Genesis 38:1-12
Relax, Read and Reflect
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Judah and Tamar
1 At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah. 2 There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and lay with her; 3 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er. 4 She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. 5 She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.
6 Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death.
8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother." 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the LORD's sight; so he put him to death also.
11 Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up." For he thought, "He may die too, just like his brothers." So Tamar went to live in her father's house.
12 After a long time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.
This all takes place in an expanded period of time. Judah, Joseph’s half-brother, did not live a moral life, and his sons did not either. When the oldest son died before having children, by law his little brother took his wife. This was to insure that there would be children to receive inheritance and could take care of the widow. Kind of ancient Social Security. Little brother did not want to have children with Tamar, because they would be considered children of his dead older brother. What did he do? Before he "lay with her, he spilled his semen on the ground, he masturbated. God did not like this, so he killed him as well.
Judah became suspicious of Tamar, thinking that since she was the common factor in the death of his two oldest sons, she was out of favor with God. Therefore, he was not in a big hurry to give her to his third son.
This little episode may seem more gross than wicked, but Judah and his sons were not in favor with God, and would not follow the laws of their fathers. Do we dis-obey our ancestors, and do things the way we think will work best for us? Do we follow Gods laws, or do we always want to do our own thing?
Prayer- Lord, help me learn from my fathers and follow your laws. Assist me in living a life that models your teaching. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do- Read Genesis 38:13-30
Prayer-Lord, Open my heart and open my mind and help me learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Judah and Tamar
1 At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah. 2 There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and lay with her; 3 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er. 4 She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. 5 She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.
6 Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the LORD's sight; so the LORD put him to death.
8 Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother." 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. 10 What he did was wicked in the LORD's sight; so he put him to death also.
11 Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, "Live as a widow in your father's house until my son Shelah grows up." For he thought, "He may die too, just like his brothers." So Tamar went to live in her father's house.
12 After a long time Judah's wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.
This all takes place in an expanded period of time. Judah, Joseph’s half-brother, did not live a moral life, and his sons did not either. When the oldest son died before having children, by law his little brother took his wife. This was to insure that there would be children to receive inheritance and could take care of the widow. Kind of ancient Social Security. Little brother did not want to have children with Tamar, because they would be considered children of his dead older brother. What did he do? Before he "lay with her, he spilled his semen on the ground, he masturbated. God did not like this, so he killed him as well.
Judah became suspicious of Tamar, thinking that since she was the common factor in the death of his two oldest sons, she was out of favor with God. Therefore, he was not in a big hurry to give her to his third son.
This little episode may seem more gross than wicked, but Judah and his sons were not in favor with God, and would not follow the laws of their fathers. Do we dis-obey our ancestors, and do things the way we think will work best for us? Do we follow Gods laws, or do we always want to do our own thing?
Prayer- Lord, help me learn from my fathers and follow your laws. Assist me in living a life that models your teaching. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.
Things to do- Read Genesis 38:13-30
posted by Steve Killam TMTL | 9:53 PM
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