Genesis Chapter 38: Sin of Onan, Tamar Plays the Harlot with Judah
Mar 10th, 2010 | By admin | Category: Genesis, Verse by Verse --Studies led by Br. Frank Shallieu (Click on Book name)Judah acknowledged that the items were his, and then he realized in a flash what had happened—and that he was the guiltier one for not fulfilling his promise. “She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son.” By the mouth of two or three witnesses is a thing established (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; Matt. 18:16). Tamar had three witnesses: the signet ring, the bracelets, and the staff.
Judah was ashamed that he was responsible for Tamar’s condition, and so she was not put to death. He conceded that she was the more righteous, even though she had played the harlot.
The whole circumstance was predicated upon his failure to provide her with a husband. Was she to go childless all her life when marriage was a family arrangement? Should she be condemned to widowhood for the rest of her life? We know that from God’s standpoint, Tamar was justified in what she had done because she is in Jesus’ lineage, which traces Judah (Tamar) and Pharez (Matt. 1:3; Luke 3:33).
