Judah and Tamar

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Genesis 38:1-30, Deuteronomy 25:5-10, 1 Timothy 5:8

Genesis 38 breaks the Joseph narrative with a bold, complicated, and very broken story. Joseph was sold into slavery, and the very next verse we read is about his brother Judah. Judah was one of Leah’s sons, and Leah was the wife that Jacob didn’t love. Judah was also the patriarch of the lineage of King David and Jesus. So this story, and Judah’s legacy, isn’t as much an interjection as an interlude that gives us a glimpse of God’s grace and the amazing ways His promises were fulfilled despite all sorts of human injustice.

Some cultural background helps this story because it’s a rather tangled web of relationships. Levirate marriage was a practice in the ancient Near East that was later written down in Deuteronomy 25 as part of the Mosaic law. Basically, it meant that if a man died before he had a child, his brother had to marry his wife, and their first child would carry on the first (dead) brother’s name and place in the deceased brother’s lineage.

Judah had three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er married a woman named Tamar, and Er was so evil that he died. Onan married Tamar but didn’t want to preserve his brother’s place in the lineage, and because he did not impregnate Tamar, was killed for his sin. Judah had seen both of his sons die after marrying Tamar, so he hid Shelah away and kept him from Tamar.

Tamar, the widow who had the right to bear Judah’s eldest son’s child and continue the family line, responded. She dressed as a prostitute, tempted Judah, and conceived a child with him without him knowing who she was (Genesis 38:13–19). Later, when Judah found out she was pregnant, he threatened to kill her for adultery (against Shelah, whom she was technically betrothed to). When she revealed that Judah was, in fact, the father, he then admitted that he had wronged her. Tamar had twin sons, Perez and Zerah, and Perez continued the family line.

There is a lot of background to unpack in this unlikely story of God’s faithfulness to a family. Judah almost destroyed promises made to his great-grandfather: the blessing of the whole world through the line of Abraham. God had made a promise to Abraham, and He continued that promise to Isaac and to Jacob. At so many turns, the promise appears threatened by someone’s sin. 

But the author of this very complicated story is the author of the ultimate story: The story here makes a way for all of His promises, and we are given the free gift of grace purchased on the cross by Jesus. God can and does redeem the hardest, most impossible, most complicated stories. What a gift it is to be His.

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78 thoughts on "Judah and Tamar"

  1. Karen Breaux says:

    ✝️❤

  2. Nicole Powell says:

    God is amazing

  3. Barb D says:

    “At so many turns, the promise seems to be threatened by someone’s sin.” AMEN! But God’s mercy prevails. He knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end!

  4. Paula Mourin says:

    ♥️

  5. Teresa Donley says:

    Even when evil men attempt to thwart the plan of God, He uses some of the most unusual circumstances to achieve His plans. Without Tamar, Ruth, Bathsheba, and others, the lineage of Jesus would not be the same – the one The Lord decreed. God uses broken people, and people not of the Jewish or Christian faith to achieve His will.

  6. Marlo Larson says:

    It’s so helpful to have the information about the cultural context in this situation, otherwise it just seems like some wacky idea that was a norm back in the day. God will stop at nothing to make sure his plan plays out. It’s comforting to know that if I get it wrong, He is there ready and waiting yo redirect , guide and adjust as necessary – praise God

    1. Lena says:

      Great point with the cultural content. A messed up family doesn’t mean forever. We all have opportunity to say yes to the call of Jesus by the Spirit.

  7. Tami says:

    Ladies thank you for the prayers! And Rhonda I would love a coffee chat!!! I head out of the house by 8:30am on Saturdays so may work for tomorrow. What an amazing offer! I just got back from the endoscopy – I have a small ulcer on my duodenum (who knew I had one? lol) that he thinks may have been caused by a bacterial infection. Just need results of biopsy to confirm. But Praise God nothing serious! Again, thank you for the prayers!

    1. Cee Gee says:

      So glad you had some news today. Prayers for wisdom for the doctor as he reviews results from the biopsy. ❤

  8. Katarina Friedman says:

    What a beautiful story of redemption and how God can move and provide even when we resist

  9. Cheryl Blow says:

    God redeems our stories! So thankful that He makes a way for us.

