This chapter focusing on Judah’s life specifically about his daughter in law , Tamar ( means Palm Tree).
Judah’s son, Er died. And according to the custom, his brother had to replace his role to take the widow, but Onan did not take it fully and properly. Onan died too. And the third son, Shelah, was too young.
So Judah anyway decided not to give Shelah and kind of did outcast Tamar.
One day when Judah’s passed by Timnah, Tamar met him and disguised herself. Judah thought her as prostitute and laid with her, leaving his seal and cord as guarantee.
Tamar became pregnant because of that, and when Judah found out he wanted to stone her. But Tamar showed the seal and unveiled that it was Judah who made her pregnant.
Judah said, ‘she is more righteous than I’.
Tamar gave birth to twins, where both babies were rising to come out (remind us of Esau and Jacob), but nothing much mentioned about the sons afterward, Perez (breaking) and Zerah (rising).
This chapter is positioned right before Ch 39 – about the purity of Joseph when he was seduced, to contrast the act of Judah and Joseph. (I remember this from my SBC class 20+ years go, aha, at least I was not sleeping!).
Interestingly Tamar is mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy in Mat 1:3, along with Rahab and Ruth.
That is to hint, that the grace of God is really not based on our righteousness, our strength, our protocols, our “thought of what is good”. God’s righteousness stands strong based on his love. And it’s up to us to receive it or to decline it.
Judah’s realised that he was not righteous. The event was scandalous. Likewise, grace is scandalous. In the sense, that it goes against the logic and the law.
Let me close with Ps 92:12 – “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree…..
Tamar’s name was mentioned in Matthew to signify that her righteousness is not earned but given. Same as Rahab and Ruth.
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