The patriarchs · Genesis 38
Judah and Tamar
Judah drifts away from his brothers and marries a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shuah, who bears him three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er takes Tamar as his wife, but he is “wicked in the sight of the LORD” and dies. Onan, charged with raising up offspring for his brother, refuses and dies as well. Judah then sends Tamar back to her father’s house: “till Shelah my son be grown.” He will not keep his word. Tamar covers her face with a veil and sits by the road to Timnath. Judah takes her for a prostitute and leaves with her his signet, his cord, and his staff as a pledge. Three months later, Tamar is pregnant and Judah orders, “Let her be burnt.” She sends his pledges to her father-in-law. Judah recognizes them: “She hath been more righteous than I.” Tamar gives birth to twins, Perez and Zerah.
What happens
- Er, then Onan, die: Tamar is left a childless widow Genesis 38:7–10
- Judah sends Tamar back to her father’s house until Shelah grows up Genesis 38:11
- Tamar covers herself with a veil on the road to Timnath Genesis 38:14–15
- Judah leaves her his signet, his cord, and his staff as a pledge Genesis 38:17–18
- Condemned to burning, Tamar has Judah identify the pledges Genesis 38:24–25
- “She hath been more righteous than I” Genesis 38:26
Who is in this story
The lesson
God does not hide the failings of the family from which the Savior would be born: from Judah and Tamar descends Perez (“Phares” in Matt 1:3 in the KJV), an ancestor of Jesus Christ. Admitting one’s wrong, as Judah does, opens the door to change: this is the same Judah who will later offer himself as a slave in Benjamin’s place (44:33).
And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
Quick quiz on this story
How does Tamar present herself to Judah on the road to Timnath?
Tamar takes off her widow’s garments, covers herself with a veil, and sits by the road: Judah takes her for a prostitute, “because she had covered her face.” Genesis 38:14–15
What items does Judah leave with Tamar as a pledge?
When he asks, “What pledge shall I give thee?” Tamar answers, “Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand.” Judah gives them to her. Genesis 38:18
What does Judah declare when he recognizes his pledges in Tamar’s hands?
Judah admits his fault: “She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son.” The words “Let her keep what she has!” and “let her be burnt” came earlier. Genesis 38:26
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