    Praying for all!

  10. Cee Gee says:

    Revelation 5:5
    And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
    .
    Love, hugs, and prayers! ❤

    1. Wendy B says:

      ❤️

  11. Traci Gendron says:

    My first thoughts were that Tom has 4 brothers and I wouldn’t want to be married to any of them…lol! Aren’t we lucky that we get to chose our spouses? Or maybe not. I have been divorced so clearly I didn’t chose well.

    ~

    But on a serious note, it is amazing how God always fulfills His promises.

  12. Wendy B says:

    Ugh.. Another yuck story. But a very clear reminder of the redemptive work of our Father despite, terrible, sinful choices and decisions. No one is too far gone to be left for lost.

    “God can and does redeem the hardest, most impossible, most complicated stories. What a gift it is to be His.”

    What a gift indeed ❤️

    1. Tami says:

      GM ladies. I am finally catching up on the reading/comments today! SO much food for thought. It really is unbelievable how God can use all of this ugliness and ultimately make beauty from ashes to accomplish His plan and purpose. It gives me hope when I look at all my own failures and struggles. God sees, God hears, and God remembers us!
      I am feeling really overwhelmed right now. My 53 year old brother BJ is declining rapidly after almost 5 years of battling stage 4 stomach cancer. He has 2 daughters – Julia 19 and Gabby 13. My heart is breaking. Also my daughter Chela is back at college and struggling with anxiety and having a hard time eating due to it. I get calls throughout the day, sometimes she up and sometimes she down, but I’m always on edge about what it will be. And today I am going for an endoscopy – I’ve been having stomach issues and acid reflux. Anyway, just feeling really overwhelmed from all fronts.

      1. Donna Wolcott says:

        Tami, all those stresses can definitely cause stomach issues. Hopefully, they can give you something to reduce the acid reflux and I hope and pray that somehow you can find some peace in all of these trials. God bless.

        1. Cee Gee says:

          Agree with Donna! Prayers for a successful procedure and accurate diagnosis! Prayers of comfort for BJ and lessened anxiety for Chelah. Hugs, Tami! ❤

      2. searching says:

        praying, Tami, for your family – for your brother, his daughters and other family members; for Chela, that she will remember the days when things were manageable (was that last semester?) and be able to overcome the anxiety; and you, sister, as you have the procedure today – praying it goes smoothly and for peace as you wait for results.

        1. MARTHA HIX says:

          Praying for you and your family, Tami. ❤️

        2. Tami says:

          Hi Searching! What a memory you have! Yes she was doing so much better last semester which I NEED to remember. This is her 2nd week back after winter break so I’m praying this is just an adjustment period. Thank you for the prayers!

      3. Christy says:

        Praying for you and your family, Tami ❤️

      4. Rhonda J. says:

        Oh Tami, I feel you on all the struggles and how you described it, as I’m sure others do with their families. But that your brothers decline is there on top and forefront really hurts my heart for you. No wonder your stomach is in turmoil. I wish we could be together to pray and talk. Which if you do ever want to do a “coffee chat” with a few members here…we could set that up one morning. Are you free tomorrow morning? (I will message you on our page! and for anyone that might want to join.)
        In any case, praying for you for strength.

    2. Rhonda J. says:

      And Wendy, agree, which gives us so much more hope that God is working it all out! Thank you all for saying this so well with all your comments!!

      I just wanted to add that there is a book from Francine Rivers about the women in the Bible and expands on their story (obvious fiction/ with staying true to scripture) Someone here suggested it last time -CeeGee or Searching maybe?! The title is
      ” A Lineage of Grace: Biblical Stories of 5 Women in the Lineage of Jesus” – Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, & Mary (Historical Christian Fiction with In-Depth Bible Studies)

      Thank you, thank you for all the prayers and comments for my grandchildren! I know God holds them!

      1. Charlotte says:

        Someone suggested this book on here a couple of years ago. It turned out to be one of my favorite books and she is one of my favorite authors. I had never read her books. I’m not an avid reader but, I could not put this book down. Whoever suggested it, I still say “thank you”!

      2. Barb says:

        The Lineage of Grace books are some of my favorites!!! I’ve read them twice.

