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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Genesis 38:12–23. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
It is a very ill-favoured story that is here told concerning Judah; one would not have expected such folly in Israel. Judah had buried his wife; and widowers have need to stand upon their guard with the utmost caution and resolution against all fleshly lusts. He was unjust to his daughter-in-law, either through negligence or design, in not giving her his surviving son, and this exposed her to temptation.
I.Tamar wickedly prostituted herself as a harlot to Judah, that, if the son might not, the father might raise up seed to the deceased.
Some excuse this by suggesting that, though she was a Canaanite, yet she had embraced the true religion, and believed the promise made to Abraham and his seed, particularly that of the Messiah, who was to descend from the loins of Judah, and that she was therefore thus earnestly desirous to have a child by one of that family that she might have the honour, or at least stand fair for the honour, of being the mother of the Messiah. And, if this was indeed her desire, it had its success; she is one of the four women particularly named in the genealogy of Christ, Mat 1:3. Her sinful practice was pardoned, and her good intention was accepted, which magnifies the grace of God, but can by no means be admitted to justify or encourage the like. Bishop Patrick thinks it probable that she hoped Shelah, who was by right her husband, might have come along with his father, and that he might have been allured to her embraces. There was a great deal of plot and contrivance in Tamar's sin.
1.She took an opportunity for it, when Judah had a time of mirth and feasting with his sheep-shearers. Note, Time of jollity often prove times of temptation, particularly to the sin of uncleanness; when men are fed to the full, the reins are apt to be let loose.
2.She exposed herself as a harlot in an open place, Gen 38:14. Those that are, and would be, chaste, must be keepers at home, Tit 2:5. It should seem, it was the custom of harlots, in those times, to cover their faces, that, though they were not ashamed, yet they might seem to be so. The sin of uncleanness did not then go so barefaced as it does now.
II.Judah was taken in the snare, and though it was ignorantly that he was guilty of incest with his daughter-in-law (not knowing who she was), yet he was willfully guilty of fornication: whoever she was, he knew she was not his wife, and therefore not to be touched. Nor was his sin capable, in the least, of such a charitable excuse as some make for Tamar, that though the action was bad the intention possibly might be good. Observe,
1.Judah's sin began in the eye (Gen 38:15): He saw her. Note, Those have eyes, and hearts too, full of adultery (as it is Pe2 2:14), that catch at every bait that presents itself to them and are as tinder to every spark. We have need to make a covenant with our eyes, and to turn them from beholding vanity, lest the eye infect the heart.
2.It added to the scandal that the hire of a harlot (than which nothing is more infamous) was demanded, offered, and accepted - a kid from the flock, a goodly price at which her chastity and honour were valued! Nay, had the consideration been thousands of rams, and ten thousand rivers of oil, it had not been a valuable consideration. The favour of God, the purity of the soul, the peace of conscience, and the hope of heaven, are too precious to be exposed to sale at any such rates; the Topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal them: what are those profited that lose their souls to gain the world?
3.It turned to the reproach of Judah that he left his jewels in pawn for a kid. Note, Fleshly lusts are not only brutish, but sottish, and ruining to men's secular interests. It is plain that whoredom, as well as wine, and new wine, takes away the heart first, else it would never take away the signet and the bracelets.
III.He lost his jewels by the bargain; he sent the kid, according to this promise, to redeem his pawn, but the supposed harlot could not be found. He sent it by his friend (who was indeed his back-friend, because he was aiding and abetting in his evil deeds) the Adullamite, who came back without the pledge. It is a good account (if it be but true) of any place which they here gave, there is no harlot in this place; for such sinners are the scandals and plagues of any place. Judah sits down content to lose his signet and his bracelets, and forbids his friend to make any further enquiry after them, giving this reason, lest we be shamed, Gen 38:23. Either,
1.Lest his sin should come to be known publicly, and be talked of. Fornication and uncleanness have ever been looked upon as scandalous things and the reproach and shame of those that are convicted of them. Nothing will make those blush that are not ashamed of these.
2.Lest he should be laughed at as a fool for trusting a strumpet with his signet and his bracelets. He expresses no concern about the sin, to get that pardoned, only about the shame, to prevent that. Note, There are many who are more solicitous to preserve their reputation with men than to secure the favour of God and a good conscience; lest we be shamed goes further with them than lest we be damned.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
When Shelah had become a young man and Judah did not wish to bring her back to his house, Tamar thought, “How can I make the Hebrews realize that it is not marriage for which I am hungering, but rather that I am yearning for the blessing that is hidden in them? Although I am able to have relations with Shelah, I would not be able to make my faith victorious through Shelah. I ought then to have relations with Judah so that by the treasure I receive, I might enrich my poverty, and in the widowhood I preserve, I might make it clear that I did not desire marriage.”
