In Genesis 38, Judah is a patriarch who possesses wealth, status, impunity and power. He bears the seal that proved his identity on a cord around his neck, and the staff that symbolised his position in his hand. But Judah has a problem, because his eldest son has died before fathering a son of his own. The family line must be continued. His name must be perpetuated.
Fortunately, Judah has not only an heir, but a spare. So, the widow Tamar is passed on to Onan, his second son. She can have a child through him.
But now Onan has a problem. Because if he fathers a child with Tamar, law and custom will reckon that child to his dead brother. How is his family line going to continue? How is his name going to be propagated? So Onan takes steps to ensure that Tamar does not become pregnant (38:9). And then he dies. There’s no way Judah’s giving Tamar to the third son. Far too much of a risk. So he acts to protect his own interests. He sends his daughter-in-law back to her father. And Tamar, who’d married into the family of the covenant, has now been put back out.
Judah’s problem has now become Tamar’s problem. But for her, the consequences of the problem are quite different. What is at stake for Judah and Onan? The perpetuation of their name. Their honour. But what is at stake for Tamar? Her place within the people of God.
For Judah and Onan, the problem is about personal status, pride even. For Tamar, the threat is existential. Is she part of the covenanted family, or not? Is she under the protection of Yahweh’s wings or not? The stakes could not have been higher.
Expendable Pawn
Judah responds to his problem by moving the pawns around. He first marries Tamar to Onan and then next, sends twice-widowed Tamar home to her father. But Tamar doesn’t have pawns to move around. She doesn’t have Judah’s wealth, status, power or impunity. Her options are considerably more limited. But she knows two things. She knows that she nearly – so nearly! – became part of God’s great story. And she knows that she is facing the existential threat of being written out of it. What to do?
