Genesis 38: Tamar humbles Judah
Judah and Tamar: A Story of Deception, Justice, and Redemption in God's Plan
In Genesis 37, Joseph tells his brothers of dreams that predict his future position of ultimate authority over them, which disposes them to jealousy. They conspire against him and sell him as a slave into Egypt, deceiving their father into believing he is dead. READ NOW. Here we meet Judah, one of Joseph's half-brothers; much later, his story intersects with that of his daughter-in-law Tamar, which tells us of themes of deception, justice, and redemption in God's plan. The chapter gives a glance at sibling rivalry and sets the stage for deeper moral and spiritual life lessons.
Judah and Tamar
This story is an unexpected interruption of the story of Joseph. Genesis keeps us in suspense. We must wait a little longer to know what happens to Joseph in Egypt. But this story of Judah and Tamar is not relevant to the main course of the narrative. In many ways, it relates to the rest of the chapters in Genesis 37-50 in themes and phraseology. (In linguistics, phraseology is the study of a set or fixed expressions such as idiom, phrasal verbs and other types of multi-word lexical units.)
Read the full chapter Genesis 38: READ NOW
Judah’s Transformation and the Fulfillment of the Patriarchal Promise
It concerns how the descendants' promise to the patriarch (a male leader of a family tribe) should be fulfilled. This passage shows us how hard-hearted Judah was stopped in his tracks and prepares us for a new compassionate Judah in Genesis chapter 44. This passage also tells us of yet another twin brother in which the younger overtook the older (Genesis 38: 27-30).
Genesis 38:27-30 CSB: [27] When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. [28] As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand, and the midwife took it and tied a scarlet thread around it, announcing, “This one came out first.” [29] But then he pulled his hand back, out came his brother, and she said, “What a breakout you have made for yourself! ” So he was named Perez. , [30] Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread tied to his hand, came out, and was named Zerah.
The modern readers are, however, most perplexed by the sexual antics of those involved:
Does the narrator approve of Tamar's behaviour?
Was there enough time for the events in Genesis 38 to occur between Genesis 37:36 and Genesis 39:2?
Genesis 37:36 CSB: Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guards.
Genesis 39:2 CSB: The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
Given that people usually married soon after puberty in bible times, it would be possible to suppose that everything in Genesis chapter 38 occurred within the space of about twenty years.
According to Genesis 37:2, Genesis 41:46-47 and Genesis 45:6, twenty-two years elapsed between Joseph's sale in Egypt and his brothers' discovery of his there.
Genesis 37:2 CSB: These are the family records of Jacob. At seventeen years of age, Joseph tended sheep with his brothers. The young man was working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought a bad report about them to their father.
Genesis 41:46-47 CSB: [46] Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt. [47] During the seven years of abundance the land produced outstanding harvests.
Genesis 45:6 CSB: For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting.
In many societies, ancient and modern, the custom of Levirate marriage (a custom where a widow marries the brother of her deceased husband; the term comes from the Latin word Levir, which means "husband's brother") is known. According to the Old Testament, the brother-in-law of a childless widow was expected to marry her to produce children for his dead brother. Later, Deuteronomy 25:5-10 regards such a marriage as desirable but not compulsory. However, in the earlier time of Judah and Tamarth, the brother had an absolute duty to marry his widowed sister-in-law, and the father-in-law was expected to see this duty fulfilled.
Deuteronomy 25:5-10 CSB: [5] “When brothers live on the same property and one of them dies without a son, the wife of the dead man may not marry a stranger outside the family. Her brother-in-law is to take her as his wife, have sexual relations with her, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law for her. [6] The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so his name will not be blotted out from Israel. [7] But if the man doesn’t want to marry his sister-in-law, she is to go to the elders at the city gate and say, ‘My brother-in-law refuses to preserve his brother’s name in Israel. He isn’t willing to perform the duty of a brother-in-law for me.’ [8] The elders of his city will summon him and speak with him. If he persists and says, ‘I don’t want to marry her,’ [9] then his sister-in-law will go up to him in the sight of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, and spit in his face. Then she will declare, ‘This is what is done to a man who will not build up his brother’s house.’ [10] And his family name in Israel will be ‘The house of the man whose sandal was removed.’
