Lion of the Tribe of Judah — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

A title of the Messiah that appears only in Revelation 5:5: “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has conquered” (NLT). This is an allusion to the messianic promise of Genesis 49:9-10, “Judah is a young lion. . . . The scepter will not depart from Judah” (NLT). The expression summarizes the OT hope that the Messiah would come as a conquering hero, delivering his people from every form of spiritual, political, and social evil (cf. 2 Esd 11:37; 12:31). The OT frequently employs the lion as a symbol of power and the complete ability to subdue one’s enemies (Jb 10:16; Ps 10:9; Ez 1:10; Dn 7:1-4).

Show passage in OET: REV 5:5

OET-RV REV 5:5

5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop crying. Look, here’s the lion from the tribe of Yehudah (Judah). He’s the descendant of King David who’s a conqueror who’s competent to break the seals and open the scroll.”

OET-LV REV 5:5

5 And one of the elders is _saying to _me:
Not be _weeping.
Behold, overcame the lion which of the tribe of _Youda/(Yəhūdāh), the root of _Dawid/(Dāvid), to _open _up the scroll, and the seven seals of _it.

Show passage in OET: GEN 49:9–10

OET-RV GEN 49:9

9 Yehudah is a lion cub.
⇔ My son, you’ve stood up after feasting on your prey.
⇔ He stretches and lies down like a lion.
⇔ As with a lioness, who will dare wake him?

OET-RV GEN 49:10

10 Yehudah will never leave the ruling position,
⇔ ≈ nor will his descendants be without the ruler’s staff,
⇔ until the messiah arrives
⇔ and the people groups obey him.

OET-LV GEN 49:9

9 Is_a _cub _of a _lion Yəhūdāh from_prey my _son _of_my you _have _gone _up he _bows _down he _lies _down like_a _lion and_like_a _lion who will_he _rouse _him.

OET-LV GEN 49:10

10 Not a _scepter it _will _depart from_Yəhūdāh and_a _ruler’s _staff from_between feet _of_his until if/because he _will _come Shiloh and_to/for_him/it the_obedience _of peoples.

Show passage in OET: LES 11:37

OET-RV LES 11:37

37 I saw that something like a lion roused out of the woods roaring. I heard how he sent out a man’s voice to the eagle, and spoke, saying,

Show passage in OET: LES 12:31

OET-RV LES 12:31

31 “The lion, whom you saw rising up out of the forest, roaring, speaking to the eagle, and rebuking her for her unrighteousness, and all her words which you’ve heard,

Show passage in OET: JOB 10:16

OET-RV JOB 10:16

16 If I get up, the lion will hunt me.
⇔ Again, you show me how wonderful you are.

OET-LV JOB 10:16

16 And_it _rises _up like_lion you_hunt _me and_you _return you _show _yourself _wonderful on_me.

Show passage in OET: PSA 10:9

OET-RV PSA 10:9

9 They ambush in a hidden places like a lion in cover.
⇔ They hide so they can seize helpless people.
⇔ They capture the weak by pulling in their nets.

OET-LV PSA 10:9

9 He _lies _in _wait in _(the)_place like_a _lion in_lair _of_its he _lies _in _wait to_seize the_afflicted he _seizes the_afflicted when_he_drags_him_away in_net _of_his.

Show passage in OET: EZE 1:10

OET-RV EZE 1:10

10 Each one’s front face was like a human face, then they each had a lion’s face on the right, a calf’s face on the left, and the fourth face was an eagle’s face.

OET-LV EZE 1:10

10 And_the _likeness _of their _faces _of_their was_the_face _of a _human and_the_face _of a _lion to the _right_side belonged_to_the _four _of_of _them and_the_face _of an _ox from_the _left_side belonged_to_the _four _of_of _them and_the _face _of an _eagle belonged_to_the _four _of_of _them.

Show passage in OET: DAN 7:1–4

OET-RV DAN 7:1

7 Previously, in Babylonian King Belshatsar’s (Belshazzar) first year, Daniyel had seen a dream and visions in his mind while lying on his bed. Then he wrote the dream down and gave a summary of it.

OET-RV DAN 7:2

2 He explained:
¶ In my vision at night I was looking, and suddenly, the four winds were stirring up the massive ocean,

OET-RV DAN 7:3

3 and four huge creatures, each one different from the other, were coming up out of it.

OET-RV DAN 7:4

•

The first one was like a lion but had the wings of an eagle. But as I watched, its wings were torn off, and it was lifted up and made to stand on two feet like a man, and then it was given a human mind.

OET-LV DAN 7:1

7 In_year one of_Bēləshaʼʦʦar the _king _of Bāⱱel Dāniyy^ʼēl a _dream he _saw and_visions _of his _head on bed _of_his in_then the_dream he _wrote the_head _of matters he _said.

OET-LV DAN 7:2

2 Dāniyy^ʼēl was_replying and_saying(ms) seeing I _was in_vision _of_my with the_night and_lo the _four the _winds _of the_heavens were_stirring _up DOM_the_sea (the)_great.

OET-LV DAN 7:3

3 And_four beasts great were_coming _up from the_sea they_were_different this_one from this_one.

OET-LV DAN 7:4

4 The_first was_like_a _lion and_wings of an _eagle were_to_it seeing I _was until that wings _of_its they _were _plucked _off and_it _was _lifted away _from the_earth and_on two _feet like_a _human it _was _made _to _stand and_a _heart _of a _human it _was _given to_it.

Jump to OET REV 5:5 section.

Jump to OET GEN 49:9–10 section.

Jump to OET LES 11:37 section.

Jump to OET LES 12:31 section.

Jump to OET JOB 10:16 section.

Jump to OET PSA 10:9 section.

Jump to OET EZE 1:10 section.

Jump to OET DAN 7:1–4 section.

The author of Revelation expressed the belief of all Christians—that Christ is the deliverer who would defeat all the powers of evil. However, in contrast to the OT hope, the deliverer comes not as the conquering Lion of military power, but rather as the Lamb, who suffers and is sacrificed for the sins of his people (Rv 5:6).