Chapter 16: Judah and Tamar

Study notes

Judah tells his daughter-in-law Tamar to stay a widow until his son Shelah is grown, but she is not given to Shelah. Some three months later, Judah hears she is pregnant and orders her burned, but she sends him a seal, cord, and staff, saying their owner is the father, and he says she is more right than he is.

From Genesis 38:11 (KoS), Genesis 38:24 (KoS), Genesis 38:25 (KoS), Genesis 38:26 (KoS).

These notes and questions are original study helps written for this site, not scripture. The verses shown with each question are quoted from the Kingdoms of Scripture Bible.

Notice and discuss

Read each passage, then think about the question on your own or talk it over with others. No answers are collected.

1. What does Judah tell Tamar to do, and what does the text say he was thinking?

   Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up,” for he thought, “He too might die, like his brothers.” So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

   Genesis 38:11 (KoS)

2. When Tamar learns that Judah is on his way to Timnah, what does she do, and what does the text say she had seen?

   Tamar was told, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” She took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil, wrapped herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah, for she saw that Shelah had grown up and she had not been given to him as a wife. Judah saw her and took her for a prostitute, because she had covered her face.

   Genesis 38:13–15 (KoS)

3. What does the midwife tie on the first hand that appears, and what names are the twins given?

   When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. While she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took it and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” Then he drew his hand back, and his brother came out, and she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself.” So he was named Perez. Afterward his brother came out, the one with the scarlet thread on his hand, and he was named Zerah.

   Genesis 38:27–30 (KoS)

   Note · Translation Perez is explained by the breach, the breaking out.

   Note · Translation Zerah is the shining of the scarlet. The codex does not spell the pun out. The name is printed as written.