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Tamar (Genesis)

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wore over her face. Thinking she was a prostitute, he requested her services. Tamar's plan was to become pregnant by this ruse so that she might bear a child in Judah's line, since Judah had not given her to his son Shelah. So she played the part of a prostitute and struck a bargain with Judah for a goat, secured by his staff, seal, and cord. When Judah was able to have a goat sent to Timnath, in order to collect his staff and seal, the woman was nowhere to be found and no one knew of any prostitute in Timnath.
67: 439:, Tamar was endowed with a prophetic gift which allowed her to know the future of her descendants. From this gift, she knew that she would be the ancestress of royal line of David and mighty prophets. While she was standing in gate of Timnah and wearing a veil; Judah, who was intoxicated from wine that twisted his understanding away, came to her. After that, he left her with three symbolical pledges; his staff, the stay of 1431: 25: 1398: 219:, to provide offspring for Tamar so that the family line might continue. This could have substantial economic repercussions, with any son born deemed the heir of the deceased Er, and able to claim the firstborn's double share of inheritance. However, if Er was childless, Onan would inherit as the oldest surviving son. 269:. Tamar sent the staff, seal, and cord to Judah with a message declaring that the owner of these items was the man who had made her pregnant. Upon recognizing these items as his security, Judah released Tamar from her sentence. Tamar gave birth to twins, Perez and Zerah. Their birth is reminiscent of the birth of 494:
The gap, a maximum of 22 years, is somewhat small to contain within it Judah's first marriage, the birth of Er and Onan, Er's marriage to Tamar, Tamar's subsequent pregnancy by Judah, and the birth of Judah's children (Judah was the father and his daughter-in-law, Tamar, was the mother); the passage
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to shear his sheep. Upon hearing this news, Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and immediately went to Timnath which was en route to Judah's destination. Upon arriving at a place near Timnath, where two roads met, Judah saw the woman but did not recognize her as Tamar because of the veil she
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Together with the brief preceding narrative of the birth of Er, Onan, and Shelah, and the subsequent narrative of the birth of Perez's children, the passage is often regarded as presenting a significant chronological issue, since it is surrounded by a narrative concerning
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proposes that Judah was about 20 years old when he settled in Adullam and that his sons, Er and Onan, were 17 years old when they married. The sons of Hezron and Hamul were considered to be part of Jacob's family that moved to Egypt since they were born there.
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considered the account of the deaths of Er and Onan to "reflect the dying out of two clans of Judah bearing their names, or at least of their failure to maintain a separate existence." However, this view was "trenchantly criticized" by
462:) who was accused of leading an unchaste demeanor. After Tamar showed the three pledges from the man who came to her, Judah's countenance grew pale to green color when he publicly confessed his relationship with her. 228:. His action displeased God and so, like his older brother, God killed him. At this point, Judah is portrayed as viewing Tamar to be cursed and therefore as being reluctant to give her his remaining and youngest son 920:", explained by various commentators to either mean a juncture of two roads (Aramaic Targum), or else a place by that name (Commentator), or else in an open-place where all eyes could gaze upon her (Midrash). 998:
J. A. Emerton, "Some problems,” 349. Emerton also suggests (p. 360) that in J, this story “never stood anywhere but between the accounts of the selling of Joseph into slavery and the doings of Joseph in
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is also widely regarded as an abrupt change to the surrounding narrative Joseph story. According to some textual scholars, the reason for these features is that the passage derives from the
491:; before the passage occurs, Joseph is described as being 17 years old, and after the passage, Joseph is described as meeting up with Judah 9 years after Joseph reached 30 years of age. 430:
Frymer-Kensky finds Tamar's traits of assertiveness in action, willingness to be unconventional, and deep loyalty to family to be qualities that distinguish her descendant, King David.
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goes further and suggests it is a result of the "brilliant splicing of sources by a literary artist." He notes that the same verb "identify” will play "a crucial thematic role in the
46: 273:'s twin sons. The midwife marks Zerah's hand with a scarlet cord when he emerges first from the womb, though Perez is born first. Perez is identified in the 458:
As a judge, Judah gave a decision that Tamar was liable to the death penalty by burning according to the law, for she was the daughter of the high priest (
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in the Bible, in which a woman seduces a male relative under false pretenses in order to become pregnant. Each case involves a direct ancestor of
1411: 232:. Rather, he tells Tamar to wait for Shelah. However, even after Shelah has grown up, Judah still does not give Tamar to him in marriage. 281:. The Genesis narrative also makes a note that Judah praised Tamar's righteousness and did not have further sexual relations with her. 33: 265:
Three months later, Tamar was reported to Judah by family members to be pregnant. Upon hearing this news, Judah ordered that she be
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notes some "intentional literary parallels" between the chapters, such as the exhortation to "identify" (38:25–26 and 37:32–33).
