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GENESIS 38
Judah’s indecent conduct and his sons from two women -- (DATE: After 1683 before Christ)
DISCOVER Genesis 38: Some time thereafter, (perhaps to go and spend his sudden extra income), Judah went to an Adullamite friend of his, Hirah. As he spent time with him, his eyes fell on the daughter of the Canaanite Shua, and he went to lay with her, fathering three sons with her over time, the firstborn he called Er. The second she named Onan, and the third she called Shelah. -- Valuing his firstborn, Judah selected a wife for him, Tamar. But Er had such a wicked heart before the LORD, that He put him to death, before he could consummate this marriage. As he had already arranged the marriage, Judah told his second born Onan to go in to Tamar and give his older brother the children he couldn’t father. But Onan was selfish and didn’t want to father children that wouldn’t be counted as his own. So whenever he went in to her, he would waste his seed on the floor rather than use it to father a child. This behavior also was wicked before the LORD, costing Onan his life. Seeing his sons lose their lives like this, Judah decided to protect his last son from this ill fated woman, and told Tamar that she should return to her home as a widow. Once Shelah would be old enough for marriage, he would come for her so his last son could fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law. -- Shortly thereafter, Judah’s wife died. When his period of mourning was over, Judah went with his friend Hirah to oversee the sheering of his sheep near Timnah (to the west of Bethlehem). When Tamar heard this, and knowing that Judah’s youngest son Shelah would be of marriageable age now, she lay off her widow’s clothing and veiled herself as an unmarried woman did, (to demand from Judah to know why she was still waiting for Shelah to be given to her). As she waited at the entrance to Enaim, which lay on the road to Timnah, Judah saw her and thought her to be a prostitute, shrouded in clothing as she was. So he went to her to be his bed partner. Asking what he would be willing to pay her, he answered that he would later send her a young goat as payment. Stalling, she first asked for a pledge from him, and he immediately agreed to this suggestion, asking what she might see as enough. Thinking ahead, Tamar demanded three things from Judah, his seal, cord and staff, which Judah was only too glad to give her. Thus Judah impregnated Tamar the very same day. Afterwards, she returned to her home, clothed herself in her widow’s clothing again and waited. -- When later on Judah asked his Adullamite friend to deliver the goat, he came up empty handed as no one knew of a prostitute in that place, so Judah decided to forget about the whole thing, lest he would make a laughing stock of himself. Three months later, however, his deed came back at him, as news reached him, that his daughter-in-law had unlawfully become pregnant. (Perhaps seeing a way out of his predicament with his last son), Judah demanded her to be brought out and be burned for her infidelity. (Probably having known that it would come to this), Tamar proclaimed to her father-in-law that she had been made pregnant by the man whom these three items belonged. So she presented to Judah his seal, cord and staff. Defeated Judah could only confess and witness that Tamar was more righteous than himself, who had refused to give her his son Shelah as he had promised. He (took her into his home and) never went in to her again. -- When Tamar’s time to deliver her twins came, the midwife bound a cord around the first arm that came from between Tamar’s legs, taking him to be the firstborn. However, before he could come out, the other child pushed him aside and was born first, earning him the name Perez, while his twin brother came out later and was named Zerah.
PRAYER: Our Lord Jesus Christ, we are shocked at how this chapter reveals the offensive story that led to the birth of your ancestor Perez from Judah. What your forefather Judah did, was inappropriate in several ways. At the same time we are deeply moved that your Holy Word does not shy back from openly uncovering sin and improper dealings even if it concerns such a noble son of Jacob as Judah, the ancestor of kings. Thank you that in our lives you also do not always deal with us as we deserve because of our sins, rather you reprimand us and work in us to accomplish your aims in our lives in spite of our sin and guilt. Above all we thank you that you took upon yourself the punishment for our sins by dying for us on the cross. We believe in you and open our hearts to the power of your love and grace. Amen.
QUESTION 38: What did Tamar do to become the mother of Perez, one of Christ’s ancestors?