Church, I am here today to inform you of how blessed you truly are. You might agree with me when I say this for many reasons, but I want to draw your attention to one specific reason why I believe you are an especially blessed people! Not only did you get to experience and hear a wonderful sermon on Sodom and Gomorrah last year to celebrate Mother’s day…but today, on the Sunday before Valentine’s day, the day where we celebrate and make much of love and affection, you get a sermon on Genesis 38. A text filled with some of the most vile and descriptive sexual sin in all of Genesis. Church, you are indeed a highly favored people!
Of course I say this in jest, but perhaps there is a grain of truth in it to see. You are a peculiar people. I don’t know of many churches that are so willing to attentively, eagerly, and gladly sit through lengthy expositional sermons on hard chapters like these. And so I say again, you are indeed a blessed people.
Pray with me as we enter in…
Last week we jumped back into our main sermon series through the book of Genesis, and as we have come to Genesis 38, the first thing I must say is that we have come to what appears to be an interruption. If you look at the end of chapter 37 and the beginning of chapter 39, they flow together seamlessly. Which begs the question, why is this chapter here? First, chapter 38 reminds us what 37:2 said, that this is the section of Genesis where we learn of the generations (toledot) of Jacob. So more sons than just Joseph will be in view in these remaining chapters. Second, it provides a lesson in contrast. The faithlessness of Judah we’ll see in this chapter provide a rich contrast to the faithfulness of Joseph we’ll see later on. Third, this chapter once again repeats the pattern of the older serving the younger. It is Abel not Cain, Isaac not Ishmael, Jacob not Esau who stand out as God’s chosen even though they’re the younger sons. So too in this chapter it will be the youngest son Shelah who lives while his older two brothers Er and Onan die. And more so, the most prominent sons here are the two youngest, Perez and Zerah. And fourth, chapter 38 reminds us of how God delights to bring about great good through very dark sins. Tamar, after all she’d gone through, not only ends up having children of her own, but through her children will one day come the Messiah Himself.
Tamar’s Lot (v1-11)
“It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him. And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. And what he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also. Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained win her father’s house.”
Well as the chapter begin in v1-5 we see all the details that set the stage. v1 tells us when this took place, right after the events of chapter 37. v2 tells us of Judah’s poor choice of a Canaanite wife. I say poor because both Abraham (in Gen. 24), and Isaac (in Gen. 28) instruct their children to not take wives from the Canaanites. Knowing this, Judah ignored this and seemingly acted on his impulses[1] and married a Canannite woman, and as v3-5 show us, had three sons with her: Er, Onan, and Shelah.
Then comes v6, where for the first time we’re introduced to Tamar. She is a Canaanite also, and she is who Judah picks to be the wife of his firstborn son Er. But in v7 we learn that the Lord put Er to death for his wickedness. This is the first time in the Bible we explicitly read of God putting someone to death for their sins.[2] We don’t know what his sins were, but God certainly did, and God acted on it. v8 then, shows Judah’s response to this for Tamar. Because Er had died with no children, Onan was charged by Judah to “do the duty of a brother-in-law to Tamar” on Er’s behalf. This was a common custom in their day, referred to often as levirate obligation, where the brother of the deceased would raise up offspring in the deceased’s name. It would eventually be written into the Law of Israel in Deut. 25, it is the backbone of the dramatic plotline of the book of Ruth, and this practiced continued all the way up until the time of Jesus.
So Onan gets his charge in v8, and yet in v9 we see more wickedness.[3] Publicly it looks very much like Onan is fulfilling his duty to Er by continually having relations with Tamar. But while it looks like he’s faithful publicly, privately we read that whenever they got together Onan employed the contraceptive method of wasting his semen on the ground so no offspring could be produced. Thus the wickedness is clear. Onan was happy to have continual relations with Tamar but selfishly avoided having any children with her. So see v10, God killed Onan as he killed Er. Now, let me be clear here. God was offended in Onan’s methods, yes, but for specific reasons.[4] By wasting his semen on the ground Onan was sinning against his family in not fulfilling the levirate duty of raising up offspring for Er. Onan was also sinning against Tamar by repeatedly using her for his own pleasure. And lastly Onan was sinning against the covenant promises to Abraham. Remember, God would bless Abraham and his descendants and through their descendants God would bless the whole world. So by avoiding having children with Tamar it’s as if Onan was refusing to participate in the plan of God and spitting in the face of the promises made to Abraham.[5] These were Onan’s sins.
