Judah And Tamar

Genesis 38:1–30
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Judah, the brother who suggested they sell Joseph, married a Canaanite woman. They had three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah (vv. 1-5). Intermarriage with the Canaanites had been avoided up to this time. Judah’s first son Er died because he was wicked (vv. 6-11). By custom the “husband’s brother” Onan, was to marry Tamar, and raise up offspring (vv. 12-23). But Oman was killed by the Lord after he refused to perform his brotherly duty, and Judah feared his youngest son would die as well. Tamar felt she would have to take matters into her own hands if she were to be granted the rights of the custom. When the time seemed right, Tamar put on a mask and deceptively lured her father-in-law, Judah, into an immoral relationship, posing as a temple prostitute, (vv. 15 & 21). In pledge that he would send a goat for payment, he left his seal (which hung suspended from a cord around his neck) and his staff with her. When he tried to get them through a friend, she could not be found. Again, Jacob’s family experienced deception, this time by his Canaanite daughter-in-law (vv. 24-26). 

Judah lacked integrity (v. 16), and now he was seen to be a hypocrite. When Tamar was reported to be three months pregnant, he condemned her to death as a prostitute. Then she proved by the seal and staff that he was the guilty partner. Tamar had won the right to be the mother of Judah’s children, in a deceitful way. Her action was desperate and risky. This final part of the story provides the significance of the whole account. God gave Tamar twins, and the line of Judah continued because of her. But in the birth of the boys an unusual situation occurred, paralleling the births of Jacob and Esau (vv. 27-30). After one twin’s hand came out the other twin made a breach and was born first, so he was rightly named Perez (“breach”). Then the second twin was named Zerah (“scarlet “) because of the scarlet thread the midwife tied on his wrist. It is as if the oracle concerning Jacob’s ruling over his older brother (Gen. 27:29) was being relived in the line of Judah. Despite his attempts to hinder Tamar’s marriage, God’s will confirmed that the elder would serve the younger. The line of promise would carry on through Perez (Matt. 1:3), for God’s program cannot be set aside.

Application

God’s program for my life has been and will continue to be carried out no matter what. If my children ever see me try to deceive someone, they will probably do the same.