Tribes of Israel
The Tribes Reuben Simeon Levi Judah Dan Naphtali Gad Asher Issachar Zebulun Joseph Manasseh Ephraim Benjamin
Related topics Israelites Tribal allotments Ten Lost Tribes
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According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Judah (Hebrew: יְהוּדָה, Modern Yehuda Tiberian Yəhûḏā ; "Praise") was one of the Tribes of Israel.

Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE,^[1] Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes.

From after the conquest of the land by Joshua until the formation of the first Kingdom of Israel in c. 1050 BCE, the Tribe of Judah was a part of a loose confederation of Israelite tribes. No central government existed, and in times of crisis the people were led by ad hoc leaders known as Judges (see the Book of Judges). With the growth of the threat from Philistine incursions, the Israelite tribes decided to form a strong centralised monarchy to meet the challenge. The first king of this new entity was Saul, who came from the Tribe of Benjamin, (1 Samuel 9:1-2) which at the time was the smallest of the tribes.

After the death of Saul, all the tribes other than Judah remained loyal to the House of Saul, while Judah chose David as its king. However, after the death of Ish-bosheth, Saul's son and successor to the throne of Israel, all the other Israelite tribes made David, who was then the king of Judah, king of a re-united Kingdom of Israel. However, on the accession of Rehoboam, Solomon's son, in c. 930 BCE, the northern tribes under the leadership of Jeroboam from the Tribe of Ephraim split from the House of David to reform a Kingdom of Israel as the Northern Kingdom. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to the House of David. These tribes formed the Kingdom of Judah, which existed until Judah was conquered by Babylon in c. 586 BCE and the population deported.

When the Jews returned from Babylonian exile, residual tribal affiliations were abandoned, probably because of the impossibility of reestablishing previous tribal land holdings. However, the special religious roles decreed for the Levis and Kohanim were preserved, and the general population was called Israel. These designations are still followed today.

The main cities of the Tribe of Judah[link]

Bethlehem and Hebron were the main cities within the territory of the tribe.

At its height, the Tribe of Judah was the leading tribe of the Kingdom of Judah, and occupied most of the territory of the kingdom, except for a small region in the north east occupied by Benjamin, and an enclave towards the south west which was occupied by Simeon. After the reign of Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel was divided in two, the house of Joseph in the north made up of ten tribes (Gad, Zebulun, Ashur, Issachar, Simeon, Naphtali, Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh), Dan, Reuben, Levi) and the Kingdom of Judah in the south made up of two tribes (Judah and Benjamin) (1 Kings 11:29-39). Later, Levi left the house of Joseph and came to Judah as well (2 Chronicles 11:14). The word Jew is a derivative of the word Judah, referring to a descendant of the Kingdom of Judah, though a Jew could also be a descendant of Benjamin or Levi.

The lion is the symbol of the Tribe of Judah. It is often represented in Jewish art, such as this sculpture outside a synagogue

The size of the territory of the tribe of Judah meant that in practice it had four distinct regions:

• The Negev (Hebrew: south) - the southern portion of the land, which was highly suitable for pasture
• The Shephelah (Hebrew: lowland) - the coastal region, between the highlands and the Mediterranean sea, which was used for agriculture, in particular for grains.
• The wilderness - the barren region immediately next to the Dead Sea, and below sea level; it was wild, and barely inhabitable, to the extent that animals and people which were made unwelcome elsewhere, such as bears, leopards, and outlaws, made it their home. In biblical times, this region was further subdivided into three sections - the wilderness of En Gedi,^[2] the wilderness of Judah,^[3] and the wilderness of Maon.^[4]
• The hill country - the elevated plateau situated between the Shephelah and the wilderness, with rocky slopes but very fertile soil. This region was used for the production of grain, olives, grapes, and other fruit, and hence produced oil and wine.

Origin[link]

The territory of Judah appears in orange at the south on this map of the tribes. The text is partially in German.

According to the Torah, the tribe consisted of descendants of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and of Leah. Some Biblical scholars view this as an etiological myth created in hindsight to explain the tribe's name and connect it to the other tribes in the Israelite confederation.^[5][6] With Leah as a matriarch, Biblical scholars regard the tribe as having been believed by the text's authors to have been part of the original Israelite confederation.^[6]

Like the other tribes of the kingdom of Judah, the tribe of Judah is entirely absent from the ancient Song of Deborah, rather than present but described as unwilling to assist in the battle between Israelites and their enemy. Traditionally, this has been explained as being due to the southern kingdom being too far away to be involved in the battle, but Israel Finkelstein et al. claim the alternative explanation that the southern kingdom was simply an insignificant rural backwater at the time the poem was written.^[7]

Character[link]

The tribe of Judah was the leading tribe of the Kingdom of Judah. David and the royal line belonged to the tribe, and the line continued after the fall of the Kingdom of Judah in the Exilarchs. The traditional Jewish belief was that the (Jewish) Messiah would be of the Davidic line, based on the LORD's promise to David of an everlasting throne for his offspring (Isaiah 9:6-7, Jeremiah 33:15-21, 2 Samuel 7:12-16, Psalms 89:35-37).

