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Chapter 37
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Genesis, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
God, Humanity, and Creation
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises
The Role of Women
Summary
Analysis
Around this time, Judah settles apart from his brothers and marries a Canaanite woman named Shua; they have several sons. When it’s time for Judah’s son Er to marry, Judah finds him a wife named Tamar. But Er is wicked and is put to death by the LORD. So Judah tells another son, Onan, to sleep with Tamar in order to beget offspring for Er. But Onan spills his semen on the ground, not wanting to beget offspring that won’t be considered his. The LORD puts Onan to death for this. Judah then plans to have his younger son, Shelah, marry Tamar one day, but he tells Tamar to return to her father’s house for the time being.
Especially with its graphic sexual content, this chapter seems like a diversion from the narrative. However, as the ancestor of one of the major tribes of Israel, Judah is a forerunner of the line of King David, which is probably why his offspring are discussed. Under Judah’s authority, Tamar is serially married to Judah’s sons. Onan is told to undertake what’s called a levirate marriage—begetting children for his brother’s childless widow—which is discussed in the books of Deuteronomy and Ruth. However, he selfishly (in the view of the time) demurs from this duty.
Themes
Eventually Judah’s wife Shua dies. When Tamar hears that Judah is shearing his sheep nearby, she changes out of widows’ clothes and veils herself, then sits by the road. When Judah sees her, he doesn’t recognize her and thinks she’s a prostitute. When he asks to sleep with her, Tamar requests the pledge of Judah’s signet, cord, and staff until he can pay her properly with a goat. Tamar conceives and goes home, taking the items with her.
Tamar has been waiting for Judah to marry her to his next youngest son, Shelah, but Judah delays. It seems that Tamar decided to take initiative to remind Judah of his promise. However, Tamar’s lone appearance by the roadside seems to have given Judah a different impression. More than anything, Judah is driven by the desire for his own gratification.
Themes
When Judah tries to send the promised goat, nobody knows where to find this prostitute, so Judah gives up. Three months later, Judah is told that Tamar has become pregnant, and he orders that she be burned to death for “whoredom.” But when Tamar reveals Judah’s signet, cord, and staff, Judah acknowledges his fault and says he should have allowed Shelah and Tamar to marry sooner. Later, Tamar gives birth to twins, Perez and Zerah.
Tamar is vindicated because she wisely insisted on keeping some of Judah’s possessions after his encounter with her. When Tamar shows proof of Judah’s fatherhood, Judah admits it, showing an uncharacteristic humility which becomes significant later. Perez is an ancestor of King David.
Themes