At this point we would likely assume that the handing off of Tamar to the next brother would occur, but it doesn’t. Judah tells Tamar in v11 that Shelah is too young to be married, and that he will give him to Tamar once he gets older. But v11 also gives us the real reason Judah withholds Shelah from Tamar, he doesn’t want his youngest son to die like Er and Onan did.
So ends the first section of the chapter, with twice-widowed Tamar living in her father’s house, waiting to Shelah to grow up.[6]
Tamar’s Deception (v12-23)
“In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet 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. Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood. When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute2 who was at Enaim at the roadside?” And they said, “No cult prostitute has been here.” So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’” And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.”
As we enter the second section of the text the same situation we left in v11 is still occurring in v12. But a certain event sets things in motion. What event? Judah’s wife dies. So he enters into days of mourning. But when his mourning was over and he was comforted he went into days of feasting and festivities. This is what sheepshearing means, it was an annual festival where many would gather, do some work, drink a lot, and forget their woes.[7] So up to the party Judah and his friend Hirah go.
Meanwhile back in town at her father’s house still sits Tamar, in mourning, in her widow’s garments. We don’t know exactly how much time has gone by between v11 and v12, but enough time had gone by to let Tamar know that Judah was not going to make good on his promise of giving his now only son Shelah to her.[8] Someone tells her what Judah is doing in v13, and she takes matters into her own hands in v14. If Judah will not fulfill the levirate vows she will trap him into fulfilling them. So she removes her widow’s garments, wraps herself with a veil dressing herself as a prostitute, and sat by the front gate of Enaim…which just so happens to be exactly the direction Judah is now headed.
Well, in v15 as Judah and Hirah are passing by Enaim, Judah sees what he thinks is a prostitute (we know it’s Tamar), he makes a request for her business in v16, she asks for payment, he says he’ll give her a young goat in v17, she asks for some pledge that proves he’ll make good on his word, and in v18 Judah gives her his identifying markers. His signet, his cord, and his staff; all identifiable personal items a wealthy landowner would possess. In v18 they then have relations, and in v19 she leaves, removes the veil, and puts her widow’s garments back on.
One would be right to wonder how in the world Judah did not recognize Tamar. She was his daughter in law for goodness sakes. And all she had on was a veil, he really couldn’t see through this disguise? Well, there are a few explanations. She could’ve kept her face covered with the veil throughout their meeting.[9] Or he could’ve very likely started drinking and celebrating with Hirah on their travels, so he could’ve been drunk. Or both of those could’ve happened. Whatever it was, it’s clear Judah did not recognize Tamar.
Then in v20-23 Judah attempts to make good on his payment by sending her the promised goat. But notice in v20 he did not go himself, perhaps because it was embarrassing for him, so he sent his friend Hirah. He searches and asks where the prostitute is, and cannot find her in v21, so he returns home in v22. Judah responds with further embarrassment and worry in v23 saying, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.” This is the equivalent of Judah leaving his drivers license or debit card in a strip club or in a red light district hotel and being to embarrassed to go back and find it.[10] He just thinks, ‘Leave it alone, she can keep my stuff, if this gets out I’ll be the talk of the town.’
So ends the second section of the chapter with embarrassed Judah thinking no one will know about his misdeeds.
Tamar’s Righteousness (v24-26)
“About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again.”
