OH BROTHER  

BOOK OF GENESIS

CHAPTER 38

            Greetings to you, Daily Bread readers.  We’ve just begun a story about Israel’s son, named Joseph.  Before we carry on with that story, Chapter 38 has a little story about Joseph’s brother Judah, and a little bit about his life while Joseph was down in Egypt.  But before we take that little detour, here's another Daily Bread Crumb! 

            Back in biblical days, as we’ve said before, it was a blessing, and honorable to have a large family.  Remember, be fruitful and multiply.  In fact, it was so important that if a man’s brother died but had no children, out of duty, his brother would marry his widow and the firstborn would carry the deceased brother’s name so that his name would continue in Israel.  If the brother chose not to be dutiful, it was a very shameful thing and everyone knew it.  Deuteronomy 25:5-10.  So with that in mind, let’s get on with our detour.

            Judah had a friend who lived in Adullam, about a dozen miles outside of Hebron, and his name was Hirah.  While visiting Hirah, Judah met a Canaanite girl, married her and they had a son.  They called his name Er.  They had another son and named him Onan.  And they had a third son that they named Shelah. 

            When Er was old enough, Judah chose a wife for him whose name was Tamar.  Er was wicked in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord killed him.  Judah told Onan to marry his brother’s wife to have a child in his brother’s name.  Onan knew that the child wouldn’t be his, so he made sure Tamar didn’t conceive by him.  This made the Lord angry so He killed Onan too.

            Then Judah told Tamar to remain a widow at her father’s house until Shelah was old enough to father a child for Er, unless he died too.  So Tamar lived at her father’s house.

            After a time, Judah’s wife died and in time his soul was consoled.  Shelah, his youngest son was grown now, but he was not given to Tamar as promised.  Tamar heard one day that Judah was going to shear his sheep, so she took off her widow’s clothes and dressed up, covered her face with a veil and sat in an open place where Judah was going to be. 

            When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot because she hid her face.  Judah approached her and she said, What will you give to be with me?  Judah said he would send her a kid from his flock.  But Tamar said, Give me something to keep until you send it.  She asked for his ring, his bracelets and his staff.  Judah gave it to her.  She conceived and went away and took off her veil and put her widow’s clothes back on. 

            Judah sent Hirah with the kid to exchange it for his ring and bracelets and staff from the woman, but Hirah couldn’t find her.  He asked the men of the area, about her, but they said there was no harlot there.  Hirah went back and told Judah that he couldn’t find her.  So Judah said, I tried to send this kid and you couldn’t find her, so let her keep the other things or we’ll look dishonorable.

            About three months later, Judah heard that it was Tamar had pretended to be a harlot and that she was pregnant.  Judah said, Bring her here and let her be burnt for doing such a thing NOT knowing it was he that she did it with..  She sent a message to Judah saying, The man who these items belong to is the father of the child I carry.  Figure out who this ring, these bracelets and this staff belong to.

            Judah admitted they were his and said, She’s been more righteous than I have because I didn’t give her Shelah, my son.  And Judah had no further contact with her.

            When Tamar went into labor, she was carrying twins.  One put out his hand and the midwife tied a scarlet thread around it so they would know who was born first.  But the baby pulled his hand back in and his brother was born first. The midwife said, How did you break ahead?  This breach be on you, so his name was called Pharez, which means, Rupture.  And next, his brother was born with the scarlet thread on his hand and he was named Zerah, which means, brightness.

            Well, we’ve learned a little bit about Judah’s history, and about the ancient traditions of raising a child to a deceased brother.  And with our detour over, the next time we’ll resume with the story of Joseph and see what is going on with him in Egypt. 

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