seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 38:12 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.
13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.
13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.
Now, Judah had promised that if Tamar waited until the third son, Shelah, was old enough, then he would give her to that son. It's been quite some time now and Shelah "had now grown up" and poor Tamar is still left to be a destitute widow. Since she was married to one of Judah's sons, it was Judah who decided her fate. No one else could marry her.
The commentary at Christianity.com discusses Judah's possible reasoning.
Shelah the third son was reserved for the widow, yet with design that he should not marry so young as his brothers had done, lest he die also. Some think that Judah never intended to marry Shelah to Tamar, but unjustly suspected her to have been the death of her two former husbands, (whereas it was their own wickedness that slew them) and then sent her to her father's house, with a charge to remain a widow. If so, it was an inexcusable piece of prevarication; however Tamar acquiesced, and waited for the issue.
Freebiblecommentary.org sets the stage.
We are still not given her name. Judah had been monogamous and cared very much for this Canaanite lady.
Shearing time was a time of festivity (1 Sam. 25:4, 36). It was in the later tribal allocation of Judah (Jos. 15:57). This geographical location is famous because of its connection with Samson.
Shearing time was a time of festivity (1 Sam. 25:4, 36). It was in the later tribal allocation of Judah (Jos. 15:57). This geographical location is famous because of its connection with Samson.
So she knew where Judah would be. She also knew that he'd be drinking and lonely. Reading about this family feels like reading a soap opera.
