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GENESIS 38

JUDAH + TAMAR

The story shifts from Joseph and focuses on Judah, one of the sons of Jacob and Leah. Judah lives in Canaan and marries a Canaanite woman who gives him two sons, Er and Onan.

Er marries a woman named Tamar, but Er is wicked in the sight of the Lord, so God kills him. Now, Onan was to marry Tamar. Onan was also evil in God’s sight, wasting his childbearing potential instead of blessing Tamar with a child, so God kills him as well.

Judah later has a third son, named Shelah. Because his first two sons died, Judah promises Tamar that Shelah will marry her when he is older. Because Judah does not want Selah to also die, he does not keep his promise to Tamar.

Tamar takes matters into her own hands and disguises herself, covering her face with a veil. Judah, thinking she was a prostitute, sleeps with her, and she becomes pregnant. When Judah finds out that Tamar is pregnant, he wants her killed. But Tamar covered her tracks by keeping Judah’s personal belongings (his seal, cord, and staff) incriminating him as the one who impregnated her.

Tamar gives birth to twin boys, named Zerah and Perez. Matthew 1:1-6 shows the lineage of Jesus, including Judah and Perez. Even in this unconventional story, God is working to fulfill his promise to Abraham through the line of Judah.

STUDY QUESTIONS

How does this chapter show that God works through broken family situations?