The Failures of Judah

Judah Takes a Wife

Judah Strikes Out On His Own (v. 1)

The events of this chapter span at least twenty years

They occur concurrently with Joseph’s time in Egypt.

Somewhere along the line Judah was influenced by and became friends with a man named Hirah. He comes up again later in the chapter.

Considering what we know more broadly from the book of Genesis does it really seem like a good idea for Judah to leave the land and presence of his family? Most certainly this is a terrible plan Judah has enacted.

Judah Marries a Canaanite (v. 2)

Once again Judah does the unthinkable, and marries a Canaanite woman.

We only know that she is the daughter of a man named Shua, other than that she remains unnamed.

We also know little about how this marriage came about, but the terseness of the language might imply that this marriage was based primarily based on physical attraction. Quite literally verse two indicates that Judah saw her and took her.

Again considering the broader scope of Genesis what are the implications of Judah marrying a Canaanite? Though the narrative does not underline it here, marrying Canaanites was hardly respectable in Israel. Abraham was most insistent that Isaac should not marry a Canaanite (24:3), and Isaac and Rebekah strongly objected to Esau’s marriage with Canaanites and forbade Jacob to do so (27:46–28:1). So it may be presumed that Jacob felt similarly about his son’s marriage. Yet knowing his father’s antipathy, Judah went ahead, showing once again his callous disregard for his father’s feelings.

Judah Fathers Three Sons (v. 3-5)

From a narrative standpoint we the readers should view this as a good thing. Childlessness quickly becomes a theme in the book of Genesis and here Judah immediately has three sons through whom God may keep His promise made originally to Abraham.

They were living in Chezib when their sons were born.

There is a significant time gap between verses 5 and 6 evident by Judah’s first born son suddenly becoming of age to marry. He is born in verse 5 and gets married in verse 6.

Tamar Takes a Husband

Er (v. 6, 7)

Tamar first enters the scene in verse 6 when she marries the oldest son of Judah named Er.

Things get quickly off the rails because by verse 7 Er has acted so wickedly in the sight of the Lord that God executes him.

Moses in his writing of the story uses an interesting literary device in Hebrew where Er’s name is the word “evil” spelled backwards. It would be like if we were writing this story using the heading, Er erred.

Little is known of Tamar at this point, though she is most certainly a Canaanite.

Onan (v. 8-10)

In a practice that is similar to Levirate marriage that comes up in Deuteronomy 25 Judah facilitates another marriage for Tamar this time with Onan his second born.

However, much like the first marriage Onan acts wickedly and his life is cut short.

His wickedness surrounds his refusal to have a child with Tamar.

Now again from a broader perspective we the readers should be getting nervous. God had promised a great nation through this family and now Judah is down to one son.

Shelah (v. 11)

Judah makes a promise - “go back to your father’s house and when Shelah is old enough you can marry him.”

Phrase of commentary

We get to see inside the mind of Judah

“he feared that Shelah would also die.”

From Judah’s perspective Tamar is the common denominator between the deaths of his two sons. If not for his own spiritual blindness he would have seen that wickedness not Tamar was the really the common thread.

Tamar Takes What She is Owed

Tamar’s Turning Point (v. 12)

“in the course of time”

We don’t know how long of a time this represents

But we do know that it was long enough that it was obvious that Judah had no intention of keeping his promise to Tamar.

Judah loses his wife

Again her name is not shared.

After his days of mourning he goes back to where we found him at the beginning of the chapter, with his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

There is also historical and biblical evidence that “sheep-shearing” was a time of celebration that could lead to drunkeness.

If Judah was inebriated it might help explain why he doesn’t recognize Tamar in verse 15.

Why did she wait for this moment?

Out of respect for her mother-in-law

Perhaps she thought that Judah would be vulnerable in his state of grief.

Perhaps it was simply that Judah was no longer married.

Tamar Prepares Her Plan (v. 13-15)

She receives the necessary information (v. 13).

She prepares her disguise (v. 14)

The text doesn’t actually say that she dressed up like a prostitute

But it is heavily implied considering Judah’s reaction to seeing her.

She lies in wait (v. 14b)

Her motivation is revealed (v. 14c)

Shelah was grown and she had not been given what she was promised.

It is important to put ourselves in her shoes for a moment. Because she was technically engaged to Shelah culturally and historically Tamar had three possible options:

Die of starvation

Sell herself into prostitution

Take matters into her own hands

Judah Falls For Tamar’s Trick (v. 16-23)

A History of Deception:

Jacob deceived Isaac

Judah deceived Jacob

Tamar deceived Judah

The price is negotiated: (v. 16-18)

To Judah this is nothing more that a business transaction to satisfy his personal lust.

To Tamar this is a matter of survival.

The agreed upon price is one goat from Judah’s heard.

In the meantime he gives her an “IOU”.

Signet cord - Judah would have carried around his neck a engraved signet shaped like a cylinder that could be rolled over wax and clay to serve as his signature. Thus it was something unique to him.

Staff - the staff was a symbol of authority as well as having many practical uses for a shepherd. It most likely had a carved top to prove ownership.

The two things that Tamar took could easily be traced back to Judah.

The act us consummated (v. 18b)

They go their separate ways. (v. 19)

Judah sends the payment (v. 20)

He doesn’t even go himself to make the payment, but rather sends Hirah. Perhaps he was trying to keep his indiscretion a secret.

However, Hirah cannot find Tamar. (v. 20-22)

Eventually Judah calls off the search out of fear that the community will find out and he will become the laughing stock of the day. (v. 23)

Tamar’s Trump Card

Judah’s Judgement (v. 24)

Three months later Tamar’s pregnancy becomes public

Judah’s reaction is:

Emotional

Violent

Hypocritical

Capitol punishment for adultery was not unheard of in Judah’s day, the method of burning would have been seen as extreme.

Tamar’s Triumph (v. 25)

When Tamar plays her trump card Judah’s case against her collapses.

I image that Tamar looks Judah right in the eye and says “whose signet cord and staff are these?’

Judah Confesses His Crime (v. 26)

“She has been more righteous than I...”

Judah’s remark did not mean necessarily that her action was approved; rather, Judah acknowledged that her motivation was consistent with the purpose of levirate marriage, whereas Judah, like Onan, had attempted to circumvent the custom.

That the text adds that he did not have sexual relations with Tamar again showed that the patriarch had repented of his behavior.

The most important point here is that Judah admits his sin.

Admitting your sin is the first step in recognizing your need of a Savior

Admitting your sin is the fist step in making progress in your sanctification.

You will never fix a problem that you deny exists.

Thus, we should consistently ask the Lord to guide us and give the maturity to admit to ourselves and Him when we have sinned.

Tamar’s Twins (v. 27-30)

Like Jacob and Esau we have here a case of twins fighting to be born first, and like Jacob and Esau the twin who is born first eventually has to take second place.

Here Zerah stuck out his hand first, making him technically the older, but somehow Peres emerged first, taking everyone by surprise. His name, “Peres,” “break through,” recalls the extraordinary circumstance of his birth. Zerah’s name, though not explained, means “shining, brightness.”

Why does this story matter?

Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - Judah - David - Jesus

Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - Judah - Perez - David - Jesus

Ruth 4:18-22 “Now this is the genealogy of Perez: Perez begot Hezron; Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab; Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon; Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed; Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.”

Matthew 1:1-6 “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king...”

All of the OT is about God producing, protecting and providing for this specific line in order to fulfill His redemptive plan through Jesus Christ.

This story matters because it once again shows the providence of God in protecting the promised seed of Abraham.