This article examines the relationship of three of Jacob’s sons, Reuben, Judah, and Joseph. It explores the reversals of their fortunes as they jockey for the most important position, that of clan leadership. Ultimately, Judah, the most unlikely candidate, triumphs. Judah’s success is eventually acknowledged by Jacob and clearly has God’s blessings. The article also reflects on the potential reasons for this rise of Judah and suggests certain leadership qualities that can be gleaned from this story.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright: Asia-Pacific International University reserve exclusive rights to publish, reproduce and distribute the manuscript and all contents therein.
References
Coats, George W. 1983 Genesis with an Introduction to Narrative Literature. FOTL 1. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Fanwar, Wann M. 2007 ‘Narrative Artistry in Genesis 12-50: A Conceptual Approach’. Catalyst 2, 14-31.
Kim, Dohyung 2009 ‘Reuben or Judah: Who Is the True Leader?’ Paper presented as SBL International Meeting, Rome. 30 June - 4 July.
Sailhamer, John H. 1992 The Pentateuch as Narrative: A Biblical-Theological Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Syrén, Roger 1993 The Forsaken First-Born: A Study of a Recurrent Motif in the Patriarchal Narratives. JSOT Supplement Series 133. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
Turner, Laurence A. 2000 Genesis. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press.
Wenham, Gordon 1994 Genesis 16-50. WBC 2. Dallas: Word Books.