Judah separates from his brothers and marries a Canaanite woman. He has three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er marries Tamar, but because of his wickedness, God takes his life. Judah instructs Onan to fulfill his duty by fathering children for Tamar, but Onan refuses, leading to his death. Judah tells Tamar to wait until Shelah grows up, but he does not keep his promise. A passage that explores themes of responsibility, justice, and divine intervention. Judah’s sons, Er and Onan, both face consequences for their actions, while Tamar is left in a vulnerable position, waiting for Judah to honor his promise. Go and sleep … wife In Israel if a man died without children, one of his brothers would take the widow. If a child was born, it would be considered the dead man’s child. In ancient Israel, the practice you’re describing is known as levirate marriage, which was meant to preserve a family’s lineage. If a man died without children, his brother was expected to marry the widow and produce an heir in the deceased brother’s name (as outlined in Deuteronomy 25:5-10). If there were no brothers available, things could become more complicated. In some cases, another close male relative, such as an uncle or cousin, might step in. A well-known example of this is Boaz in the Book of Ruth, he was not a brother to Ruth’s deceased husband but acted as a “kinsman-redeemer” to marry her and continue the family line. If no male relative was willing or able, the widow’s future was uncertain. She might return to her father’s household or live independently. Some women, like Tamar in Genesis 38, took matters into their own hands to ensure their lineage continued.

It reads in Genesis 38:1-11 Easy: About that time, Judah left his brothers and went to stay with a man named Hirah from the town of Adullam. Judah met a Canaanite girl there and married her. The girl’s father was named Shua. The Canaanite girl gave birth to a son and named him Er. Later, she gave birth to another son and named him Onan. Then she had another son named Shelah. Judah lived in Kezib when his third son was born. Judah chose a woman named Tamar to be the wife of his first son Er. But Er did many bad things. The LORD was not happy with him, so the LORD killed him. Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Go and sleep with your dead brother’s wife. Become like a husband to her. If children are born, they will belong to your brother Er.” Onan knew that the children from this union would not belong to him. He had sexual relations with Tamar, but he did not allow himself to stay inside her. This made the LORD angry. So, he killed Onan also. Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Go back to your father’s house. Stay there and don’t marry until my young son Shelah grows up.” Judah was afraid that Shelah would also be killed like his brothers. So, Tamar went back to her father’s home.


Father God, I thank You and praise You that in times of uncertainty, we turn to You, our guide, our protector, our source of justice and truth. You see every heart, every choice, every hidden moment. Just as Tamar faced uncertainty, teach us to trust in Your plan, even when the path before us is unclear. Give us wisdom to navigate life’s challenges, Integrity to uphold righteousness, courage and perseverance to walk in faith. Knowing that Your justice prevails in ways beyond our understanding. Help us to wait patiently for Your timing, to trust in Your provision, and to lean on Your grace when hope feels distant. Thank You for being a God who sees, who provides, and who brings restoration. May we live with faith, knowing that Your promises endure. Love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the honor and glory in Jesus Precious Name Amen.