Daily Scripture Reading Genesis 38:11-30
There is very little taboo against sex outside of marriage or pregnancy outside of marriage in 21st century western society. We are so used to the current mindset, that we don’t quite grasp the extent to which we have adopted a very casual attitude towards extra-marital sexual activity. Today’s passage illustrates the lackadaisical attitude we have by portraying the opposite mentality.
The 38th chapter of Genesis records a story about Judah. Judah went to Adullam, married the daughter of Shua, and fathered 3 sons. The oldest son grew up and married Tamar, but Yahweh put him to death. The second son refused to perform the duty of a brother-in-law, so Yahweh put him to death, also.
Gen. 38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up”; for he thought, “I am afraid lest he also die like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
Judah led his daughter-in-law to believe that eventually she would be given to Shelah; however, the middle part of this verse informs us that Judah was afraid Shelah would also die. Therefore, it appears Judah never had any intention of giving Tamar to Shelah.Gen. 38:12 ¶ And after a considerable time, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Then Judah was comforted, and he went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
Note the words “after a considerable time”. There is a gap of years between verses 11 and 12.
It is only around 12 miles / 20 km from Adullam to Timnah, so Judah’s sheepshearers were not far from Adullam, which is where Tamar lived.
Gen. 38:13 Then it was told to Tamar, “Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
Gen. 38:14 So she removed her widow’s garments from herself and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself. And she sat at the entrance 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.
This confirms that Judah did not intend to actually give Tamar to Shelah.
Gen. 38:15 Then Judah saw her, and he thought she was a harlot, for she had covered her face.
Gen. 38:16 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?”
Gen. 38:17 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?”
Gen. 38:18 Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “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.
Take note of the word “signet”. Asking for Judah’s signet was a bold request. A signet was used to sign and seal documents. When Tamar had possession of Judah’s signet, she could have impersonated him.
It also seems Judah was foolish to agree to her terms, since he was giving her the ability to impersonate him. I suppose that reveals the extent to which Judah’s sex drive overrode his common sense.
Gen. 38:19 Then she arose and went. And she removed her veil from herself and put on her widow’s garments.
Gen. 38:20 ¶ Then Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take the pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her.
Gen. 38:21 So he asked the men of her place, saying, “Where is the cult prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?” But they said, “There has been no cult prostitute here.”
Gen. 38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’”
Gen. 38:23 Then Judah said, “Let her keep them, lest we become a laughingstock. Behold, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”
It also strikes me as odd that Judah was that quick to abandon the attempt to regain his signet.
Look at the word “laughingstock”. Judah was more concerned about his image than he was protecting himself from abuse of his signet.
Gen. 38:24 ¶ Now it happened about three months later that it was told to Judah saying, “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!”
Look at the word “burned”. Pregnancy outside of marriage was strongly forbidden in their culture. When Tamar was found to be pregnant outside of marriage, the reaction was to call for her to be burned.
Sometimes, the best way to understand what something is, is to understand what it is not. There is very little taboo against sex outside of marriage or pregnancy outside of marriage in 21st century western society. We are so used to the current mindset, that we don’t quite grasp the extent to which we have adopted a very casual attitude towards extra-marital sexual activity. This passage illustrates the lackadaisical attitude we have by portraying the opposite mentality.
I do not think women who get pregnant out of wedlock should be burned, but the Bible prohibits sex outside of marriage. Therefore, at a minimum, Christians should have a taboo against extra-marital sexual activity, and our society would be better if sex outside of marriage was strongly discouraged.
Gen. 38:25 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 recognize this and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?”
Gen. 38:26 And 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 know her again.
Ponder the phrase “she is more righteous than I”. Judah made two mistakes. First, he did not give Tamar to his son Shelah. Second, he was the father of her child. He could not condemn her when he was responsible for her pregnancy.
Gen. 38:27 ¶ Now it happened at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb.
Gen. 38:28 And it happened, 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.”
Gen. 38:29 And then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. So she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named Perez.
The Hebrew word “perez” is the word for breach. The son that came out first was named Breach.
Gen. 38:30 Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.
The Hebrew word “zerah” means dawning or rising. Zerah’s hand was the first to appear of of the womb, so he was named Dawning.
There is very little taboo against sex outside of marriage or pregnancy outside of marriage in 21st century western society. We are so used to the current mindset, that we don’t quite grasp the extent to which we have adopted a very casual attitude towards extra-marital sexual activity. Today’s passage illustrates the lackadaisical attitude we have by portraying the opposite mentality.
I do not think women who get pregnant out of wedlock should be burned, but the Bible prohibits sex outside of marriage. Therefore, at a minimum, Christians should have a taboo against extra-marital sexual activity, and our society would be better if sex outside of marriage was strongly discouraged.
To what extent are you or your church apathetic about sex outside the bonds of matrimony?
If 21st century attitudes are too lax, and Judah’s demand to burn Tamar was too harsh, what is the proper, balanced response to sexual sin?
What should modern Christianity do to develop a proper, Biblical response to sex outside of marriage?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”