Genesis
38 is often a hard chapter to deal with for Christians. It seems as if Tamar is
playing like a harlot. However, Judah claims she is more righteous than he. How
is this?
The
problem is we do not understand the way people of that generation thought. A
son carried on as it were the life of their father. The first person to carry
on the line or life of the father was the oldest son. If that one died the next
was to carry on for him and so on. The wife of the son was in a since bearing
children to continue the line (life) of her father-in-law.
Judah, like many people, today didn’t want to think that his children were the problem
and was instead looking at Tamar as the problem. The third son was old enough
to be given to Tamar so that she could have her place in the family (and
security for the future), but Judah was going to take that from her by not giving
her the next son in line.
So,
this woman who was supposed to bear children to carry on the line of Judah was
left to fend for herself. Her future in this culture wasn’t very bright. The
chances for another husband was nearly nothing, she had nothing to lose. Her
solution to be the person to bear the line of Judah was to have children by
Judah himself rather than through his son. It was after all her duty and right
to bear the line (children). Judah was stealing this from her, but she found a
way to be what she was supposed to be.
This
being said it was the way it was supposed to be done and Judah acknowledges
that by taking her into his house as his wife but not sleeping with her again.
We don’t know what life was like after that but explaining the parentage to
these children was something I’m glad I didn’t have to do.
Gen 38:1-30
(1) And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
(2) And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.
(3) And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.
(4) And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
(5) And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.
(6) And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
(7) And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
(8) And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
(9) And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.
(10) And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
(11) Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
(12) And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
(13) And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
(14) And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.
(15) When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.
(16) And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?
(17) And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
(18) And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
(19) And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
(20) And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.
(21) Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.
(22) And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.
(23) And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.
(24) And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
(25) When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.
(26) And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
(27) And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
(28) And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
(29) And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
(30) And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.
