Genesis 38
Notes
Transcript
Background
Last week we officially began our study in the section of Genesis that focuses on Israel’s children. We learned of Israel’s favoritism with Joseph, and the dreams that Joseph had. We also saw that his brothers hated him and wanted to make an attempt on his life, but he was instead sold to slave traders. At this point Israel thinks his beloved son is dead.
1 And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
2 Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her.
3 So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er.
4 Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan.
5 She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him.
The timing correlates with last chapter’s events. The brothers plotted what to do with Joseph, and it was Judah’s idea to sell him and make a profit.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood?
27 “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.
Some think that Judah left his brothers shortly after Joseph was sold into slavery. Others think that at least some of these events take place before Joseph was sold.
Remember that Joseph was 17 at that time.
Adullam is west of Bethlehem. As we’ll see later, Judah befriended Hirah.
MAP
MAP
Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua, and took *Bathshua to be his wife.
This is fairly significant, as it is well known among the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that it is not preferential to take a wife from among the Canaanites.
3 and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live,
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
It should be noted that later we will see that Judah isn’t the only son of Israel to take a foreign wife.
Judah had 3 sons by his wife - Er, Onan, and Shelah.
The third was born at Chezib, west of Adullam.
6 Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord took his life.
8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.”
9 Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother.
10 But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He took his life also.
11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he thought, “I am afraid that he too may die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
Er had grown and become a man, which means a good amount of time had passed.
This is why it makes more sense that Judah had his children before Joseph was sold - Joseph is in captivity no more than 13 years.
Even granting another 7 years (will be discussed later), that’s only 20 years total, and there is a need for time to pass.
As is customary, Judah takes a wife for Er as an arranged marriage.
We do not know how long they were married, but it couldn’t have been long, as Tamar was unable to get pregnant.
Er dies due to divine judgment for his evil ways.
His sin is unknown, but Sodom and Gomorrah were also described as wicked.
23 But You, O God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction; Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.
Judah instructs his middle son to adhere to the practice of levirate marriage.
This practice was common in those days. It is seen as a duty.
5 “When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.
6 “It shall be that the firstborn whom she bears shall assume the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.
7 “But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’
8 “Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. And if he persists and says, ‘I do not desire to take her,’
9 then his brother’s wife shall come to him in the sight of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face; and she shall declare, ‘Thus it is done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’
10 “In Israel his name shall be called, ‘The house of him whose sandal is removed.’
Now this was a part of the Law, but ancient cultures also practiced this.
The Jews actually used this in an effort to stump Jesus.
Notice, though, that Onan would not do his part to produce an heir for his brother.
This is most likely because he was now the oldest son and stood to earn a double-portion of inheritance. If he produced a child who would not be his own, but his brother’s, then the child would receive his dead father’s inheritance.
Greed was the motivation, and a lack of love for his brother was his impetus.
What he did was evil in God’s sight, so God took his life also.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.
15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
Lack of love and selfish ambition can destroy your life.
Lack of love and selfish ambition can destroy your life.
Judah has now lost 2 sons, and it appears that he thinks Tamar is connected to the death of his sons.
Otherwise there would be no need for his fear.
Judah sends Tamar home to her family to live out her days as a widow, until Judah’s third son is old enough to marry.
This was a ruse, in spite of it being legitimate.
12 Now after a considerable time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
13 It was told to Tamar, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
14 So she removed her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.
16 So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, “Here now, let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?”
17 He said, therefore, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, moreover, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?”
18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.
19 Then she arose and departed, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments.
A “considerable” amount of time has passed, which implies that Judah’s youngest ought to be an adult by now.
Judah’s wife dies, and after the mourning period Judah goes to visit his flock with his friend Hirah.
Tamar was still pledged to Judah’s son, and was therefore his daughter-in-law.
Tamar learns that Judah is on the move, and she makes her own move.
She sees that Shelah is not being given to her as a husband, as he should’ve been.
Tamar takes her responsibility as a wife seriously.
Having children was a big deal in those days. Hence one reason why Judah was fearful.
Tamar removes her widow’s clothes and conceals her face with a shawl. She moves to intercept Judah on his way to his flock, and waits for him at Enaim. She positioned herself at the gate alone so as to appear available to Judah.
As Judah was passing by, he saw Tamar by the gate, and dressed so, assumed she was a temple prostitute.
This was not uncommon at all in those days, particularly for religious purposes.
Having recently become a widower, it was not unusual for a man like Judah to pursue relations in this way.
Notice their interaction - Tamar bargains, she was expecting this.
Judah would not have payment with him, so he’d have to give her collateral until his payment can be delivered.
Notice that Tamar is the one who suggests Judah’s very personal seal, cord, and staff as collateral.
Judah is able to get Tamar pregnant, thus unwittingly fulfilling his family’s duty to produce offspring.
Once Tamar accomplishes her goal, she returns to her father’s house and resumes the life of a widow.
20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her.
21 He asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?” But they said, “There has been no temple prostitute here.”
22 So he returned to Judah, and said, “I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no temple prostitute here.’ ”
23 Then Judah said, “Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”
An interesting turn of events take place - Hirah goes to deliver the goat as promised, but Tamar is nowhere to be found.
None of the people of Enaim know who she is either.
Judah feels his pride taking a hit from these events, and rather than pursue this and possibly be ridiculed, he abandons his very personal identifying items to the mystery woman.
24 Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry.” Then Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!”
25 It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man to whom these things belong.” And she said, “Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?”
26 Judah recognized them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.
27 It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb.
28 Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.”
29 But it came about as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named Perez.
30 Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.
Tamar is now found out. Having another man’s baby when pledged to be married is an offense punishable by death.
Judah has no idea he is the father. He jumps to a wrong conclusion and demands justice.
Tamar springs her plot and identifies who she is pregnant by - Judah, by his staff, cord, and seal.
The language is reminiscent of last chapter, where Israel examined the robe of his son Joseph.
Judah acknowledged that Tamar was more righteous due to her keeping to her vow of marriage to the family, and him violating it.
In all of this, God has a plan and a purpose for these events. Judah fathers a son through Tamar, whose lineage will eventually give birth to King David, and therefore will lead to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
The earthly ancestors of Jesus are not perfect people, but God uses them.
God can use our failures to accomplish His purposes.
God can use our failures to accomplish His purposes.
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Tamar is pregnant with twins, the only other twins mentioned being Jacob and Esau.
The birth is reminiscent of theirs, also, with striving.
Perez - “breach,” Zerah - “dawn, brightness.”
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
Lack of love and selfish ambition can destroy your life.
God can use our failures to accomplish His purposes.
Next week, we will continue through the book of Genesis.