1072: 850: 1229: 397:, Judah's confession of guilt itself atoned for some of his prior faults, and resulted in his being divinely rewarded by 1460: 257:
After Shelah had grown up, Judah became a widower. After Judah mourned the death of his wife, he planned on going to
419:, since her father's residence was not implied to be outside of Canaan. She is also theorized to be the daughter of 1435: 401:. The Talmud also suggests that Tamar's actions were for the purpose of avoiding Judah's humiliation, although the 331:
of the Joseph story when he confronts his brothers in Egypt, he recognizing them, they failing to recognize him."
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against Tamar. In addition, Melchizedek was the only Canaanite priest who worshiped the "one true God".
812: 424: 1321: 1299: 1174: 1310: 1288: 1362: 1465: 245: 71: 38: 1407: 1336: 671: 488: 412:, and that Judah ended up marrying her and had further sexual liaisons with her as a result. 359: 304: 229: 154: 784: 650: 528: 382: 204: 184: 180: 1277: 8: 1332: 1226: 435: 342:
motifs concerned with the eponymous ancestors of the clans of Judah.' Emerton notes that
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points out that the insertion of chapter 38 "creates suspense for the reader", but
266: 240: 94: 1086: 880: 443:; his mantle, representation of his strength; and his signet-diadem, the glory of 343: 168: 145: 118: 84: 1188:"Tamar's Ancestry and Rahab's Marriage: Two Problems in the Matthean Genealogy" 1153: 1132: 440: 402: 386: 303:
have focused on the relationship between the Judah story in chapter 38 and the
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portrays her as boastful and unashamed in regard to the pregnancy itself.
1259:(Translated by Henrietta Szold) Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society. 1246:(Translated by Henrietta Szold) Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society. 1233:(Translated by Henrietta Szold) Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society. 420: 367: 347: 423:. One reason includes Judah prescribing a penalty similar to the one in 1211: 1187: 916:
In the Hebrew text, Tamar is said to have sat down "at the entrance of
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regards the connections as evidence for including chapter 38 in the
1401: This article incorporates text from a publication now in the 807: 339: 285: 1257:
The Legends of the Jews Volume III: The Stones in the Breastplate
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source, while the immediately surrounding narrative is from the
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Both the Genesis Rabbah and Talmud state that Tamar was an
216: 203:, Tamar is first described as marrying Judah's eldest son, 103: 1244:
The Legends of the Jews Volume II: Judah and His Sons
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Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia
1379:"Genesis 38 Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary" 161: 138: 100: 1230:
Volume II: Judah Warns against Greed and Unchastity
