Bible Discussion Thread

... moving on with the chapter. Judah's wife died. Tamar realized that Shelah was grown and had not been allowed to take her for a wife by Judah. (Judah was probably afraid to lose yet another son in this endeavor to produce heirs.) After mourning his wife's death, Judah went into town. Tamar heard that he had gone to town, so she removed her widow's clothing and put on the attire of a prostitute and went to town, too. She sat along the roadside (which must have been the common way for prostitute to advertise her availability.) Judah saw her and requested to have of her services. Funny how Tamar was expected to dress like a widow and stay out of town and Judah could just waltz right in.) Tamar had a plan and cleverly secured a some of Judah's personal affects to use as a pledge that he will pay her a goat for her services.

Then she went back home and put on her widow's clothing. Tamar did not go to town because she wanted to be a prostitute. She went to town so Judah would chose to be intimate with her so she could produce an heir for her husbands from within the family. Both she and Judah were wrong to do this.

After 3 months she began to show that she was pregnant. Everyone wanted to have her burned for immorality. But when she produced Judah's personal effects, he realized that he was the father of Tamar's child. So he fessed up and also admitted that it was wrong for him to not give Tamar to is son Shelah. It doesn't seem that he ever did. Tamar gives birth to twin sons. (what if she had a girl?) She must have lived as Judah's wife but they lived without having further intimate contact.

This story is very "in your face" with the offenses done and many may be appalled by what happened. But it is a good illustration for us to understand how appallingly "in your face" our sins must be to God. It seems he included this story to teach us something about sin. That thoughts and actions, can be sinful. That acts of commission and omission can be sinful.