27 When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. 28 And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.
(Genesis 38:27-30 ESV)
Tamar was found to have twins when she went into labor. When she went into labor one put out his hand and the midwife tied a red thread and tied on his hand saying this one came first but he drew his hand back and his brother emerged. She said what a breach you made for yourself. His name was Perez. His brother followed him and he was named Zerah.
Heavenly Father, You blessed Tamar in her widowhood with two sons. May those in our day who cry out to You for a blessing be as abundantly blessed as was Tamar. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
24 About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” 25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again.
In this passage, the first thing that happens is Jacob is told that Tamar is pregnant by immorality, and he said to bring her out to be burned. Then as she was brought out she sent the pledge he had given to her and said that she was pregnant by the owner of the pledge. She asked that the owner of the pledge be identified and Jacob admitted that the pledge was his and said that she was more righteous than he as he did not give her to his son Shelah. He did not lay with her again.
Heavenly Father, When a situation arises where the morality of someone is questioned may those who are involved investigate to see whether the person accuse is immoral or placed in a position that appears to be immoral but is righteous that we will know whether to bless or chastise the person. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. 21 And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute who was at Enaim at the roadside?” And they said, “No cult prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’” 23 And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.”
(Genesis 38:20-23 ESV)
Judah attempted to fulfill the promise that he had made to the woman he had lain with. He sent the goat to the place where she had been with his friend. He wanted to take back the pledge he had given her, but his friend returned with the goat and said the woman could not be found. Then Judah said that she should keep the pledge as her own. We find that being honorable sent what he promised to the woman but she was not to be found. So he said she could keep his pledge to avoid being laughed at.
Heavenly Father, Though Judah, did what is considered to be an unrighteous act with the woman he met as he traveled You preserved his line in its part of the fulfilling of Your plan of salvation for the human race. May those in our day be preserved as part of Your plan even when they are not seeking to be righteous. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
12 In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.
(Genesis 38:12-19 ESV)
In this passage, we see that Tamar tricked Judah by posing as a prostitute and sitting on the road he was to take to shear his sheep. He saw her and went in to lay with her after promising to give her a goat. She asked for a pledge from him until he sent the sheep, and he gave her what she asked. He did not know it was his daughter-in-law he was with because she had covered her face. She conceived by him and then took off the veil and put on the clothes of her widowhood and went on her way. Passages like the confront our understanding of sexual morality because while the participants seem to be doing something proscribed in the scripture. They are not immediately dealt with and remain as part of the line that leads to the future messiah.
Heavenly Father, Our ordinary understanding of sexual morality is that fathers-in-law do not lay with their daughters-in-law. Also, that marriage is to be between a man and a woman and all other sexual expression is unchaste. May we live our lives with regard to Your morals that our lives will bring honor and glory to Your name. I ask this in the name of Jesus.
6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also. 11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house.
(Genesis 38:6-11 ESV)
Here we see that Judah’s male children were evil in the sight of God and as a result, they died. The first due to the evil he did and the second for not doing the duty of a brother in law for his brother’s wife by providing children for her. So, Judah sent Tamar to her father’s house until his youngest son grew up out of fear that the youngest would die too. She went and remained in her father’s house.
Heavenly Father, The death of children especially sons in this age of Israel was devastating for a family, and fear would lead Fathers to do what they could to protect their children. In our time also the death of a child is hard for a family to bear and causes great pain. Be with those who are grieving the loss of a child and give them the comfort of your presence. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
1 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, 3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5 Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him.
(Genesis 38:1-5 ESV)
Judah left his brothers and went to Hirah. There he saw the daughter of a Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her as his wife and lay with her. She conceived and bore a son, and he was called Er. She bore a second son whom she called Onan. She bore another son whom she named Shelah. Judah was in Cheazib when Shelah was born.
Heavenly Father, In this passage we see how you blessed Judah with several sons through his wife Shua. As we marry and lay with our wives may we also be blessed with sons and daughters that we may raise to please you and to do your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes 30 and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?” 31 Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.” 33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.
(Genesis 37:29-36 ESV)
Reuben was distressed that Joseph was gone and cried aloud, “where shall I go?”. Joseph’s brothers dipped his robe in blood and took it to their father and asked him whether or not it was his son’s robe. He said it was. It appeared that a fierce animal had killed him and tore him to pieces. Jacob tore his clothes and mourned for his son for many days and no one could comfort him. He said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” The Midianites sold Jacob to Potiphar an officer of Pharoh.
Heavenly Father, In this passage we learn that Joseph was sold and taken to Egypt where he was sold again and that his father expected to die mourning him. When our fate brings us to a place where we are not sure what is going to happen to us may we remember that You are always with us to guide us to the place you would have us to be. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
(Genesis 37:25-28 ESV)
What perfidy Joseph’s brothers had toward him. At first, they planned to kill him, next they threw him in a pit; and finally, they sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Sometimes in families due to poor relationships or upbringing, a member is cast out. There can be many reasons for this. It could be criminal activity, addiction or constant bickering among that member and the rest of the family. On occasion later in life that member may return a successful person and be of great benefit to the family, as we shall see later in Joseph’s story.
Heavenly Father, As we ponder the story of Joseph and the misdeeds of his brothers early in the story may we find ways to reconcile with our families if we are estranged that all may be blessed and honor your name. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits.2 Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
(Genesis 37:18-24 ESV)
Joseph’s brothers in this passage were conspiring to kill him, but Reuben persuaded them to throw him into a pit. They did so and stripped him of his robe of many colors. Reuben had planned to return later and take Joseph back to his father.
Has there been a member of your family that you leave out of gatherings not wanting to be in a relationship with them? If so perhaps you may want to rethink your stance. Perhaps it is that family member who will bring great blessings to the family in a time of trouble.
Heavenly Father, Families on occasion can have disputes or discord between the members. When this happens it would be well for them to take a step back and think through the reasons for the dispute and try to find some way to resolve it. Help them to find the means to resolve the dispute and restore peace to the family. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
(Genesis 37:12-17 ESV)
This passage begins the story of how Joseph’s brothers sold him to a caravan going to Egypt as they wanted to be rid of him. The brothers are pasturing their father’s flock near Shechem. Israel asked Joseph if his brothers were pasturing the flock at Shechem, and sent Joseph to them. He wanted Joseph to find out if his brothers were well and return with a report to him. So Joseph left Hebron and went to Shechem. A man saw him wandering in the fields and asked him what he was seeking. Joseph said that he was looking for his brothers and asked where they were. The man told him they had gone to Dothan and that is where Joseph found them.
Heavenly Father, In this passage we find that Joseph was diligent in carrying out the wishes of his father Israel. May we as we go about our day be as diligent in following your will that we may bring honor and glory to Your name. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
