The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him.
The sons of Judah. His descendants are enumerated first, because the right and privileges of the primogeniture had been transferred to him (Genesis 49:8), and because from his tribe the Messiah was to spring.