After being traumatized by his brothers turning against him and being thrown into a pit until they could sell him to slave traders; Joseph is taken to Egypt where he is sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. This young man of faith feels totally alone and abandoned; but God knows his plight and he is not far from God’s eye. It is unimaginable how family could act with such evil against one brother who is fair, young and innocent; favored by his father!
Genesis 37:36 ESVMeanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.
Back in the camp of Israel things are not going so well for Judah; whose idea it was to sell Joseph into slavery. Whatever profit that was made at the brother’s expense becomes fleeting as Judah’s sons displease God. Judah’s wife, daughter of a Canaanite man named, Shua; bears him three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah. His firstborn, Er takes a wife named Tamar.
Genesis 38:2-6 ESV There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, (3) and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. (4) She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. (5) Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him. (6) And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
Er is so wicked in God’s site that that the LORD has enough of him and just strikes him dead. It is inconceivable. What must a young man do that is so wicked, that God just strikes him dead? We are not given any details; but this must have been one evil and blasphemous man. It was the custom at that time for a brother to produce an heir for his deceased brother by taking his widow for a wife. The son born; would carry the deceased brother’s name and be his heir. This responsibility fell to Onan; but he didn’t want to produce an heir for his deceased brother Er; so he spills his semen on the floor instead of impregnating his brother’s widow. God is angry at this malicious act and strikes him dead as well.
Genesis 38:7-10 ESV But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death. (8) Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother." (9) But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. (10) And what he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also.
It was Judah’s responsibility to give Tamar his third son, but he withheld him out of fear. In the course of time, Judah’s wife, daughter of Shua, also dies and he has no grandchildren to carry on his name. When Tamar finds out that her father-in-law Judah is going to Timnah to shear sheep, she sneaks away and puts on the clothes of a prostitute; puts a veil over her face and sets a trap for Judah. He goes in to her and is intimate with her. He promises to send her a young goat as payment. She asks for a pledge; his staff and cord (his signet), until the goat is brought to her; so he gives them to her.
Genesis 38:11-19 ESV Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow in your father's house, till Shelah my son grows up"--for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father's house. (12) In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua's daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. (13) And when Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep," (14) she took off her widow's garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. (15) When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. (16) He turned to her at the roadside and said, "Come, let me come in to you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?" (17) He answered, "I will send you a young goat from the flock." And she said, "If you give me a pledge, until you send it--" (18) He said, "What pledge shall I give you?" She replied, "Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand." So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. (19) Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.
When Judah sends a goat for payment of the prostitute, she is not to be found. Judah does not want to be laughed at, so he lets the matter be. About three months later, Tamar is showing that she is pregnant; and it is assumed that she is pregnant through immorality. Judah demands that she be burned alive at the stake! Then Tamar presents Judah’s staff and signet and he realizes that he had sinned by not giving his third son to her in marriage. He says, “She is more righteous than I am.” She gives birth to twin boys and thus provides Judah with an heir. The first to be born was named Perez and the other Zerah.
Genesis 38:20-30 ESV When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman's hand, he did not find her. (21) And he asked the men of the place, "Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?" And they said, "No cult prostitute has been here." (22) So he returned to Judah and said, "I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, 'No cult prostitute has been here.'" (23) And Judah replied, "Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her." (24) About three months later Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality." And Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned." (25) As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, "By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant." And she said, "Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff." (26) Then Judah identified them and said, "She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not know her again. (27) When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. (28) And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This one came out first." (29) But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" Therefore his name was called Perez. (30) Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.
The lineage of Judah will appear more important as we will see later that it is through Perez, that the lineage to Christ shall be established.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, give me faith to walk with you and fill me with your joy. You make all things work for good. Complete in me the work that you have begun, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Copyright © 2006, 2011 Thomas C. Blake
Copyright © 2006, 2011 Thomas C. Blake
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