106: 97: 503:, the two being spliced together at a later date. 843:The Divine Drama: the Old Testament as Literature 1442: 1420:(New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons. 1042: 1040: 207:. Because of his wickedness, Er was killed by 878: 123: 16:Biblical figure and daughter-in-law of Judah 1037: 366:Tamar and Judah is one of two instances of 1185: 980: 874: 872: 870: 835: 381: 239: 65: 49:of all important aspects of the article. 1011:Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary 508:Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 481: 1443: 1406: 1326: 1008: 879:Frymer-Kensky, Tikva (20 March 2009). 818: 295: 45:Please consider expanding the lead to 1070: 1023: 867: 783: 781: 779: 777: 775: 773: 771: 769: 745: 723: 721: 719: 717: 711: 705: 703: 701: 699: 697: 695: 689: 687: 685: 683: 670: 668: 663: 656: 649: 647: 641: 639: 637: 635: 601: 569: 567: 561: 559: 557: 555: 541: 538: 527: 525: 523: 521: 334:J. A. Emerton also suggests that the 167: 144: 988:. NICOT; Eerdmans. pp. 431–432. 288:tradition, Perez became the king of 194: 18: 474:, Judah and Tamar are ancestors of 415:However, some argue that Tamar was 124: 122: 13: 1046:J. A. Emerton, "Judah and Tamar", 968:Ethiopian Book of the Kings' Glory 962: 813:A Lineage of Grace#Unveiled: Tamar 465: 235: 14: 1477: 1424: 1071:Yaron, Shlomith (February 2001). 1429: 1396: 93: 23: 1371: 1356: 1345: 1315: 1304: 1293: 1282: 1271: 1262: 1249: 1236: 1218: 1179: 1168: 1159: 1147: 1138: 1126: 1117: 1105: 1093: 1064: 1055: 1017: 1002: 992: 974: 956: 377: 37:may be too short to adequately 945: 934: 923: 910: 899: 856: 824: 514: 215:, Judah asked his second son, 47:provide an accessible overview 1: 1030:The Art of Biblical Narrative 179:) was the daughter-in-law of 455:, and Judah as the judges. 7: 801: 399:a share in the future world 162: 139: 10: 1482: 1186:Bauckham, Richard (1995). 1033:. Basic Books. p. 10. 984:(1995). "Chapters 18–50". 389:, Tamar and Judah, 1667 358:Along with the account of 1461:Women in the Hebrew Bible 1417:Easton's Bible Dictionary 763: 761: 755: 753: 751: 749: 743: 739: 737: 735: 733: 731: 729: 709: 707: 693: 691: 679: 677: 661: 654: 645: 643: 629: 627: 625: 619: 617: 615: 613: 611: 609: 607: 599: 595: 593: 591: 589: 587: 585: 583: 581: 579: 577: 575: 571: 565: 563: 551: 545: 536: 534: 532: 478:through their son Perez. 336:Judah and Tamar narrative 1363:Richard Elliott Friedman 1255:Ginzberg, Louis (1909). 1242:Ginzberg, Louis (1909). 1224:Ginzberg, Louis (1909). 1204:10.1163/1568536952663168 887:. Jewish Women's Archive 1227:The Legends of the Jews 307:in chapters 37 and 39. 1456:Book of Genesis people 1451:Sexuality in the Bible 1408:Easton, Matthew George 1385:. 2024. Archived from 1009:Kidner, Derek (2008). 390: 254: 80: 1438:at Wikimedia Commons 1268:Genesis Rabbah 85.10. 385: 243: 69: 1367:Who wrote the Bible? 1341:Encyclopedia Biblica 895:– via jwa.org. 482:Chronological issues 1352:Jewish Encyclopedia 1144:Genesis Rabbah 85:9 1085:(1). Archived from 1013:. IVP. p. 187. 986:The Book of Genesis 982:Hamilton, Victor P. 819:Notes and citations 436:Legends of the Jews 296:Narrative criticism 277:as the ancestor of 169:[tʰɔːˈmɔːr] 1214:– via JSTOR. 391: 353:Thomas L. Thompson 309:Victor P. Hamilton 255: 225:coitus interruptus 201:Genesis chapter 38 81: 1434:Media related to 1389:on March 1, 2024. 1192:Novum Testamentum 1049:Vetus Testamentum 851:978-0-7188-2987-2 796: 795: 539:daughter of Shuah 472:Gospel of Matthew 470:According to the 393:According to the 195:Genesis narrative 158: 135: 64: 63: 1473: 1433: 1421: 1400: 1399: 1391: 1390: 1375: 1369: 1360: 1354: 1349: 1343: 1330: 1324: 1319: 1313: 1308: 1302: 1297: 1291: 1286: 1280: 1275: 1269: 1266: 1260: 1253: 1247: 1240: 1234: 1222: 1216: 1215: 1183: 1177: 1172: 1166: 1163: 1157: 1151: 1145: 1142: 1136: 1130: 1124: 1121: 1115: 1109: 1103: 1097: 1091: 1090: 1068: 1062: 1061:Genesis 19:30–38 1059: 1053: 1044: 1035: 1034: 1021: 1015: 1014: 1006: 1000: 996: 990: 989: 978: 972: 971: 966:. "Chapter 77". 