Genesis 38
CONTENT WARNING: sexual abuse, graphic and sexual content
Gensis concludes with the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50). However, there is a brief pause in Joseph’s story with the story of Judah (Joseph’s brother) and Tamar in Genesis 38. The story begins with Judah separating himself from his brothers and getting involved with the Canaanites, a wicked group of people who did not follow God. Judah had sex with an unnamed Canaanite woman. She conceived and bore him two sons: Er and Onan. Judah found a wife for Er and her name was Tamar (verse 6). Er was wicked in the sight of the Lord and the Lord put him to death (verse 7). Imagine how awful Tamar’s life must have been that she was forced to marry a man who was so wicked that God put him to death. Judah then told Onan, his younger son to “Go into your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother” (verse 8). This is the first mention of Levirate Marriage (yibbum in the bible). This ancient Jewish law (also addressed in the Middle Assyrian laws) is: “the obligation of a surviving brother to marry the widow of his brother if he died without having sired children” (Eisenberg).
Tamar has fallen victim to patriarchal authority where unfortunately her sole source of survival and protection is based on her ability to bear an heir for her deceased husband. However, Onan fails to fulfill his duties as brother-in-law, for “he knew that the offspring would not be his” (verse 9). He was selfish and used Tamar for his own pleasure, instead of fulfilling his duty (he laid with Tamar but would spill his semen onto the ground so he wouldn’t produce offspring). Onan’s abusive actions made him wicked in the sight of the Lord so the Lord put a stop to it and put him to death as well. Judah tells Tamar to “remain widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up,” for Judah feared that Shelah would die like his brothers. Tamar was loyal and remained with him (verse 11).
Judah’s wife died and once he was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers. Tamar was told where Judah went. She took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil. She then sat at the entrance of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. It was here that she saw Shelah was all grown up, yet she had not been given to him in marriage (verse 12-14). Judah had been withholding Shelah from Tamar out of fear that God would kill him too. Even though it is not described in the text, based on Tamar’s next actions, we know she was ready to seek justice for what Judah made her endure these last few years and secure her place in the family lineage.
Judah sees Tamar on the side of the road, yet does not recognize her. He thinks she is a prostitute. He asks if he can come into her and Tamar replies, “what will you give me, that you may come into me?” (verse 16). He offered her a goat from his flock. Tamar wanted more. She wanted security while she waited for him to send the goat. Judah asked “what pledge shall I give you?” She replied “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand” (verse 18). Judah gives them to her and for the first time, Tamar conceives. Then she goes back home, puts away her veil, puts her window garments back on, and goes back to her normal life.
Judah sent his friend, Adullamite, to send the young goat to Tamar and take back Judah’s cord and staff back. Adullamite asks the men in that place, “where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?” The men replied, “no cult prostitute has been here” (verse 21). Adullamite goes to Judah and tells him that he could not find her and how the men said there was no cult prostitute there. Judah gave up his search out of fear of being laughed at and left his pledge with Tamar. A few months later, Tamar’s pregnancy was exposed and Judah was told that his daughter-in-law was guilty of prostitution. He failed to provide both care and protection for her and was willing to pass judgement for her sin, but not his own. He cried out “bring her out and let her be burned” (verse 24). As she was being brought out, she sent word to Judah, “‘I am pregnant by the man who owns these,’ and she added, ‘See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are’” (verse 25 NIV). David Guzik writes in his commentary, “Tamar acted shrewdly and vindicated herself against the charge of harlotry. She made the logical appeal of noting that the man who hired her was just as guilty as she was.” Tamar is smart and brought justice for herself. Judah identified his items and claimed, “she is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah” (verse 26). Judah saw it was he who was guilty for her conception as well as how he was at fault for not allowing Tamar to produce an heir through Shelah, as he promised.
Tamar ended up giving birth to twins: Perez and Zerah. Tamar secured her place in the family and gave birth to two sons and restored Judah, who had lost two sons. Tamar, even though she was not a God-honoring woman, displayed characteristics of loyalty (as she was loyal to producing an heir for Judah’s family), courage, strategy, and determination when society was against her. We see these same characteristics in the Ruth, who is widely considered to be one of the Godliest women in the Bible. Ruth, like Tamar, displays loyalty and strength and Ruth secures her position in the bloodline through the marriage of Boaz (descendent of Perez). While they used different methods, both Tamar and Ruth defied the patriarchal norms of their time to secure their rights and line of descents. Don’t worry, we will learn more about Ruth later!
Tamar endured so much evil and abuse in her life from both of her husbands and God brought her vengeance by removing them from her life. She was dishonored by Judah and almost burned at the stake, yet the Lord did not abandon her there. Even though Tamar’s methods were unorthodox, the Lord honored her motivation and secured her place not only in Judah’s family, but in the bloodline of both King David and ultimately the Messiah through the birth of her twins. God cared about Tamar so much that she goes on to be one of five women in the genealogy listed in the book of Matthew as an ancestor of the royal tribe of Israel, where Jesus is born out of. God turned her story of abuse, neglect, and almost death, to a story of God’s commitment to justice and of God’s love of those who have been marginalized and forgotten. God can use anyone, no matter their background, for His Glory!