  13. Gwineth52 says:

    “God can and does redeem the hardest, most impossible, most complicated stories.”
    You can say that again!!
    Good Morning Shes
    God, in His infinite wisdom & inexhaustible patience, is authoring the “greatest story ever told”.
    Giving to them & offering to us, redemption & restoration in the most crazy & confusing; mixed up & messed up; how could he/she/they; say-it-ain’t-so; vexing & perplexing lives!
    And we’re still in Genesis, the first book in the Bible!!
    Unrelenting & undeserved favor.
    Through faith, Folks. Through faith.

    1. Christy says:

      Amen!

    2. Grammie D says:

      Amen and Amen!

  14. Maria B says:

    Good morning, sisters. I am going to be honest, today my heart is just so sad as the names of the victims of the DC plane crash have started to become public. So many young people; those babies who never made it home. I hope you allow me to say a short prayer for them. It is where my heart is this morning.

    Heavenly Father, we lift up the victims of Flight 5342, especially the children whose lives were tragically cut short. Hold them in Your loving arms, and bring comfort to their families who are grieving an unimaginable loss. Surround them with Your peace, and let them find strength in Your presence. In the face of sorrow, may Your light shine and bring hope to those who mourn. Amen.

    1. Andi Wallace says:

      A beautiful prayer. I’m a flight attendant and seeing so many children on my flight today made me almost cry thinking about those children in the crash. I pray that God watches over those families AAC’s everyone affected and brings them peace and healing during this time

      1. Maria B says:

        Andi, I cannot even begin to imagine how heavy that must be for you and those in your line of work. Praying over you and all flight crews. May the arms of the Lord protect you and keep you safe.

    2. Rachel says:

      Amen. So, so heartbreaking.

    3. Wendy B says:

      Amen. This is such a tragedy and so heartbreaking.❤️

    4. Cee Gee says:

      Thank you MARIA B and ANDI! Such tragedy and heartbreak. Seeing the video of the actual impact was shocking. I didn’t listen to all if the president’s remarks yesterday but one thing he said early in his speech touched my heart. Paraphrasing here: [their lives didn’t end in the icy icy river. They ended in the arms of a loving God.]
      When he said that my thought was that people would stop and think if that would be true for them in a similar situation. Sorry for rambling! Adding my amen to a much needed prayer. ❤

      1. Mercy says:

        Thank you for sharing. I didn’t finish listening to his speech either but what truth.❤️❤️❤️

      2. Margaret W. says:

        Really? He said that? Because I have only heard the most callous, blame shifting remarks from him. Would you mind providing a link? I’d like to think he managed to say something decent in the face of such horror, but I haven’t ever seen it. I’d like to.

    5. Tami says:

      Amen Maria! Beautiful prayer!

    6. Michelle P says:

      Amen, Maria. ❤️

    7. searching says:

      joining you in prayer, Maria, for those friends and families in the midst of unimaginable grief.

    8. Cheryl Blow says:

      Amen

    9. Donna Wolcott says:

      Thank you Maria, two of those who died are from my small state.

      1. Maria B says:

        Oh my goodness. So sorry. I think in the days to come, and more names are revealed, there will be a collective sense of grief, and prayers will be needed more than ever.

    10. Lori Lackey says:

      Praying with you.

    11. Allison Bentley says:

      Amen Maria

    12. MARTHA HIX says:

      Amen ❤️

    13. Christy says:

      Thank you, Maria B. Joining you in prayer ❤️

    14. Mari V says:

      AMEN! A day later, but AMEN! Thank you Maria!

  15. Tanya Evans says:

    The first verse is revealing, “At that time Judah left his brothers and settled near an Adullamite.” Judah married a Canaanite.
    Some translations say “Judah went down to Adullam..” He appears to leave physically and morally. He did what Lot did. When he left his family, he intermarried with the pagans around him. Grandfather Abraham did not care these Canannite girls
    Tamar gets a bad reputation in the Christian circles but from the line of Judah the Messiah would come. Because of Judah ‘s stubbornness and fear,and failure to keep his word this tribe could have died out.In Judaism she is somewhat of a hero. We never know what happened to Shelah, the promised son but through Tamar’s scheming the “Promised Son” was born and known as the Lion of Judah.

