And this (he said) of Judah. — The words which follow are a kingly blessing: “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people.” In other words, when we think of “the Lion of the tribe of Judah,” “Thy kingdom come.” Rashi reminds us of the many prayers in Old Testament history which were heard from Judah’s lips. The prayers of David and Solomon; of Asa and Jehoshaphat; of Hezekiah against Sennacherib; — and, we may add, of King Manasseh, and Daniel the prophet — were all “the voice of Judah.” The last line of Old Testament history is a prayer of Judah by the mouth of Nehemiah, “Remember me, O my God, for good.” The psalms of David, again, are all “the voice of Judah.” And, best of all, every prayer of our Lord’s is “the voice of Judah” also. The remainder of the blessing is easily understood. The “hands” of Judah embrace those Hands which were “sufficient” for the salvation of mankind. “His enemies” include all, even to Death, the “last enemy,” whom God shall subdue under His feet.

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