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Tamar

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Genesis 38

Tamar was a woman whom Judah got as wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan to sleep with his brother’s wife and fulfill his duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for his brother. But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also. Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar to live as a widow in her father’s household until his son Shelah grows up. For he thought, he may die too, just like his brothers. So Tamar went to live in her father’s household. After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him. When Tamar heard that her father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep, she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said to her to come now, let his sleep with her, she asked him what he would give her to sleep with him, he said he would send her a young goat from his flock, she asked if he would give her something as a pledge until he send it. He asked, what pledge should he give her, she anwered his seal, his cord and his the staff. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes again. About three months later Judah heard that his daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant. Judah said to bring her out and have her burned to death. As she was being brought out, she said him she is pregnant by the man who owns the seal, cord and the staff he gave her, and she said him to see if he recognize whose seal, cord and staff. Judah recognized them and said she is more righteous than him, since he wouldn’t give her to his son Shelah. And he did not sleep with her again. When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said this one came out first, but when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!", and he was named Perez, then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out, and he was named Zerah.

1st Chronicles


4 And Tamar his daughter in law bare him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.
5 The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.
6 And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all.
7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.
8 And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.
9 The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and Chelubai.
10 And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah.
1 Chr 2:4-10


Children


Offspring of Er ben Judah and Tamar
Name Birth Death Joined with
Perez ben Judah 9999 Chezib, Land of Canaan 9999 Goshen, Egypt
Zerah ben Judah 9999 Egypt 9999 Egypt



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References


Footnotes (including sources)

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