Because Tamar was afraid lest Judah find out and kill her in vengeance for his two sons of whose deaths she was accused, she, like Eliezer, asked for a sign saying, “Let your knowledge not condemn me for this act of desire, for you know that it is for what is hidden in the Hebrews that I thirst. I do not know whether this thing is pleasing to you or not. Grant that I may appear to him in another guise lest he kill me. [Grant] also that an invitation to lie with him might be found in his mouth, so that I may know that it is acceptable to you that the treasure, which is hidden in the circumcised, might be transmitted even through a daughter of the uncircumcised. May it be that, when he sees me, he will say to me, ‘Come, let me come into you.’ ”
So, buoyed up with these promises Tamar sat in her father’s house, the text says, waiting for her father-in-law’s promise to take effect. When she saw that Judah was not prepared to honor his promise, for a while she accepted it mildly, forbearing to have relations with another man, being content with her widowhood and waiting for a suitable opportunity. She was anxious, you see, to have children by her father-in-law. When she saw her mother-in-law die and Judah make for Timnah to shear the flocks, she wished to obtain by stealth intercourse with her father-in-law and desired to have children by him, not out of incontinence—perish the thought—but to avoid appearing to be some nameless person. As a matter of fact, what happened was by divine design, and the result was that her scheme took effect.
(Verse 14) And he sat at the gate of Enaim, which is on the road to Thamna. The Hebrew phrase Enaim (), is translated as 'in the eyes.' Therefore, it is not a place name, but rather a description. He sat at a crossroads or a junction where a traveler must carefully look to choose the right path.
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Summary
Genesis 38:14 describes Tamar's calculated and transformative actions to secure her rightful place and lineage within Judah's family. By shedding her widow's attire, adopting a disguise through veiling and wrapping herself, and strategically positioning herself in a public, visible location on the road to Timnath, she initiates a bold plan to compel Judah to fulfill the levirate obligation he had deliberately neglected, driven by his son Shelah's maturity and her continued exclusion from the family.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is a pivotal moment in the narrative of Judah and Tamar, which serves as a significant interlude within the larger Joseph story in Genesis. Immediately prior, Judah has failed to uphold his promise to give Tamar his youngest son, Shelah, in levirate marriage, despite Shelah having come of age (Genesis 38:11). Tamar's two previous husbands, Er and Onan, had died, leaving her a childless widow. Her actions in this verse directly follow Judah's continued negligence and set the stage for the dramatic encounter that will lead to the birth of Perez and Zerah, crucial ancestors in the Messianic line. The narrative highlights themes of justice, lineage, and divine providence amidst human failings.
Historical & Cultural Context
The custom of levirate marriage (Hebrew: yibbum) was a deeply ingrained social and legal obligation in the ancient Near East, later codified in Israelite law (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). Its primary purpose was to ensure the continuation of a deceased man's lineage and to provide for his widow, preventing her from becoming destitute. A childless widow was particularly vulnerable, often without social standing or economic security. Judah's reluctance to give Shelah to Tamar, fearing he too would die, was a breach of this sacred custom and a grave injustice to Tamar. Her disguise as a veiled woman sitting by the road was a common tactic for cultic prostitutes (qedesha) or ordinary harlots, making her strategy culturally plausible for her intended deception.
Key Themes
The chapter, and this verse in particular, contributes to several overarching themes in Genesis and the broader biblical narrative. It underscores the importance of lineage and covenant promises, demonstrating God's sovereign hand in preserving the ancestral line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even through unconventional means. The theme of righteousness and justice is prominent, as Tamar's unconventional actions are ultimately deemed "more righteous" than Judah's inaction (Genesis 38:26). Furthermore, it illustrates God's use of the marginalized, as Tamar, a foreign woman and a vulnerable widow, becomes an unexpected instrument in God's plan. This narrative also explores the complexities of human morality and God's ability to work through imperfect individuals and situations to achieve His divine purposes.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root, translated as "put off" or "remove," signifies a deliberate act of turning away or departing from something. In this context, Tamar's "putting off" her widow's garments (H899, H491) is not merely a change of clothing but a symbolic and intentional shedding of her former status and the public identity associated with her grief and vulnerability. It marks a decisive break from passive waiting and an active step towards reclaiming her agency.
Meaning "to cover" or "to conceal," this verb describes Tamar's action of "covering her with a vail" (H6809) and "wrapping herself" (H5968). This act of concealment was crucial for her disguise. While veiling was common, in this specific context, it served to obscure her true identity, allowing her to be mistaken for a woman of the street or a cultic prostitute, which was essential for her plan to intercept Judah without immediate recognition.
Meaning "an opening, door, gate, or entrance way," and ʻayin (Hebrew, ʻayin'): Meaning "an eye" or "a fountain," these two words combine to form the phrase "open place" (פֶּתַח עֵינַיִם, pethach enayim). This phrase literally means "the opening of the eyes" or "the entrance of Enaim," but contextually refers to a public, visible, and well-traveled location, often a crossroads or a place of public gathering. Tamar's choice to "sit in an open place" was a highly strategic decision, ensuring she would be seen and encountered by Judah as he traveled along the "way to Timnath" (H1870, H8553).
Verse Breakdown
"And she put her widow's garments off from her"
This initial action signifies Tamar's deliberate rejection of her prescribed social role as a passive, grieving widow. Her "widow's garments" symbolized her state of bereavement and dependence. By removing them, she symbolically sheds her vulnerability and prepares to take active control of her destiny, moving from a state of waiting to one of strategic action.
