Judah and Tamar
text: Genesis 38
Structure:
A. 38:1-5, Birth of Judah's children
B. 38:6-11, promise of giving Shelah as a husband
C. 38:12-18, Tamar got the pledge items
C'. 38:19-23, Judah can not retrieve his pledge items
B'. 38:24-26, Judah confesses that didn't gave Shelah to Tamar
A'. 38:27-30, Birth of Judah's children
Comments: There are at least two things that should be said before the comments. First, the length of this story. It takes maybe 5 minutes to read it, but when one puts the years of boys being born, get married, dye, and for Judah to have it right – the span of the narrative occupy 20+ years. Therefore, Judah comes to his senses about the same time when he takes personal responsibilities over the safety of Benjamin (Genesis 43:8) along with stepping up as the spokesman for the brothers negotiating with Joseph whom they have did not recognize (Genesis 44:18). That connects the story with the future part of the narrative – and it is the second point to know prior to the reading. Genesis's author carefully places Judah and Tamar story here to show his conversion and not to intervene the Joseph narrative in the future. We need to understand how Judah converts from being irresponsible selfish man to the head of the household who will end up being the heir of Jacob's blessings, becoming the ruling tribe (Genesis 49:8-12). Now to the text!