Onan’s Defiance and Judah’s Hesitation: A Conflict with Divine Will
Judah and his sons hesitated to fulfil this duty, as Onan, the second born of Judah, practised a kind of contraception. This contravened the spirit of Genesis 1, he letter of the Levirate custom and the patriarchs, who had been assured they would have numberless descendants. So, Onan died (Genesis 38:10) because he resisted God's declared will. Judah, who should have been concerned to see his next son, Shelah, the third bo, fulfilled his duty and ensured the promise was fulfilled, did nothing.
Genesis 38:10 CSB: What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so he put him to death also.
Tamar’s Triumph: Justice, Deception, and Judah’s Confession
Tamar, a widow of Judah's firstborn Er, had no legal redress against her father-in-law's injustice, and she planned to trap him. She outwits him and obtains her rights under the Levirate law and two sons for the household of Jaco; one of the sons is the ancestor of David and Jesus. In the process she made a fool of Judah and showed his hypocrisy, so that ultimately he was forced to confess, 'She is more righteous than I'- Genesis 38:26. This does not mean that sleeping with one man's father is approved of; 'And he did not sleep with her again' - Genesis 38:26. Later in Leviticus 18:15 we see that it is not right.
Genesis 38:26 CSB: Judah recognized them and said, “She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her intimately again.
Leviticus 18:15 CSB: You are not to have sexual intercourse with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; you are not to have sex with her.
Application
Tamar's irregular behaviour was, however, in this instance, warranted because of her father-in-law's much greater negligence of morality and theology. It was her offbeat act that brought Judah to his senses. Despite our betrayal of God, he still uses us to fulfil his covenant promise by demonstrating his grace and ability. This passage shows us the consequences of Judah's actions and highlights the importance of moral accountability. Judah repented, and then later God used him for his work; this shows how God uses his people in difficult situations also. Tamara's methods were not right, but the passage highlights the protection of the rights of valuable individuals, particularly those women who can easily be exploited.
Key Notes
1. Adullam and Kezib
Adullam and Kezib were both near Hebron (Genesis 38:12)
Genesis 38:12 CSB: After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers.
2. Timnah
Timnah was about 4 miles (6 km) west of Beth Shemesh (Genesis 38:13)
Genesis 38:13 CSB: Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
3. Sheep-Shearing
Sheep-Shearing was a busy, living festival. (Genesis 31:19 and 1 Samuel 25: 2-37)
Genesis 31:19 CSB: When Laban had gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
1 Samuel 25: 2-37: READ NOW
4. Seals
Seals were carried in a cord threaded through the middle. (Genesis 38:18)
Genesis 38:18 CSB: “What should I give you? ” he asked. She answered, “Your signet ring, your cord, and the staff in your hand.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.
5. Prostitution
Prostitution is too precise a translation: 'illicit sexual intercourse' (forbidden by law) would be more appropriate. Judah probably regards Tamar as guilty of adultery because she was supposed to have been married to Shelah. The death penalty could be demanded in this case, but not death by burning, which was reserved for even worse offences (Deuteronomy 22:21 and Leviticus 21:9)
Deuteronomy 22:21 CSB: they will bring the woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city will stone her to death. For she has committed an outrage in Israel by being promiscuous while living in her father’s house. You must purge the evil from you.
Leviticus 21:9 CSB: If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by promiscuity, , she defiles her father; she must be burned to death.
6. Perez
Perez's genealogy is in Ruth 4: 18-22. (Genesis 38:29).
Genesis 38:29 CSB: But then he pulled his hand back, out came his brother, and she said, “What a breakout you have made for yourself! ” So he was named Perez.
Ruth 4:18-22 CSB: [18] Now these are the family records of Perez: Perez fathered Hezron, [19] Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab, [20] Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, [21] Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, [22] Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.