|
Genesis Chapter Thirty-eight
Preface
This chapter in Genesis appears on the surface to offer little value to the student of the Word. But this outlook is unwarranted. Any portion of God’s Word, no matter how insignificant it may appear, “is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16). So it is with the 38th chapter of Genesis.
This chapter provides background on the tribe of Judah, out of which came, from an official (rather than literal or human) prospective, the Lord Jesus Christ. This official (kingly) lineage of the Messiah is seen in the opening verses of the first chapter in the New Testament:
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:1-17)
This 42-generation genealogy in Matthew represents the kingly line of the Messiah up to His earthly father Joseph, whereas, the human or literal genealogy of (the) Christ through his earthly mother Mary is recorded in Luke 3:23-38. John R. Rice, D.D., Litt.D., in his commentary, The King of the Jews—a Verse-by-Verse Commentary on the Gospel According to Matthew, Sword of the Lord Publishers, 1955, provides these cogent remarks pertaining to the genealogies of Jesus Christ:
From Abraham to David are included in both genealogies. Both Mary and Joseph were descended from David. And Jesus was both officially and literally of the seed of David and of Abraham; officially through His foster father, Joseph, and literally through His real mother, Mary.
Do not fail to prayerfully meditate on this wonderful genealogy in Matthew 1:2-16. Notice the following points of blessing—(1) Gentiles are included in the ancestry of Christ: Rahab of Jericho (Rachab, vs. 5), Ruth the Moabitess (vs. 5), and the wives of others of these men. (2) Certain women are called by name: Tamar (Thamar, vs. 3), Rahab, Ruth, Bath-sheba, “her that had been the wife of Urias” (vs. 6). (3) Of these women three were harlots or adulteresses: Tamar (Gen. 38), Rahab (Josh. 6), and Bath-sheba (2 Sam. 11). (4) In the genealogy are kings and paupers, saints and the vilest sinners; for instance, study the life of wicked Manasseh (Manasses, 2 Kings 21:1-18 and 2 Chron. 33:1-20). The lesson from these things is that Christ is the Savior of Gentiles as well as of Jews, the Savior of poor as well as of rich. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). “. . . God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:3).
So this is the value of this chapter in Genesis—a chapter that records faithfully part of the historic genealogy of Jesus Christ—a sordid history of some of the ancestors (the sin and the shame of Judah), of which God never approves but always allows as a historically accurate record in His Word.
Other than Joseph and Benjamin, the sons of Jacob were of little comfort to him. All were problems to him. Even Joseph was a burden, since Jacob was heartbroken over his “apparent” death and long separation. This all probably stemmed from the fact that Jacob spent too long in Padan-aram accumulating a fortune and contending with Uncle Laban, instead of teaching his children. Then, too, the sinful events of this chapter and the previous one, reflects Jacob insistence in living among an adulteress people, the Canaanites and allowing them to have influence over his family.
Genesis 38:1-7 It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her. So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him. Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.
Judah went to visit Hirah, a citizen of the city Adullam, a person who became his “friend” (vs. 12). During his visit he took a Canaanite wife by the name of Shua, in opposition to God’s will. From this union came three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Judah then secured a wife for Er whose name was Tamar.
Although the Bible does not detail the matter, Er, Judah’s firstborn, was so wicked in the sight of the Lord that God killed him. Er most likely had adopted the religious practices of the Canaanites; which included polytheistic and idolatrous worship along with human sacrifice, “sacred” prostitution, and various other cultic practices. The possibility of “early termination” (of physical life) by God in regards to His children’s persistence in wickedness may also be seen in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Timothy 1:20). Although a person who has genuinely been saved by faith alone in Christ alone cannot ever become “unsaved,” he can spiritually drift back away from God. In such a case God will discipline His child (Hebrew 12:5-11), to a point; but, should His child continue down the road of sin, and especially if he becomes involved in such egregious acts that will bring grave harm to the Church, God may take him prematurely from the world.
Genesis 38:8-10 And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother's wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.” But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he emitted [spilled his semen] on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.
It was the custom of that day (specified later in Deuteronomy 25:5-10) that when a man died, his brother was to marry his widow for the purpose of carrying out God’s command to be fruitful and multiply in order to populate the earth. Onan refused to do this, which in effect was a serious disobedient act before God. For this, God also prematurely took his life.
Genesis 38:11-14 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house till my son Shelah is grown." For he said, "Lest he also die like his brothers." And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah's wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, "Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep." So she took off her widow's garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife.
At the death of Onan, Judah then promised his son Shelah to Tamar once he became of age to marry and provided she would continue to reside as a widow in her father’s house. Tamar agreed. But in time Tamar became convinced that Judah would not keep his word to her in this matter; so she conceived a plan of her own in order to bear a child. To do this she went ahead of her father-in-law when he traveled to Timnah with Hirah in order to shear his sheep. She positioned herself in an “open place” so that Judah would notice her during his activities in Timnah.
Genesis 38:15-23 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. Then he turned to her by the way, and said, "Please let me come in to [sleep with and have sexual intercourse with] you"; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. So she said, "What will you give me that you may come in to me?" And he said, "I will send a young goat from the flock." So she said, "Will you give me a pledge till you send it?" Then he said, "What pledge shall I give you?" So she said, "Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand." Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived [became pregnant] by him. So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand, but he did not find her. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, "Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?" And they said, "There was no harlot in this place." So he returned to Judah and said, "I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place." Then Judah said, "Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her."
As Tamar sat in the open, one day Judah noticed her. Thinking that she was a prostitute because her face was covered, he transacted a payment with her for her “services.” It is important to understand that in this arrangement, both Tamar and Judah were equally sinful before God. Always in the act of wrongful sexual intercourse, except in that of “rape,” both parties share equally in the sin.
So Tamar became pregnant by Judah. Afterwards, she absconded with Judah’s signet (ring), cord [bracelets], and staff; items that he had pledged to her as security in lieu of his payment of a goat for her “services.” When Judah attempted to later deliver the goat and retrieve his security (property) by means of his associate and emissary, Hirah, Tamar was nowhere to be found. Judah then counted his property as a loss and decided not to become further involved in the matter “lest we be shamed”—a natural result should the matter become public in his hometown.
Genesis 38:24-30 And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.” So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, “Please determine whose these are—the signet and cord, and staff.” So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again. Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah.
Here is a great example how one’s sins will come back to haunt him. It is also an example of the “double-standard” men held then, as they hold it today, regarding the matter of sexual intercourse. Even though men may outwardly admit to the immorality of sex outside of holy matrimony, many tacitly feel it is okay for a man (but not for a woman), for a variety of reasons—all of which are totally wrong.
In this case while Judah was in the process of openly judging his daughter-in-law even to the point of her death, she “pulled the rug out from under his feet,” by exposing him as the father of her harlotry-child. What embarrassment Judah must have faced, and he finally had to face up to his responsibility. He was even forced to admit that he was guiltier than Tamar, since he had in fact broken his word to Tamar regarding the giving of his son Shelah to her for the furtherance of her progeny (descendants). Broken words led to broken actions, which led to shame and guilt. This is the way of sin. And this is a major lesson to one and all from this, what appears to be an “inconsequential” chapter in the book of Genesis. |