“Genesis 38:20-26”

Sunday, March 22, 2020

“When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. He asked the men of her place, saying, 'Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?' But they said, 'There has been no temple prostitute here.' So he returned to Judah, and said, 'I did not find her; and furthermore, the men of the place said, “There has been no temple prostitute here.”' Then Judah said, 'Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.' Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, 'Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry.' Then Judah said, 'Bring her out and let her be burned!' It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, 'I am with child by the man to whom these things belong.' And she said, 'Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these?' Judah recognized them, and said, 'She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah.' And he did not have relations with her again.”

---End of Scripture verses---

“When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her.” (verse 20) Judah sent payment for services rendered by the hand of his friend Hirah, but it was as if “the woman” had simply vanished. “The relationship had been so casual that he had not even bothered to find out her name.” (Nahum Sarna) Hiram inquired of the whereabouts of the prostitute that so recently haunted the vicinity, but the men of the city replied “There has been no temple prostitute here” (verse 21).

Then Judah said, 'Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock.” (verse 23) When Hirah returned with the perplexing news, Judah shrugged it off and exclaimed that the woman could just keep his personal belongings. He had made a sincere attempt to keep his end of the unholy bargain, and he wasn't about to go on a missing persons hunt just to get his stuff back. If he pursued the matter any further, he would only reveal himself to have been outwitted by a harlot, and the natives would make sport of him taking him for a total fool. “Though not afraid to sin against God, Judah was pained at the idea of losing his reputation before men” (Pulpit Commentary).

“Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, 'Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry.'” (verse 24) After three months Tamar could no longer conceal her little secret because she had become visibly pregnant. And of course, people could not wait to spread the dirt and inform her father-in-law that Tamar had behaved disgracefully. Judah was more than eager to cast the first stone, and his immediate response was to “bring her out and let her be burned” in adulterous shame and infamy. Not even the self-righteous Judah knew that he was the wretch that she had played the harlot with, but that bomb was soon to be deftly dropped on his haughty head.

“It was while she was being brought out that she sent to her father-in-law, saying, 'I am with child by the man to whom these things belong.'” (verse 25) Tamar held her peace and kept her cool until the very moment she was being dragged out to face her accuser and meet her fiery doom. But even in the face of a finale in flames, Tamar refrained from calling Judah directly out by name and publicly humiliating him in the presence of his peers. By discretely saying “'Please examine and see, whose signet ring and cords and staff are these,” she was effectively speaking the future words of the prophet Nathan to the hypocritical King David: “Thou art the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7)

“Judah recognized them, and said, 'She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah.'” (verse 26) Judah had been outfoxed by a widow and ensnared in a trap of his own making, and that reality hit him in the face with the force of a battering ram. He knew he was guilty of the greater sin and was forced to swallow his words along with his pride and admit that she had behaved righteously in comparison to him. “And he did not have relations with her again." He did not repeat his sin either because of repentance or embarrassment, but neither did he marry her and legitimize the union and child. But at least Judah was man enough to own up to his guilt and make no excuses for his actions.

Please read Genesis 38:27-30 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed Lord's Day!

-Louie Taylor

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