In Matthew 1:1-6 and Luke 3:31-34 131 of the New Testament, Jesus Christ is described as a member of the tribe of Judah by lineage.

Many important Jewish leaders have belonged to the tribe of Judah. For example the literary prophets Isaiah, Amos, Habakkuk, Joel, Micah, Obadiah, Zechariah, and Zephaniah, belonged to the tribe. Later, during the Babylonian Exile, the Exilarchs (officially recognised community leaders) claimed Davidic lineage, and when the Exile ended, Zerubbabel (the leader of the first Jews to return to Yehud province) was also of the Davidic line, as were Shealtiel (a somewhat mysterious figure) and Nehemiah (one of the earliest and most prominent Achamenid-appointed governors of Yehud). In the time of Roman rule, all the holders of the office of Nasi (prince) after Shemaiah, claimed Davidic lineage, through Hillel, who was rumoured have maternal lineage from the Davidic line.

Fate[link]

The Lion of Judah on the municipal emblem of Jerusalem

As part of the kingdom of Judah, the tribe of Judah survived the destruction of Israel by the Assyrians, and instead was subjected to the Babylonian captivity; when the captivity ended, the distinction between the tribes were lost in favour of a common identity. Since Simeon and Benjamin had been very much the junior partners in the Kingdom of Judah, it was Judah that gave its name to the identity - that of the Jews. Some Jews are descended from converts.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Ethiopia's traditions, recorded and elaborated in a 13th century treatise, the "Kebre Negest", assert descent from a retinue of Israelites who returned with the Queen of Sheba from her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem, by whom she had conceived the Solomonic dynasty's founder, Menelik I. Both Christian and Jewish Ethiopian tradition has it that these immigrants were mostly of the Tribes of Dan and Judah; hence the Ge'ez motto Mo`a 'Anbessa Ze'imnegede Yihuda ("The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has conquered"), included among the titles of the Emperor (King of Kings) throughout the Solomonic Dynasty. The phrase "The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has conquered" is also found in the Book of Revelation.

Other groups, like the Black Hebrew Israelites, claim to be descended from the tribe.

See also[link]

• History of ancient Israel and Judah

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tribe of Judah (Jewish Encyclopedia)

For Real was an American R&B and soul quartet, that formed in 1993.^[1] In the latter part of that decade they were nominated for a Grammy, Billboard Music Award, and Soul Train Music Award.

Biography[link]

For Real secured their recording contract by accident. "We were picking up our manager from the airport. So we decided to greet him with an acappella song. Someone from A&M Records just happened to be in the airport and heard them perform. Not long after, they were signed," said Latanyia Baldwin.^[2]

The band released their debut album, It's a Natural Thang, with production from Brian McKnight on A&M Records in 1994, and it became a critical success, including a rare four stars from Rolling Stone magazine.^[3] Their first single, "You Don't Wanna Miss" hit #28 on the Billboard chart, courtesy of a danceable new jack swing remix by Steve "Silk" Hurley, which was featured in the song's video. A second single, "Easy to Love", peaked at #65 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album scored another chart hit with the a cappella love song, "You Don't Know Nothin'", which was written and produced by Mervyn Warren, and which peaked at #27. The song peaked at #54 in the UK Singles Chart in July 1995.^[4] The album sold over one million copies worldwide, and peaked at #80 on the Billboard 200.

In 1995, the band appeared in Italian Vogue, modeling men's suits. They toured alongside Stevie Wonder,^[5] and lent their voices to the Martin Scorsese film project Grace of My Heart. The foursome also forayed into acting with appearances in the film Shake, Rattle and Rock! starring Renée Zellweger and Howie Mandel^[6] on Showtime.

They also hit the US Top 20 with the single "Freedom (Theme from Panther)" featuring Aaliyah, TLC, En Vogue, BlackGirl, SWV, and Vanessa Williams from the film Panther. They also recorded a duet with Stevie Wonder called "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", which appeared on the Marvin Gaye tribute album, Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye.^[7] For Real also recorded songs for the soundtracks of the films Waiting to Exhale and Fled.

After a label change from A&M to Dallas Austin's Arista imprint Rowdy Records in 1996, For Real struck again with the Austin-produced, 60s-leaning single "Like I Do", from their second album Free. "Like I Do" hit #10 on the Billboard singles chart. The video also earned a Billboard nomination for Best R&B Clip; the album made the Top 100, and sold nearly 400,000 copies in the US. The album's next and last single was the Diane Warren-penned pop ballad "The Saddest Song I Ever Heard" which hit #65 on the Top 100 singles chart. The band performed "Saddest Song" on the TV series All That. Free included production from top R&B/pop producers like Babyface, Mario Winans, and Jon B..

