SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 38
JUDAH AND TAMAR (vs. 1-30)
Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah. There he met Shua, a Canaatie and married her. She gave birth to Er, Onan and Shelah. Er got married to Tamar. When Er died, Judah told his second son Onan to take Tamar and fulfill his duty by producing offspring for his brother. But when he laid with Tamar, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. Because of his wicked deed, God put him to death.
Judah told his daughter-in-law to return to her father’s house and wait until Shelah grew up. After a long time, Shua, the wife of Judah died. When Judah had recovered from grief, he went to Timnah with his friend Hirah. When Tamar knew that his father-in-law was on the way to Timnah, she took off her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil and sat at the entrance to Enaim. When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute and asked to sleep with him. Tamar demanded his seal, its cords and the staff in his hand as a pledge to sleep with her, and she became pregnant by him. After he left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes again. Meanwhile, Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the the woman, but he did not find her. After three months, he was told that his daughter-in-law was guilty of prostitution and became pregnant. Judah was furious and wanted to burn her to death. But Tamar brought out the pledge. Judah recognized them and admitted his guilt. Tamar gave birth to a twin named Perez and Zerah.
THOUGHTS:
Judah sold his brother Joseph as a slave, but he himself was a ‘slave of sin” by yielding to the lust of the flesh in contrast to Joseph’s purity. Judah was hard on others when he tried to execute Tamar upon learning of her pregnancy. Be careful to keep your body clean because it is the temple of God. Learn to examine yourself before accusing others.
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