GENESIS LESSON 54
This lesson begins in chapter 38 of Genesis.
Genesis 38:1 "And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went
down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose
name [was] Hirah."
Whether Judah did this after the incident with Joseph, or not, we
cannot say. We do know, at this point, that Judah left his brethren
temporarily. This separation could be because of guilt he felt from
what he did to Joseph, or maybe, he could not face his father knowing
what he had done to him.
"Hirah" means nobility. This person must have been from a renown
family.
Genesis 38:2 "And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain
Canaanite, whose name [was] Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto
her."
"Shuah" means wealth. Shuah was the father of Judah's wife. This
"took" means he became her husband, and he slept with her. I am almost
certain this does not mean he forced her.
Genesis 38:3 "And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called
his name Er."
"Er" means watcher.
It is not the custom for the father to name the child, but that
was the case here.
Genesis 38:4 "And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she
called his name Onan."
Genesis 38:5 "And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and
called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him."
These two sons were both named by their mother.
"Onan" means strength.
"Shelah" means prayer, or peace.
Genesis 38:6 "And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose
name [was] Tamar."
Genesis 38:7 "And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight
of the LORD; and the LORD slew him."
"Tamar" means palm trees.
The indication, here, was that whatever his sin was, it was
punishable by death. Just as those in Sodom were killed for their evil
sex sin, so was the son condemned of God and died.
Genesis 38:8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's
wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother."
Genesis 38:9 "And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and
it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he
spilled [it] on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his
brother."
Genesis 38:10 "And the thing which he did displeased the LORD:
wherefore he slew him also."
This was a very perverted thing to do. He should not have married
her, if he did not allow her to have a child for her dead husband.
Not only did he do a very sick thing and displeased God, but he
disobeyed his father Judah, as well. It was a custom among these
people, if a man died without having a child to carry on his name, his
brother would marry his wife. The firstborn from his marriage would
be the dead brother's child. Onan was just as evil as Er. God killed
both of them.
Genesis 38:11 "Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law,
Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for
he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren [did]. And
Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house."
This was really not fair to Tamar. Judah had no intention of his
third son marrying Tamar. He was fearful that his son, also would die.
Tamar did not remarry, but went to live in her father's house.
Genesis 38:12 "And in process of time the daughter of Shuah
Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his
sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite."
Shuah's daughter, Judah's wife, died. Judah mourned for her, But
after his time for morning was over, he went to town with his friend,
Hirah.
Genesis 38:13 "And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father
in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep."
Genesis 38:14 "And she put her widow's garments off from her, and
covered her with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open
place, which [is] by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was
grown, and she was not given unto him to wife."
Genesis 38:15 "When Judah saw her, he thought her [to be] an
harlot; because she had covered her face."
Genesis 38:16 "And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go
to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she
[was] his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that
thou mayest come in unto me?"
Genesis 38:17 "And he said, I will send [thee] a kid from the
flock. And she said, Wilt thou give [me] a pledge, till thou send
[it]?"
Genesis 38:18 "And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And
she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that [is] in
thine hand. And he gave [it] her, and came in unto her, and she
conceived by him."
Judah had told his daughter-in-law to remain a widow for years.
After a short time of grief, he was seeking a prostitute. Tamar was a
smart woman. She decided, if Judah's sons would not give her a child
for her husband, then she would trick her father-in-law and have his
child for her husband. By our standards today, this would be evil,
but it was their custom that she should be allowed to have children
for her dead husband by his near kinsman.
There would be no question when the time of delivery came,
because she had his signet for evidence. He would not be able to deny
the fatherhood of this offspring. Notice, that wearing a veil meant she
was a prostitute. Judah was unfair to her, and had lied to her. His
third son was grown, and Judah had promised her, if she would wait for
him, as soon as he came of age, he would marry her. She tricked him,
because he lied to her.
Genesis 38:19 "And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil
from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood."
She was not a prostitute, she immediately went back to her home
to wait on the birth.
Genesis 38:20 "And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend
the Adullamite, to receive [his] pledge from the woman's hand: but he
found her not."
Genesis 38:21 "Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where
[is] the harlot, that [was] openly by the way side? And they said,
There was no harlot in this [place]."
Genesis 38:22 "And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find
her; and also the men of the place said, [that] there was no harlot in
this [place]."
Genesis 38:23 "And Judah said, Let her take [it] to her, lest we
be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her."
Judah had still not caught on. He was ashamed to inquire too
much. People would know of his indiscretion. He told his friend to
just forget it. He had tried to send the kid and she was not there, so
he was off the hook. Judah must have forgotten that she had his signet.
Genesis 38:24 "And it came to pass about three months after,
that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played
the harlot; and also, behold, she [is] with child by whoredom. And
Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt."
Judah was quick to pass Judgement on her for committing the very
same sin that he was involved in himself. He still did not make the
connection. God does not discriminate.
Genesis 38:25 "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."
Suddenly the tables were turned. Judah was the guilty one. She had
the evidence against him.
Genesis 38:26 "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."
Judah realizes he was the one who sinned and admitted it.
Genesis 38:27 "And it came to pass in the time of her travail,
that, behold, twins [were] in her womb."
Genesis 38:28 "And it came to pass, when she travailed, that [the
one] put out [his] hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand
a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first."
Genesis 38:29 "And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand,
that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken
forth? [this] breach [be] upon thee: therefore his name was called
Pharez."
Genesis 38:30 "And afterward came out his brother, that had the
scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah."
"Pharez" means breach.
"Zarah" means splendor
This birth was unusual, Rebekah had twins, and this was really the
second mention of such a birth. In Rebekah's case, the son was hanging
on to his brother's heel. In this case, one son had been nearest birth
and even had an arm born. Then he gave place to his brother, and the
brother came first.
In Rebekah, there was war with the two sons in the mother's womb.
Here, there was a struggle, also. Pharez was the one actually born
first. Zarah was the one with the scarlet thread born last.
In the next lesson, we will begin in Genesis chapter 29.
Questions 54
1. Who did Judah turn in to that was the Adullamite?.
2. What was, probably, the reason for Judah leaving his brothers?
3. What does "Hirah" mean?
4. The Canaanite woman Judah took, was the daughter of whom?
5. What does his name mean?
6. What was the first son's name?
7. What happened at the birth of this first child that was not the
custom?
8. What Was the second son's name?
9. What was the third son's name?
10. What does "Onan" mean?
11. What does "Shelah" mean?
12. What was Er's wife's name?
13. Why did the Lord kill Er?
14. What does "Tamar" mean?
15. What did Judah tell Onan to do that was the custom of their
people?
16. Why did God kill Onan?
17. Besides displeasing God in his actions, who did he disobey?
18. What difficult thing did Judah tell Tamar to do?
19. Where did Tamar live after her husband died?
20. Where did Judah go, after he was comforted of his wife's death?
21. Who had become a friend of Judah's?
22. Why did Tamar take off her widow's clothes and go to deceive
Judah?
23. What did Judah think she was?
24. What three things did he give her to hold?
25. Why would Judah not be able to deny fatherhood?
26. What did Tamar do after deceiving Jacob?
27. Judah sent the kid by whom?
28. What news did the friend bring back?
29. Why did Judah drop the matter and not make every effort to find
the prostitute?
30. What bad news was brought to Judah about Tamar?
31. What punishment did he want for her?
32. Does God have a double standard for men and women who sin?
33. What evidence did she send to Judah to show who the child was
fathered by?
34. What did Judah say when he was caught?
35. Tamar gave birth to_________?
36. What other Bible birth does this remind us of?
37. Explain.
38. "Pharez" means what?
39. "Zarah" means what?
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