Person in the Old and New Testaments
Tamar (Judah's daughter-in-law)
Tamar: the pledges that identify Judah
Portrait: an AI-generated artistic interpretation, not evidence of how Tamar looked.
Who Tamar is
Tamar is introduced as the wife Judah chooses for his firstborn son Er. After the Lord kills Er for his wickedness, Judah tells Onan to raise offspring for his brother through Tamar. Onan refuses to provide that offspring, and the Lord kills him too. Judah sends Tamar to her father's house until Shelah grows up, but she is not given to him even after he is grown. Learning that Judah is travelling to Timnath, she removes her widow's clothing and veils herself. Judah mistakes her for a prostitute without recognizing his daughter-in-law. Tamar obtains pledges from him, including his seal and staff. He has sex with her, and she conceives. When Judah orders her burned after hearing of her pregnancy, she sends the pledges to identify the father. He acknowledges that she is more righteous than he because he withheld Shelah. Tamar gives birth to the twins Perez and Zerah.
Cited passages: Genesis 38:6, Genesis 38:7, Genesis 38:8, Genesis 38:9, Genesis 38:10, Genesis 38:11, Genesis 38:12, Genesis 38:13, Genesis 38:14, Genesis 38:15, Genesis 38:16, Genesis 38:17, Genesis 38:18, Genesis 38:19, Genesis 38:20, Genesis 38:21, Genesis 38:22, Genesis 38:23, Genesis 38:24, Genesis 38:25, Genesis 38:26, Genesis 38:27, Genesis 38:28, Genesis 38:29, Genesis 38:30
Historical setting
The episode places Tamar within Judah's household, first as Er's wife and then as a widow sent back to her father's home. Judah's instruction to Onan and his unfulfilled promise concerning Shelah make the continuation of the dead son's line central to the dispute. The text names Tamar but does not identify her parents or ethnicity; Judah's Canaanite wife is a different woman. Later, the witnesses in Ruth invoke the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, in their blessing of Boaz's household. First Chronicles records her twins, and Matthew includes Tamar, written Thamar in KJV, in the genealogy leading to Jesus. These references concern Judah's daughter-in-law, not a later woman of the same name.
Cited passages: Genesis 38:2, Genesis 38:3, Genesis 38:4, Genesis 38:5, Genesis 38:6, Genesis 38:7, Genesis 38:8, Genesis 38:9, Genesis 38:10, Genesis 38:11, Genesis 38:12, Genesis 38:13, Genesis 38:14, Ruth 4:12, 1 Chronicles 2:3, 1 Chronicles 2:4, 1 Chronicles 2:5, Matthew 1:3
How the story is told
Recognition turns Judah's accusation back upon his own conduct. He does not recognize Tamar beneath the veil, but he recognizes the objects she retained, and his words explain the reversal in his judgment. The narrative attributes the judgment that she is more righteous to Judah and gives his reason: he had not given her to Shelah. His mistaken identification of a prostitute does not establish Tamar's occupation. The story then moves from the threatened ending of her life to the birth of twins. At the birth, the child first marked with a scarlet thread draws back his hand, and his brother emerges first. Later genealogies continue through Perez without adding an unreported later biography for Tamar.
Cited passages: Genesis 38:14, Genesis 38:15, Genesis 38:16, Genesis 38:17, Genesis 38:18, Genesis 38:19, Genesis 38:20, Genesis 38:21, Genesis 38:22, Genesis 38:23, Genesis 38:24, Genesis 38:25, Genesis 38:26, Genesis 38:27, Genesis 38:28, Genesis 38:29, Genesis 38:30, Ruth 4:18, Ruth 4:19, Ruth 4:20, Ruth 4:21, Ruth 4:22, Matthew 1:3, Matthew 1:4, Matthew 1:5, Matthew 1:6
Story moments
- Married to Er (Genesis 38:6). Judah chooses Tamar as the wife of his firstborn son.
- Sent to her father's house (Genesis 38:11). Judah tells Tamar to remain a widow until Shelah is grown.
- Shelah is withheld (Genesis 38:14). Tamar sees that Shelah is grown but that she has not been given to him as wife.
- The identifying pledges (Genesis 38:18). Tamar receives Judah's personal objects as pledges and conceives by him.
- Judah acknowledges his failure (Genesis 38:26). Judah recognizes the objects and says Tamar is more righteous because he withheld Shelah.
- Perez is born first (Genesis 38:29). Perez emerges before the brother whose hand had been marked with the scarlet thread.
- Remembered in Ruth's blessing (Ruth 4:12). The witnesses invoke the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.
Key passages
Genesis 38:6
And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
Genesis 38:11
Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.
Genesis 38:13
And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
Genesis 38:24
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
Ruth 4:12
And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.
1 Chronicles 2:4
And Tamar his daughter in law bare him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.
King James Version. 7 indexed passages in total.
For reflection
What changes when Judah recognizes the pledges? Read his admission beside his earlier promise concerning Shelah, attending to the evidence Tamar presents and the reasons the text actually gives.
Books Tamar appears in
Related people
Names and references are adapted from STEPBible TIPNR. A person listed with a verse is named or indexed there; it does not mean they wrote or spoke it.