    1. Danielle B says:

      Tanya thank you for digging into the background and helping us see that Judah disobeyed by seeking Canaanite women. But God made a way.

    2. Tami says:

      This is so insightful. Judah knew God and still did what was wrong in his sight. Tamar did scheme which obviously isn’t right but Judah did not do as he said he would and marry her to Shelah, leaving her alone and vulnerable. I see her move as one of desperation.

  16. Christy says:

    “God can and does redeem the hardest, most impossible, most complicated stories. What a gift it is to be His.” Even amidst the brokenness and pain in these stories, there is a through line of God’s gracious mercy, forgiveness, and redemption. God delivers us not only from the bad things we’ve done to ourselves but also from the bad things others have done unto us. He is always working even when it may not seem like it. God saves through weakness, not strength. God uses none of the things that the world considers strong or valuable, and as Thea Joshi pointed out, Jesus’ lineage was through Perez, whose mother was Tamar. It just leaves me in awe of how God chose to redeem and transform this moment. The author of time can redeem and transform time by restoring the value of the moments lost to still bring about His promise. How great is His faithfulness!

  17. Sarah M says:

    “What a gift it is to be his!” ♥️

  18. Aimee D-R says:

    Thank You Lord God that You make a way even when I am too doubtful, arrogant or plain stubborn to wait and believe it. Thank You for Your never ending Grace and Mercy. In Jesus name, Amen

    1. Brandi says:

      Amen and amen!! Yes! Even when!

  19. Erica Chiarelli says:

    Yikes. The sin within the line of David and the line of Jesus…thank God for Jesus! I know we are all sinners, it just looks different for each of us but man…this line is a hot mess. I’m so thankful God is willing to use even them, even us, even me!

  20. Searching says:

    Two sayings came to mind this morning –
    You couldn’t make this stuff up, and
    truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

    Another tangled mess instigated by the evilness of Judah’s sons; Judah’s lies, lack of trust and faith; Judah taking matters into his own hands by withholding his 3rd son. Again, we are shown and reminded that God’s plan will not & cannot be stopped, thwarted, derailed ….

    . Wondering how many years Tamar waited for Shelah to grow up. Once she realized Judah had lied and she had been waiting for nothing (while considered betrothed to Shelah all those years), Tamar shows us her critical thinking skills with her plan and in the way she put it into action … Even though playing the harlot, as it’s described, wasn’t the best choice of method (in my opinion anyway), dressing as she did so that Judah thinks it’s his idea to make his request of her, but that was her plan all along. And requiring the items from Judah to prove paternity before she agreed to his request.
    .
    Lord, please guide us each day to trust you, to speak truth, to seek and follow Your will.

    Humming an old hymn this morning, ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus, Louisa M. R. Stead (1882)

    TERESA DONLEY ❤️ Yes, God loves you. We do too!

    SHARON JERSEY GIRL – “satan knows where we are weak” – thank you for reminding of that truth…
    We are weak but He is strong; yes, Jesus loves me!

    RHONDA J – praying for your grandchildren! Praying especially for your grandson, that he will turn to and trust the Lord, have the inner strength and maturity to manage his actions and reactions, that a good plan forward will be developed for when he’s 18.

    CEE GEE – your pondering on what the brothers did with their silver reminded me of Proverbs 10:2 “ill gotten gain gets you nowhere; an honest life is immortal (The Message). The NIV says “ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value, but righteousness delivers from death.”
    And loved your attitude on receiving that 4th verse as a gift ❤️

    1. Cee Gee says:

      Searching, thanks for sharing the verse on ill-gotten gain. Love you, sister! ❤

  21. Laura says:

    I don’t think I ever really digested this story until now. I always read it as just another mess up by the OT people where I shook my head and said, when will they get it right? If I took anything from a passage like this, it would be to say, and yes, I mess up like this too and never seem to get it right. Although this is a good take-away from disturbing passages like this, as I have been reading through the OT this time, I am struck more and more by the amazingness of God. Every time I read about these incredible mess ups by humans, I see the contrast of God’s incredible mercy, grace and sovereignty to still get His plan and His promise accomplished. It is a theme that continues to be sparked for me. I believe God is reminding me of this truth for a reason. As I continue to wait and pray and hope for my long-standing prayers to be answered, God is reminding me that He hears me, that He is working, and that nothing will thwart His plans.

