In Genesis chapter thirty-eight, verse two, Judah, the fourth-born son of Jacob, through Leah after Reuben, Simeon, and Levi were before him respectively, had not yet distinguished himself as someone great among his brothers. He was the one who suggested they sell Joseph into slavery. Judah interacted with a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. He visits him, which explains how the involvement of the Israelites was in relations with the Caananites. After seeing a daughter of a certain Caananite whose name was Shuah, Judah took her and went with her.
The shameful story of Judah exposes the loose morals of that day against which Joseph’s purity stands out n sharp contrast. Notice the difference between “Judah went down” and “Joseph brought down.” It shows why Israel’s (Jacob’s) family needed to leave Canaan and go to Egypt. If Jacob had remained among the Caananites, his descendants would have lost their identity through mixed marriages.
In Egypt, Jacob’s descendants were segregated from the Egyptians and thereby were able to become a distinctly separate people devoted only to God. It illustrates the sin of everyone. Even prominent people in God’s redemptive plan will ultimately be exposed. It shows that leadership of God’s people goes to those who are morally pure. Joseph was faithful to God and his laws, while Judah failed.
The carousel of immoral and evil activity begins and ends with Judah. He starts with a certain Caananite by taking her, sleeping with her, and producing three sons. The problem with this activity could affect family and everything else around us. First-born, God slew Er due to his wickedness. Onan, Judah’s second-born, did evil in the sight of the Lord and slewed him as well. Judah reaped what he sowed in some areas, and he experienced it with his first two sons.