Judah & Tamar: Jesus Ancestors The Committed Adultry!
Judah** (one of Jesus' ancestors) and **Tamar**—a story of deception and unexpected righteousness in Genesis 38. ### **The Story of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38)** Judah (son of Jacob/Israel) had three sons: **Er, Onan, and Shelah**. 1. **Judah arranged for his firstborn, Er, to marry Tamar**, but Er was wicked and God struck him dead (v. 7). 2. Following the custom of *levirate marriage* (Deuteronomy 25:5-6), **Judah gave Tamar to his second son, Onan**, but he refused to father a child for his dead brother, so God struck him dead too (v. 10). 3. **Judah promised Shelah (his third son) to Tamar** but delayed giving him to her, fearing he might also die (v. 11). Tamar, realizing Judah had no intention of fulfilling his duty, **disguised herself as a prostitute** and tricked Judah into sleeping with her (vv. 14-18). She became pregnant, and when Judah discovered this, he initially ordered her execution for adultery—un...