The Linen Workers and Craftsmen Guilds of the Tribe of Judah

The Chronicler's detailed genealogy of Judah's descendants preserves a rare glimpse of the tribal trade-guilds and family crafts that filled the ancient Judean economy: "The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea, And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab, and Jashubi-lehem. And these are ancient things" (1 Chronicles 4:21-22). The linen-weavers descended from Shelah son of Judah formed a hereditary guild centered at Beth-ashbea, joining the other named guilds of potters and craftsmen who served the tribal economy.

Read It