Genesis 38 is the story of Judah, Tamar, and a reckoning that cuts through one of the most morally complex chapters in the Pentateuch. Set apart from the Joseph narrative surrounding it, this chapter follows Judah’s departure from his brothers, two sons struck dead by God, and a daughter-in-law who forces a father-in-l
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Lyrics
At that time Judah went down from his brothers And visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua He took her and went in to her
She conceived and bore a son and he named him Er She conceived again and bore a son and she named him Onan She yet again bore a son and named him Shelah He was at Chezib when she bore him Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn and her name was Tamar
Er Judah’s firstborn was wicked in the LORD’s sight So the LORD killed him Judah said to Onan go in to your brother’s wife And perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her And raise up offspring for your brother Onan knew that the offspring would not be his
And when he went in to his brother’s wife He spilled his semen on the ground lest he should give offspring to his brother The thing which he did was evil in the LORD’s sight And he killed him also Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law Remain a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son is grown up
For he said lest he also die like his brothers Tamar went and lived in her father’s house After many days Shua’s daughter the wife of Judah died Judah was comforted and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah He and his friend Hirah the Adullamite Tamar was told behold your father-in-law is going up to Timnah
She took off the garments of her widowhood And covered herself with her veil and wrapped herself And sat in the gate of Enaim which is on the way to Timnah For she saw that Shelah was grown up And she was not given to him as a wife
When Judah saw her he thought that she was a prostitute For she had covered her face He turned to her by the way and said Please come let me come in to you For he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law She said what will you give me that you may come in to me?
He said I will send you a young goat from the flock She said will you give me a pledge until you send it? He said what pledge will I give you? She said your signet and your cord And your staff that is in your hand He gave them to her and came in to her And she conceived by him
She arose and went away and put off her veil from her And put on the garments of her widowhood Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite To receive the pledge from the woman’s hand But he did not find her Then he asked the men of her place saying
Where is the prostitute that was at Enaim by the road? They said there has been no prostitute here He returned to Judah and said I have not found her And also the men of the place said there has been no prostitute here Judah said let her keep it lest we be shamed Behold I sent this young goat and you have not found her
About three months later Judah was told Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the prostitute Moreover behold she is with child by prostitution Judah said bring her out and let her be burnt When she was brought out she sent to her father-in-law Saying I am with child by the man who owns these Judah acknowledged them and said She is more righteous than I Because I did not give her to Shelah my son
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Genesis 38 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.