Genesis 38

05 Feb 2026 - Theology

Genesis 38 - Judah and Tamar

Judah is no longer living with his beit av in this story. He marries a woman named Shuah and had three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah.

Genesis 38:6 - “And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.”

The name Tamar means “a palm tree”, signifiying her uprightness in character.

The Torah prohibits sexual relations by a man with his brother’s wife, but Levirate marriage (Latin), or Yibbum (Hebrew), is an exception to this rule.

Deuteronomy 25:5-10 - “If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband’s brother unto her. And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel. And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother. Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house. And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.”

The main goal is to keep the widow in the beit av community, with the focus on honoring the legacy of the deceased brother.

In this story, Tamar has been mistreated, and then she takes action.

Why is this story even here, right after the beginning of the Joseph story?

nakar - “to be scrutinized”
This can be with recognition implied (to be acknowledged), or with suspicion implied (to be an outsider).

We saw this already in the story of Joseph in Genesis 37. He did not want to be seen as a foreigner or outsider as he was wandering the field in Shechem. In Genesis 38:14-15 we read that Tamar has covered her face with a veil and pretended to be a harlot. This is in direct contrast to Song of Solomon 1:7 where the woman does not want to be “as one who veils herself”, because she does not want to be scrutinzed and seen to be a harlot or foreigner.

Tamar in this story is being treated like an outsider by her own family. Similarly, later on in Genesis 37, Joseph is treated by his brothers as an interloper because he has been given the bechor (birthright) by Israel, even though he is not the true firstborn.

This word shows up twice in this story, and twice in the story of Joseph in Genesis 37. They show up in the same way in the same kind of place in each story.

Genesis 37:32-33 - “And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, ‘This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no.’ And he knew it, and said, ‘It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.’”

The brothers take the bloody coat back to their father and ask him to examine it and see if he recognizes it.

Genesis 38:25-26 - “When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, ‘By the man, whose these are, am I with child:’ and she said, ‘Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.’ And Judah acknowledged them, and said, ‘She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son.’ And he knew her again no more.

In this story, Tamar sends the signet, bracelets, and staff to Judah for him to examine and see if he recognizes it.

What does Judah do here? He publicly confesses, acknowledges what happened, and calls her righteous.

References

1. The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
2. The BEMA Podcast, Episode 15: Into the Pit
3. Tamar
4. Levirate marriage or Yibbum
5. Genesis 37:32 - hakker or nakar
6. Genesis 37:33 - wayyakkirah or nakar
7. Genesis 38:25 - hakker or nakar
8. Genesis 38:26 - wayyakker or nakar