960: 954: 952:Genesis 38:24–30 949: 943: 938: 932: 930:Genesis 38:12–23 927: 921: 914: 908: 903: 897: 896: 894: 892: 876: 865: 860: 854: 839: 833: 831:Genesis 38:29–30 828: 519: 518: 445:kingdom of Judah 301:Literary critics 173: 171: 166: 153: 150: 148: 146:[taˈmaʁ] 143: 130: 128: 127: 126: 116: 115: 112: 111: 108: 105: 102: 99: 59: 56: 50: 27: 19: 1481: 1480: 1476: 1475: 1474: 1472: 1471: 1470: 1441: 1440: 1436:Tamar (Genesis) 1427: 1397: 1394: 1377: 1376: 1372: 1361: 1357: 1350: 1346: 1331: 1327: 1320: 1316: 1309: 1305: 1298: 1294: 1287: 1283: 1276: 1272: 1267: 1263: 1254: 1250: 1241: 1237: 1223: 1219: 1184: 1180: 1173: 1169: 1164: 1160: 1152: 1148: 1143: 1139: 1131: 1127: 1122: 1118: 1110: 1106: 1098: 1094: 1069: 1065: 1060: 1056: 1045: 1038: 1022: 1018: 1007: 1003: 997: 993: 979: 975: 961: 957: 950: 946: 939: 935: 928: 924: 915: 911: 906:Genesis 38:6–14 904: 900: 890: 888: 877: 868: 861: 857: 840: 836: 829: 825: 821: 804: 798: 517: 484: 468: 466:Christian views 380: 298: 267:burned to death 238: 236:Judah and Tamar 222:Onan performed 197: 164: 141: 96: 92: 85:Book of Genesis 60: 54: 51: 44: 32:This article's 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1479: 1469: 1468: 1466:Tribe of Judah 1463: 1458: 1453: 1426: 1425:External links 1423: 1393: 1392: 1370: 1355: 1344: 1325: 1314: 1303: 1292: 1281: 1270: 1261: 1248: 1235: 1217: 1198:(4): 313–329. 1178: 1167: 1158: 1146: 1137: 1133:Genesis Rabbah 1125: 1116: 1104: 1092: 1089:on 2021-09-18. 1063: 1054: 1036: 1016: 1001: 991: 973: 955: 944: 933: 922: 909: 898: 881:"Tamar: Bible" 866: 855: 834: 822: 820: 817: 816: 815: 810: 803: 800: 794: 792: 791: 782: 780: 778: 776: 774: 772: 770: 767: 766: 764: 762: 760: 758: 756: 754: 752: 750: 747: 746: 744: 742: 740: 738: 736: 734: 732: 730: 728: 726: 724: 722: 720: 718: 715: 713: 712: 710: 708: 706: 704: 702: 700: 698: 696: 694: 692: 690: 688: 686: 684: 681: 680: 678: 675: 674: 669: 667: 662: 660: 655: 653: 648: 646: 644: 642: 640: 638: 636: 633: 632: 630: 628: 626: 624: 622: 620: 618: 616: 614: 612: 610: 608: 606: 603: 602: 600: 598: 596: 594: 592: 590: 588: 586: 584: 582: 580: 578: 576: 574: 572: 570: 568: 566: 564: 562: 560: 558: 556: 553: 552: 550: 548: 546: 543: 542: 540: 537: 535: 533: 531: 526: 524: 522: 516: 513: 483: 480: 467: 464: 441:Tribe of Judah 425:Leviticus 21:9 403:Genesis Rabbah 387:Aert de Gelder 379: 376: 368:sperm stealing 297: 294: 237: 234: 213:levirate union 211:. By way of a 196: 193: 62: 61: 41:the key points 31: 29: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1478: 1467: 1464: 1462: 1459: 1457: 1454: 1452: 1449: 1448: 1446: 1439: 1437: 1432: 1422: 1419: 1418: 1413: 1409: 1404: 1403:public domain 1388: 1384: 1380: 1374: 1368: 1364: 1359: 1353: 1348: 1342: 1338: 1334: 1329: 1323: 1322:Genesis 41:46 1318: 1312: 1307: 1301: 1300:Genesis 41:53 1296: 1290: 1285: 1279: 1278:Matthew 1:1–3 1274: 1265: 1258: 1252: 1245: 1239: 1232: 1231: 1228: 1221: 1213: 1209: 1205: 1201: 1197: 1193: 1189: 1182: 1176: 1175:Genesis 38:11 1171: 1162: 1155: 1150: 1141: 1134: 1129: 1120: 1113: 1108: 1101: 1096: 1088: 1084: 1080: 1079: 1074: 1067: 1058: 1051: 1050: 1043: 1041: 1032: 1031: 1026: 1025:Alter, Robert 1020: 1012: 1005: 