This verse describes Judah unknowingly proposing an immoral relationship with his daughter-in-law Tamar, who shrewdly presses him to secure her future lineage.
“So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, ‘Here now, let me come in to you’; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, ‘What will you give me, that you may come in to me?’” (v.16)
Here we see Judah, who lived around the early second millennium BC, and was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, in a pivotal and rather shocking exchange. “So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, ‘Here now, let me come in to you’” (v.16) depicts a moment of moral and ethical tension: Judah approaches a woman he believes to be a prostitute, unaware that she is actually his daughter-in-law, Tamar. Historically, Judah’s lineage (which would eventually include King David and culminate in Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 1:3)) elevates this passage’s importance by illustrating that God can work through even the most unexpected circumstances. The road mentioned is near Timnah, a region in Canaan where Judah had traveled to shear his sheep (Genesis 38:12). This rural path setting underscores both the secrecy of their encounter and Judah’s immediate focus on gratifying his desire.
The second half of this verse reveals Tamar’s assertiveness and strategic thinking. After Judah’s proposal, she responds, “And she said, ‘What will you give me, that you may come in to me?’” (v.16). Tamar’s question shows she has a plan for securing her family rights, since Judah had initially failed to provide for her in the levirate marriage custom of the time (Genesis 38:14). Tamar is not passively accepting her fate; instead, she actively seeks a pledge that will later verify Judah as the father of her future child (Genesis 38:25). Her words demonstrate a willingness to challenge social norms to ensure her deceased husband’s line would continue.
This moment highlights a recurring theme in Scripture: that God’s plan, though often fulfilled through flawed people and complicated situations, ultimately guides the lineage that leads to Christ. Although Judah’s actions are morally questionable, the passage underscores how divine sovereignty can advance the promise made to Abraham (Genesis 12:3). Tamar’s role remains intriguing throughout the narrative as it shows her perseverance and cunning in a world where childlessness would be considered a curse.
Judah and Tamar’s unexpected encounter ultimately contributes to the messianic lineage from which Jesus would come.
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Genesis 38:16 meaning
“So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, ‘Here now, let me come in to you’; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, ‘What will you give me, that you may come in to me?’” (v.16)
Here we see Judah, who lived around the early second millennium BC, and was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, in a pivotal and rather shocking exchange. “So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, ‘Here now, let me come in to you’” (v.16) depicts a moment of moral and ethical tension: Judah approaches a woman he believes to be a prostitute, unaware that she is actually his daughter-in-law, Tamar. Historically, Judah’s lineage (which would eventually include King David and culminate in Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 1:3)) elevates this passage’s importance by illustrating that God can work through even the most unexpected circumstances. The road mentioned is near Timnah, a region in Canaan where Judah had traveled to shear his sheep (Genesis 38:12). This rural path setting underscores both the secrecy of their encounter and Judah’s immediate focus on gratifying his desire.
The second half of this verse reveals Tamar’s assertiveness and strategic thinking. After Judah’s proposal, she responds, “And she said, ‘What will you give me, that you may come in to me?’” (v.16). Tamar’s question shows she has a plan for securing her family rights, since Judah had initially failed to provide for her in the levirate marriage custom of the time (Genesis 38:14). Tamar is not passively accepting her fate; instead, she actively seeks a pledge that will later verify Judah as the father of her future child (Genesis 38:25). Her words demonstrate a willingness to challenge social norms to ensure her deceased husband’s line would continue.
This moment highlights a recurring theme in Scripture: that God’s plan, though often fulfilled through flawed people and complicated situations, ultimately guides the lineage that leads to Christ. Although Judah’s actions are morally questionable, the passage underscores how divine sovereignty can advance the promise made to Abraham (Genesis 12:3). Tamar’s role remains intriguing throughout the narrative as it shows her perseverance and cunning in a world where childlessness would be considered a curse.
Judah and Tamar’s unexpected encounter ultimately contributes to the messianic lineage from which Jesus would come.