Three months go by and people start to notice Tamar’s baby bump, and it becomes the hot news that Tamar has been immoral. ‘After all, how can she be pregnant, is she not still wearing widow’s garments?’ Gossip spreads, she is condemned by everyone, even by Judah who harshly states she should be burned at the stake! See v25, “as she was being brought out” meaning, the plan to execute her was actually being put into motion…at that precise time Tamar reveals the signet, the cord, and the staff saying “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And Judah confessed, “She is more righteous than I…” And you know what? Judah is correct.[11] He did not and would not give his son Shelah to him, and so Tamar deceived Judah into fulfilling the levirate obligations himself and once it’s known he confesses his sin and her righteousness.
So ends the third section of the chapter with Tamar being greatly vindicated[12] and Judah greatly humbled.
Tamar’s Reward (v27-30)
“When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.”
This fourth section proves how Tamar had been vindicated, for here she, by Judah, receives two of her own sons! I think this was a gift of God to her and ironically to Judah as well. Tamar had two former husbands who gave her no children, and Judah had lost two sons due to wicked sins. Now, they both gain two new sons. Lesson? A new day has dawned.[13]
Conclusion:
Well Church, I think there are many lessons we can learn from this chapter. But let’s focus on the two main characters in view: Judah and Tamar.
Judah first. In Judah we learn lessons of sin and repentance. We don’t need to rehash these things, let’s just say we see Judah greatly sin, time and time again here in this chapter. This alone is a reminder that God’s people are always full of sinners and scoundrels. While it is truly hard every time we hear of someone’s sin, we really shouldn’t be surprised. Sin is what sinners do. But praise God that He brings sinners to repentance. Once Judah was found out, did you see him repent? It happened in v26. After being found out and confessing Tamar’s righteousness, v26 says, “And he did not know her again.” This is repentance. Not just confessing sin, but turning away from sin. Not just owning sin, but being grieved deeply by our sin, so grieved that we walk away from it, never to return again. Is this what you’ve done with the sins in your life? Or are there sins you’re far too in love with to leave behind? Judah, I think, was changed here in v26. So changed that from this point on in Genesis he is a different man. So much so that later on in chapter 44 Judah offers up his own life to save Benjamin from death and save Jacob from grief. We learn in this, that repentance changes us. Hard? Yes. Transformative? Yes.
Now for Tamar. What a hand she was dealt huh? Losing two husbands, being abandoned by a father-in-law, such that she has to deceive him to get what rightfully belongs to her. A silent sufferer for so long, yet God was at work in it all to bring about His grand purposes. We need to see that, and learn of God’s sovereign grace and goodness now so that when our own seasons of suffering come, we remember and rest in God who is always working in all things for our good and His glory.
One final word on Tamar.[14] We said it as we began, but her line is the line of the Messiah! She is the first of five women in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1. There we find Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. Notice who’s not in this list? Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel. All four of Mary’s predecessors were Gentiles. Tamar and Rahab were Canaanites, Ruth was a Moabite, and Bathsheba was a Hittite. This alone shows us great hope, not just for sinners like us, but for sinners like us from all the nations. Each of these four women had highly irregular and scandalous marital unions. Nevertheless they were in God’s great story of redemption. They were all links in the chain that would ultimately lead to Jesus.
And thus we see once again, how God greatly delights to draw straight lines with crooked sticks.
[1] Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2001), 509.
[2] Waltke, 510.
[3] John D. Currid, Genesis 25:19-50:26, EP Study Commentary (Holywell, UK: Evangelical Press, 2015), 207.
[4] Derek Kidner, Genesis (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008), 199.
[5] Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 16-50, WBC (Waco, TX: Zondervan, 2000), 367.
[6] R. Kent Hughes, Genesis, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2004), 452.
[7] Currid, Genesis 25:19-50:26, 209.
[8] Wenham, Genesis 16-50, 367.
[9] Currid, Genesis 25:19-50:26, 211.
[10] Waltke, Genesis, 513.
[11] Currid, Genesis 25:19-50:26, 214.
[12] Kidner, Genesis, 200.
[13] Waltke, Genesis, 514.
[14] Hughes, Genesis, 456–57.