The band also recorded three songs ("I Do", "Born to Love That Boy" and "Unwanted Number") and appeared in the critically acclaimed film Grace of My Heart. The film's soundstrack won a Satellite Award in 1997.^[9][10]

In January 1997, the band won an American Music Award for their work on the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, in Summer 1997, the group earned a Soul Train Award nomination for Album of the Year (By a Group, Band or Duo) for Free.

In 1999, Wendi Williams lent her voice to the Emmy-winning film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge with Halle Berry, in which Berry plays a singer but Williams is behind her singing voice.^[11]

In 2002, their song "Love Will Be Waiting at Home" appeared in the film Two Can Play That Game, which starred Vivica A. Fox and Morris Chestnut.

In 2009, CoryLavel began to work with Josina Elder on her new album.

Discography[link]

• It's a Natural Thang (1994)
• Free (1996)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• SingingFool.com Streaming music videos for "Like I Do" and "The Saddest Song I Ever Heard"
• Allmusic^{[dead link]} Discography, biographies, and pictures
• IUMA Group photos, lyrics, message board, audio streams, and biography
• Google Album info, photos, and lyrics

International House of Prayer
International House of Prayer
The International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO
Location	Kansas City and Grandview, Missouri
Country	United States
Denomination	Non-denominational
Churchmanship	Evangelical
Membership	over 2000
Website	www.ihop.org
History
Founded	May 7, 1999 (1999-05-07)
Founder(s)	Mike Bickle

The International House of Prayer (also known by its acronym IHOP or by IHOP–KC) is an evangelical charismatic Christian missions organization based in Kansas City and Grandview, Missouri that focuses on prayer, worship, and evangelism.^[1]

Doctrinally, IHOP–KC is evangelical, post-tribulational, and affirms historic premillennialism. IHOP-KC places great importance on the practices of prayer, worship, fasting, and discipleship.

IHOP–KC has a prayer room in Kansas City, Missouri and runs a Bible and ministry school called the International House of Prayer University (IHOPU) in nearby Grandview, Missouri.

Overview[link]

The International House of Prayer was founded by Mike Bickle. The organization began in a small building off of Grandview Road in Kansas City, Missouri as a prayer room dedicated to worshiping Jesus night and day. Since that time, IHOP has grown and spread out over several different locations throughout south Kansas City and Grandview, Missouri. As of November 2010^[update] the church had over 1,000 staff and a student body of another 1,000 individuals.^[2] IHOP is most well-known for its daily prayer meetings based on its "harp and bowl" worship model that are held 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year since September 19, 1999. While the prayer meeting is the primary ministry of IHOP, the missions organization has also established many different ministries that service its community. These prayer meetings, which are streamed live on the internet and through GOD TV,^[3] alternate regularly between music and prayer through all hours of the day and night. ^[4]

IHOP staff regularly teach on themes that include prayer, worship, the Great Commandment, the Great Commission, eschatology, understanding God's spiritual purposes for Israel, spiritual gifts and other various evangelical themes.^[3][2]

International House of Prayer University[link]

The International House of Prayer University is a Bible college with campuses at Grandview, Missouri. The president of the university is Allen Hood who is on the International House of Prayer's leadership team.^{[5][dead link]} As of November 2010^[update] there are 1000 full time students enrolled, and prayer is central to the educational process.^[2]

Expansion[link]

The IHOP-KC Project consists of plans to build a facility on 125 acres of land adjacent to Highway 71 that once belonged to Harry Truman. They expect to spend $150 million dollars on the project.^[3] There are several apartment complexes in Grandview, Missouri inhabited primarily by members of IHOP.^[2]

In late 2009 and early 2010 reports of revival at the IHOP center led to increased attendance at their prayer services and conferences.^[6]

Controversy[link]

When IHOP moved to a new location in an old shopping center in the Terrace Lake neighborhood of Kansas City in 2002 many members of the local community voiced suspicions about the ministry. IHOP attempted to allay their fears in a series of community meetings.^[7][8][9] IHOP has been credited, however, with helping the local economy by bringing large numbers of visitors to the area.^[10] A writer from the McClatchy-Tribune News Service has stated that IHOP is "Kansas City's biggest religious phenomenon in a century".^[3]

The Southern Poverty Law Center has criticized IHOP because of the extent to which their teachings emphasize Jesus making war on his enemies at His Second Coming.^[11]

On September 14, 2010 IHOP (International House of Pancakes) announced that they were suing the International House of Prayer for trademark dilution and infringement.^[12] The lawsuit was dropped on December 21, 2010, with the dispute resolved out of court.^[13]

See also[link]

• Justice House of Prayer
• Onething conference
• TheCall
• Youth with a Mission

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Site