995: 987: 983: 977: 969: 965: 964:Negast, Kebra 959: 953: 948: 942: 937: 931: 926: 919: 913: 907: 902: 886: 882: 875: 873: 871: 864: 859: 853:, 2002, p. 92 852: 848: 844: 838: 832: 827: 823: 814: 811: 809: 806: 805: 799: 793: 790: 786: 768: 765: 759: 757: 748: 741: 727: 725: 716: 714: 682: 676: 673: 666: 659: 652: 634: 631: 623: 621: 605: 604: 597: 573: 554: 549: 547: 544: 530: 520: 512: 509: 504: 502: 498: 492: 490: 479: 477: 473: 463: 461: 456: 454: 450: 446: 442: 438: 437: 433:According to 431: 428: 426: 422: 418: 413: 411: 406: 404: 400: 396: 388: 384: 375: 373: 369: 365: 364:his daughters 361: 356: 354: 349: 345: 341: 337: 332: 330: 326: 322: 318: 314: 310: 306: 302: 293: 291: 287: 284:According to 282: 280: 276: 272: 268: 263: 260: 253: 252:Horace Vernet 249: 247: 242: 233: 231: 227: 226: 220: 218: 214: 210: 206: 202: 192: 190: 186: 182: 178: 174: 172: 170: 156: 151: 149: 147: 133: 120: 114: 90: 86: 79: 75: 73: 68: 58: 48: 42: 40: 35: 30: 26: 21: 20: 1428: 1415: 1395: 1387:the original 1383:Biblehub.com 1382: 1373: 1366: 1358: 1351: 1347: 1340: 1328: 1317: 1311:Genesis 45:6 1306: 1295: 1289:Genesis 37:2 1284: 1273: 1264: 1256: 1251: 1243: 1238: 1225: 1220: 1195: 1191: 1181: 1170: 1161: 1149: 1140: 1128: 1119: 1107: 1095: 1087:the original 1082: 1078:Bible Review 1076: 1066: 1057: 1047: 1028: 1019: 1010: 1004: 994: 985: 976: 967: 958: 947: 941:Ruth 4:18–22 936: 925: 917: 912: 901: 889:. Retrieved 884: 863:Deut 25:5–10 858: 842: 837: 826: 797: 657: 505: 493: 485: 469: 457: 434: 432: 429: 414: 407: 392: 378:Jewish views 357: 340:aetiological 335: 333: 325:Robert Alter 321:Derek Kidner 313:John Emerton 305:Joseph story 299: 283: 275:Book of Ruth 264: 256: 244: 223: 221: 198: 160: 137: 88: 82: 76:, school of 70: 55:October 2021 52: 36: 34:lead section 515:Family tree 421:Melchizedek 1445:Categories 1052:29 , 405. 841:Dancy, J. 372:King David 338:contains " 329:dénouement 279:King David 165:pronounced 142:pronounced 1410:(1897). " 1165:Sotah 10b 1123:Sotah 12b 891:August 6, 417:Canaanite 410:Israelite 248:and Tamar 177:date palm 78:Rembrandt 74:and Tamar 39:summarize 1027:(1981). 808:Vayeshev 802:See also 317:J corpus 286:Ethiopic 155:Tiberian 1405::  1212:1561365 1112:Berakot 999:Egypt.” 501:Elohist 497:Jahwist 344:Dillman 271:Rebekah 259:Timnath 83:In the 1333:Cheyne 1210:  849:  672:Shelah 489:Joseph 395:Talmud 290:Persia 230:Shelah 163:Tāmār 159:  140:Tamar 136:  132:Modern 125:תָּמָר 119:Hebrew 1412:Tamar 1337:Black 1208:JSTOR 1154:Sotah 1135:85:11 1100:Sotah 918:Enaim 789:Zerah 785:Perez 658:Tamar 529:Judah 476:Jesus 453:Jacob 449:Isaac 246:Judah 189:Zerah 185:Perez 181:Judah 89:Tamar 72:Judah 1335:and 893:2014 847:ISBN 787:and 665:Onan 506:The 460:Shem 362:and 348:Noth 346:and 217:Onan 187:and 1414:". 1200:doi 1156:10a 1114:43a 360:Lot 209:God 199:In 1447:: 1381:. 1365:, 1339:, 1206:. 1196:37 1194:. 1190:. 1102:7b 1083:17 1081:. 1075:. 1039:^ 883:. 869:^ 845:, 651:Er 451:, 374:. 355:. 292:. 250:, 205:Er 191:. 175:, 152:, 129:, 121:: 117:; 110:ər 104:eɪ 87:, 1202:: 970:. 157:: 134:: 113:/ 107:m 101:t 98:ˈ 95:/ 91:( 57:) 53:( 43:.

Index


lead section
summarize
provide an accessible overview

Judah
Rembrandt
Book of Genesis
/ˈtmər/
Hebrew
Modern
[taˈmaʁ]
Tiberian
[tʰɔːˈmɔːr]
date palm
Judah
Perez
Zerah
Genesis chapter 38
Er
God
levirate union
Onan
coitus interruptus
Shelah

Judah
Horace Vernet
Timnath
burned to death

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