"and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself"
This describes the critical act of disguise. The "vail" (or veil) and the act of "wrapping herself" were essential to obscure her identity, allowing her to be mistaken for a harlot. This was a calculated move to avoid immediate recognition by Judah and to facilitate the encounter she planned, leveraging societal assumptions about veiled women in public places.
"and sat in an open place, which [is] by the way to Timnath"
Tamar's strategic positioning is highlighted here. An "open place" (Hebrew: pethach enayim) denotes a public, visible, and frequented location, likely a crossroads or an entrance to a town. Her choice of a spot "by the way to Timnath" was precise, as she knew Judah would be traveling that route for sheep-shearing, ensuring their fateful encounter. This demonstrates her careful planning and determination.
"for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife"
This clause reveals Tamar's profound motivation. Judah had promised her Shelah in levirate marriage once he was grown, but had failed to fulfill this promise, fearing Shelah would die like his brothers. Tamar, recognizing Shelah's maturity and Judah's continued deceit and neglect, understood her precarious and unjust situation as a childless widow with no heir or secure future. Her desperate actions were a direct response to Judah's dereliction of his patriarchal and familial duty.
Literary Devices
The narrative in Genesis 38:14 employs several powerful literary devices. Symbolism is prominent in Tamar's actions; her shedding of "widow's garments" symbolizes her rejection of a passive, dependent status and her active pursuit of justice and lineage. Her "vail" and "wrapping" symbolize the deliberate concealment of her identity, allowing her to assume a persona that facilitates her strategic deception. There is a strong element of Irony in the story, as Tamar, through an act of deception that appears morally ambiguous, ultimately demonstrates greater righteousness than Judah, who is in a position of authority but fails in his familial duty. The very means by which she is mistaken for a harlot leads to the continuation of the Messianic line, a profound reversal of expectations. Furthermore, the verse subtly uses Foreshadowing by setting in motion the events that will lead to the birth of Perez, an ancestor of King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ, hinting at God's sovereign hand working through human complexity to achieve His redemptive purposes.
Theological and Thematic Connections
The story of Tamar, encapsulated in this pivotal verse, profoundly illustrates God's sovereign providence working through complex human circumstances, even those involving deception and moral ambiguity, to preserve His covenant promises and the lineage of the Messiah. Tamar's desperate pursuit of justice and her right to an heir, though unconventional, ultimately serves God's larger redemptive plan, highlighting His capacity to use unexpected individuals and situations to achieve His purposes. The narrative underscores the critical importance of lineage in ancient Israelite society and God's faithfulness in ensuring the continuation of the Abrahamic covenant through the generations.
Reflection and Application
Tamar's narrative in Genesis 38:14 challenges us to look beyond conventional morality and consider the deeper currents of justice, faithfulness, and divine providence. While her methods were deceptive, her underlying motivation was a profound desire for justice and the preservation of lineage, which was paramount in her cultural context. Her story reminds us that God's plans are not always executed through perfect people or straightforward means, but often through complex, flawed human agents and unexpected circumstances. It prompts us to reflect on our own responsibilities to uphold commitments, especially to the vulnerable, and to consider how we might pursue justice when faced with injustice. Ultimately, it encourages us to trust in God's sovereign hand, even when His working seems inscrutable, and to recognize that true righteousness can manifest in surprising ways.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Tamar resort to such a deceptive plan?
Tamar's actions were a desperate and calculated measure driven by Judah's repeated failure to fulfill his promise of levirate marriage with Shelah, his youngest son, despite Shelah having reached maturity (Genesis 38:11). As a childless widow in ancient society, she faced a precarious future without an heir, a secure place in Judah's household, or the continuation of her deceased husband's lineage. Her plan, though deceptive, was a strategic attempt to secure her rightful place and ensure the continuation of the family line, which was paramount for identity and inheritance.
Does the Bible condone Tamar's deception?
The Bible narrates Tamar's deception without explicitly endorsing it as a moral ideal. However, the narrative implicitly affirms her actions by presenting her as "more righteous" than Judah (Genesis 38:26), who had failed in his patriarchal and levirate responsibilities. The story highlights God's ability to work through complex human situations, even those involving moral ambiguity, to achieve His redemptive purposes, particularly in preserving the lineage through which the Messiah would ultimately come. It emphasizes God's sovereignty over human choices and circumstances.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The story of Tamar, particularly her determined pursuit of lineage as depicted in Genesis 38:14, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in her explicit inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3). Her actions, born of a desperate need for justice and the continuation of a family line, ultimately contributed to the very lineage from which the Savior of the world would descend. This inclusion underscores God's sovereign hand in preserving the Messianic line through unexpected and often challenging circumstances, demonstrating His capacity to work through flawed human actions and unconventional means to bring about His ultimate redemptive plan. Tamar's story is a powerful testament to God's grace and faithfulness, showing that His purposes transcend human failings and that He can use the marginalized and overlooked to accomplish His divine will, ultimately leading to the incarnation of the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.