Lion of Judah One hundred tiny inscriptions of Genesis 49:8-12 depict the Tribe of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and leader and progenitor of the Davidic line. "The staff [of leadership] shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh [the Messiah] comes." These verses are the blessing that Jacob, laying on his deathbed, gave to his son Judah. The blessing describes the necessary qualifications for kingship that he found only in Judah from amongst all of his sons. *"Your hand is on the neck of your enemies" Judah was so strong in battle that all his enemies turned their backs and fled. ú *"From the prey, my son, you have arisen" He was superior to his brothers spiritually and ethically. He was not unstable as Reuven, the firstborn; nor were instruments of battle in his hands, as they were in the hands of Shimon and Levi, the second and third sons. Here Jacob hinted that Judah's hands were not bloodstained, but rather it was he who saved Joseph from being killed at the hands of his brothers. ú "He crouches as a lion, and as an old lion, who shall rouse him up?" Judah had the required strength and persistence for leadership. He remained staunch as a crouching lion, and no one dared try to move him. It was for these reasons that "the scepter shall not depart from Judah." The curling, swerving design captures the look and feel of mosaic art that, as archeological finds show, was so highly valued in ancient times. The pomegranate adorning Judah's crown is a repeated motif in Jewish art. The pomegranate's "crowned" head is a symbol of royalty, while its multitude of seeds represents the fulfillment of the prophecy and commandment to "be fruitful and multiply."