(Gen 37:33) And he (Jacob) recognized it (that is, Joseph’s coat of many colors, now soaked in blood) and said, "It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces." {34} Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. {35} And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, "For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning." Thus his father wept for him.

 

 

(Gen 37:36) Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

Chapter 38 is parenthetical to the story of Joseph.  The story will continue with chapter 39.

 

Let’s check the New Testament: (Mat 1:1-3)  The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: {2} Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. {3} Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.

 

Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar,  Tamar is the first of four women that Matthew includes in the genealogy of Christ.  There is a story behind each of these four women.  In this lesson, we find the “Rest of the Story” concerning Tamar.  Remember Tamar is part of the genealogy of Christ.

 

(Gen 38 NKJV)  It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. {2} And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her.

(Gen 38:3) So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. {4} She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. {5} And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.

 

 

{6} Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. {7} But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.

 

 

(Gen 38:8) And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother." {9} But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. {10} And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.

Here is an interesting bit of history!

You read the statement:

“raise up an heir to your brother." {9} But Onan knew that the heir would not be his. . .”

Now the question:  How did he know this?

 

Let’s go to the New Testament: (Mat 22:23-24)  The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, {24} saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.

 

 

(Deu 25:5 NKJV)  "If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband's brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.”

 

How could it be by faith if there were no instructions as to what it should be?

 

Noah is another example:

 

(Gen 7:2 NKJV)  "You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female;

 

 

(Gen 38:11) Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house till my son Shelah is grown."

For he said, "Lest he also die like his brothers." And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. {12} Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah's wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. {13} And it was told Tamar, saying, "Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep." {14} So she took off her widow's garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife.

 

It’s a sordid story, and leaves us with many questions: 

What made her think that Judah would embrace a prostitute?

Exactly what was she trying to accomplish?

Some have said she was substituting Judah for Shelah.

Some have said that she might have thought Shelah was with him, and she could entice him.  The point is: we don’t know, we can only wonder.

Judah Takes the bait!

(Gen 38:15) When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. {16} Then he turned to her by the way, and said, "Please let me come in to you"; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. So she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?" {17} And he said, "I will send a young goat from the flock." So she said, "Will you give me a pledge till you send it?" {18} Then he said, "What pledge shall I give you?" So she said, "Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand." Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. {19} So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood. {20} And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand, but he did not find her. {21} Then he asked the men of that place, saying, "Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?" And they said, "There was no harlot in this place."

(Gen 38:22) So he returned to Judah and said, "I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place." {23} Then Judah said, "Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her." {24} And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry." So Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"

 

What went through Judah’s mind?

How can he be so self-righteous when he is the one who created the problem?

He was willing to burn her.

  What about what he had done?

 

(Gen 38:25) When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "By the man to whom these belong, I am with child." And she said, "Please determine whose these are; the signet and cord, and staff."

(Gen 38:26) So Judah acknowledged them and said, "She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son." And he never knew her again. {27} Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. {28} And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, "This one came out first." {29} Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, "How did you break through? This breach be upon you!" Therefore his name was called Perez.

 

(Mat 1:3)  Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.

 

(Gen 38:30) Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.

 

Now you have the story, and I think you now know the reason that Tamar is one of the women listed in Matthew’s genealogy.  I think it shows

Jesus came through people who were not perfect.

 

 

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