    I asked my son about his faith journey last night. We had a great conversation and I was so encouraged by the progress of his heart toward believing again in Jesus as his Savior. He brought up so many things from the Bible, which illustrated for me how much of his childhood learning and young adult studying had sunk into his mind and heart and was there, waiting for him to once again be open to God’s truth and God’s calling. I wish that he had stayed on the path from the time he accepted Jesus as a young boy, but this journey that he is on can still be used by God. All of these OT people were on a journey. And who knows, maybe God’s plan would have happened sooner if they had only been obedient, but time is God’s. He is not put off by timing, He WILL accomplish His plan and His purpose. Amen!

    1. Searching says:

      ❤️

    2. Karen Y says:

      Rejoicing with you in the progress of your son’s faith journey. Sharing your story about your son gives hope to those who are still waiting.

    3. Grammie D says:

      “As I continue to wait and pray and hope for my long-standing prayers to be answered, God is reminding me that He hears me, that He is working, and that nothing will thwart His plans.”
      Me too, Laura!

  22. Crystal Pitzer says:

    Amen

  23. Kelly (NEO) says:

    Soooo thankful that God’s plans are not hindered by my poor choices! And that His mercy and grace is showered upon those who are the victims of other’s bad/evil choices.
    .
    Won’t He do it again?
    .
    LISA H – how are things with Cora?
    .
    CINDY DIAZ – praying for your job search.

    1. Searching says:

      My poor choices – yes, Kelly, I’m thankful too. ❤️

    2. Danielle B says:

      ❤️
      Yes grateful God is more powerful than the poor choices we make!

      1. Karin Farr says:

        Amen

  24. Thea Joshi says:

    I looked back at Jesus’ genealogy in Matt 1, and Jesus’ lineage was through ‘Perez… whose mother was Tamar’! I’m really bowled over by God’s ability to use even the most broken situations for His glory and to bring about His plans. Such an encouragement that He will do the same in our lives.

    1. Mary Ann Graves says:

      Amen

    2. Margaret W. says:

      Seems like most of the times that a genealogy reads this way, the mother is not a Jew, but has chosen to align herself with God’s people. Perhaps all of the women named in the genealogy of Jesus, until Mary and her mother?

  25. Tina says:

    OMG!
    .
    How difficult we make our lives and the lives of others with our oftentimes stupid decisions and ‘in our own strength’ actions!
    If we would but trust God, right? How different life would and probly look for many. How untangled our lives could look.
    I wonder if we would have less stress, and more joy in the simple things of and in life.
    I wonder!
    .
    BUT GOD..
    .
    I am so very thankful that though we sometimes make life difficult for ourselves, through our choices and ‘own strength’ decisions, GOD, Dear Wonderful, Mercifully Gracious Father God, goes before and behind us and straightens the crooked roads we make for ourselves straight. He ‘overturns’ our harmful decisions and makes them right. No matter how far into ‘disastrous’ we have gone, God can make a way for His plan for our lives to come to pass..
    .
    OH MY FATHER GOD, Thank you that you are the (right) Way maker, the corrector of our mistakes, the one to whom we will forever be indebted to, for always, as you bail us out of yet another OUCH decision.
    Thank you Lord God for your mercy and oh so loving grace that follows us and covers us in our not so clever choices and decisions.
    Thank you Father God, with a thankful heart, Thank you. In the name of Jesus, I pray with Thanksgiving..
    .
    Amen.
    .
    .
    Happy Friday my dears, covered in much love and prayers and hugs. ❤️

    1. Dana says:

      Love this Tina!! ❤️

    2. Sally B. says:

      Yes and Amen!!

    3. Searching says:

      ❤️

    4. Donna Wolcott says:

      Oh Tina, I sure can identify with your second paragraph. Thank you for your words and your prayer! Amen and Amen!

    5. MARTHA HIX says:

      ❤️

    6. Mari V says:

      AMEN. A day later sweet Tina, but AMEN!! Love you sweet lady!