Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 38

Highlight Verse:

“Tamar was aware that Shelah had grown up, but no arrangements had been made for her to come and marry him. So she changed out of her widow’s clothing and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. Then she sat beside the road at the entrance to the village of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭38‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Hey, weren’t we just reading about Joseph last week?”

Yep. But this week, we get interrupted by Judah while he is living among the Canaanites.

You might say that this is one of those chapters that is so messed up that the Bible must be true.

You wouldn’t be wrong.

But I believe it is inserted here, in chronological order, to contrast Joseph’s righteousness to Judah’s evil.

Think about today’s verse.

If Tamar knows that dressing up as a prostitute is going to help her get pregnant by Judah, then this is not Judah’s first rodeo in the red light district.

The fact that she has to stoop to this level shows that he refused any previous attempt at fulfilling his promise to marry her to his youngest son.

Meanwhile, back in Egypt, Joseph is enduring prison so that he save the Israelites.

Do you relate more to Judah or Tamar in this chapter? Why?
Like Judah, is there any promise you’ve made but haven’t followed through? Why?