Daughter-in-law of Judah; ancestress of Christ
c. 1900 BC · Old Testament
The Canaanite woman married to Judah's sons — twice widowed — who took drastic action to secure her right under levirate marriage, exposing Judah's failure and entering Christ's genealogy (Matthew 1:3).
Tamar's story is in Genesis 38 — a passage that interrupts the Joseph narrative and exposes Judah's character. (1) Marriages and widowhoods. Tamar was a Canaanite woman whom Judah married to his eldest son Er. 'Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him' (Genesis 38:7). By levirate custom, Judah's second son Onan was to marry Tamar to raise up offspring for Er. Onan spilled his seed on the ground to avoid producing an heir for his brother. 'The thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also' (Genesis 38:10) — 'Onan's sin' has given English the word 'onanism.' (2) Judah's fear. Judah feared his third son Shelah would also die. He told Tamar: 'Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown' (Genesis 38:11) — but had no intention of giving Shelah to her. (3) Tamar's action. Years passed. Shelah was grown but not given to Tamar. When Judah went to shear sheep at Timnath, Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and waited by the road. Judah, recently widowed and unaware, propositioned her. As payment, she demanded his signet, bracelets, and staff as pledge until he sent a kid. Judah agreed. He sent the kid, but the woman was gone. He gave up trying to find her. (4) The discovery. Three months later, Tamar was reported pregnant by harlotry. Judah ordered her burned. As she was being brought out, she sent her father-in-law's identifying items: 'By the man, whose these are, am I with child... Discern, I pray thee, whose are these.' Judah confessed: 'She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son' (Genesis 38:25-26). (5) The twins. Tamar bore twins, Perez and Zerah. Perez became an ancestor of David — and ultimately of Christ. Matthew 1:3 — 'Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar.' (6) Significance. Tamar is one of four women named in Christ's genealogy (with Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba) — all outsiders or scandalous, all showing God's grace working through morally complex situations. The story exposes Judah's hypocrisy and Tamar's desperate courage. Tamar acted in a context where she had no good options — and Judah recognized she was 'more righteous than I.' (7) Theological lessons. (a) God works through morally complex stories. (b) Outsiders and the marginalized are in God's purposes. (c) God's grace transcends respectability — Tamar's pregnancy began in deception but produced the messianic line. (d) Judah's later character (Genesis 44 — offering himself for Benjamin) suggests this experience humbled him.
Twice widowed
Sends her home to wait
Drastic action
"She hath been more righteous than I"
Twins
Ancestress of the Messiah
Tamar's significance: (1) She is one of four women named in Christ's genealogy — all outsiders or scandalous. (2) Her story exposes Judah's hypocrisy and shows that he eventually recognized his sin. (3) She represents courage in the face of injustice — she had no legal recourse and took drastic action. (4) The messianic line came through her — God working through morally complex situations. (5) The mention in Matthew 1:3 is one of the most surprising in any genealogy — and reveals the Bible's honesty.
“Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.”— Genesis 38:25
Tamar was the Canaanite daughter-in-law of Judah (Genesis 38). She married Judah's son Er, who died. By levirate custom, she married Judah's son Onan, who also died. Judah refused to give her his third son Shelah. Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute, became pregnant by Judah, and exposed his hypocrisy. She bore twins, including Perez — an ancestor of Christ (Matthew 1:3).
Genesis 38:26. Judah recognized that Tamar's deception, while problematic, was less wrong than his own failure to fulfill his legal obligation of levirate marriage. He had withheld his son Shelah, condemning Tamar to perpetual widowhood without children — a grim fate. Her drastic action was the only way to secure her legal right. Judah's confession 'she has been more righteous than I' is a moment of genuine repentance.
Matthew 1:3 — 'Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar.' Tamar is one of four women named in Christ's genealogy (with Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba) — all outsiders or scandalous. Their inclusion reveals (1) God's grace working through morally complex stories, (2) God's heart for the marginalized, (3) the inclusion of Gentiles in God's plan, and (4) the Bible's honesty about the human messiness behind the messianic line.
Yes. Three notable Tamars: (1) Tamar of Genesis 38 (this entry). (2) Tamar daughter of David, raped by her half-brother Amnon (2 Samuel 13). (3) Tamar daughter of Absalom (2 Samuel 14:27). The most famous biblically is Tamar in the genealogy of Christ (the first), but the Tamar of 2 Samuel 13 is one of the most painful narratives in Scripture, exposing the consequences of David's sin in his family.