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Genesis 38

1.      The narrative takes another turn as it leaves Joseph, who is on his way to Egypt, and returns to Jacob and his family.  How many brothers are left at home?

Of those remaining, why do you think the narrative now turns to Judah?

What do you know about Judah, especially from the last chapter?

What instructions did God give to Abraham and Jacob concerning the people of the Promised Land?

Why did God want Abraham and his seed to be separated from these peoples?

How faithful have they been to God’s instructions?  Please explain.

Does God still expect us to be “separated” from the “peoples of the land”?  Please explain.

Read 2Corinthiams 6:14.  What does this verse mean to you?  Why do you think God gave us this command?

What might happen if one were unequally yoked?

2.     Joseph knows first-hand how marrying out of the faith affects the family.  What happened to his grandfather Abraham?  His brother Esau?

3.     What does verse 1 tell us about Judah?

Why do you think he left home?

Where is Adullam?

4.     What happens to Judah while he is living in Adullam?

Why do you think we are not given his wife’s name?

How many children does Judah have by his wife?

5.     Verse 6 lets us know that a number of years have passed.  How?

What has been happening to Joseph during these years?

When Abraham wanted a wife for his son Isaac, what did he do?

When Judah wanted a wife for his son Er, what did he do?

What can you find out about Tamar?

6.     We are not told much about Judah’s children, but we are given some interesting clues.  What does verse 7 tell us about Er?

What does it mean to you that someone is evil in the sight of the LORD?

What did God do to Er?

7.     Following the death of Er, what instructions does Judah give his son Onan?

What do you think Judah meant by fulfilling the duty of a brother-in-law?  (See Deu. 25:5.)

What do you think was the purpose of this commandment from God?

Look closely at Deu. 25:5 once again.  What was the brother-in-law supposed to do before he slept with the widow?

What did Onan do that was so wrong?

Why were his actions so detestable to God?  What motivated Onan?

What happens to Onan?

8.     Based upon the actions of his sons and the punishments they received, can we conclude anything about Judah?  Please explain.

9.     Judah had a third son.  What was his name?

According to the duty of a brother-in-law, what should Judah have done?

Instead, what does he tell Tamar?

Where does Tamar go to wait? 

Tamar is Judah’s daughter-in-law.  Why do you think he did not allow her to stay with him?

What do you think Tamar was thinking as she waited alone at her father’s house?

10.   Verse 12 tells us that a long time had passed.  Why do you think Tamar did not take another husband?

What happened during this time?

After grieving, where did Judah go and why?

What can you learn about sheep shearing time?

Verse 14 tells us that even after all this time, Tamar was still wearing cloths of mourning.  What does this tell us about her?

11.    What did Tamar do when she learned that Judah was going to Timnah?

Why did she do this?

What do you think of her plan?

How did Tamar know this plan would work?

12.   What did Judah do when he saw Tamar?

Who do you think Judah thought she was?

What does this tell us about Judah that he would sleep with a temple prostitute?

What does Judah promise Tamar as payment?

This is interesting.  Why does she ask for something as a pledge?

What items does Tamar want as a pledge?  Why do you think she wanted these two items?

13.   Once again, we see the pattern of deception repeat itself in Jacob’s family.  What does Tamar do after Judah sleeps with her?

What penalty did Tamar face for becoming pregnant?

What do you think was going through Judah’s mind when he learned the prostitute was nowhere to be found?

Why do you think Judah sent his friend and not one of his family members to deliver his payment?

Why does Judah not try to find the prostitute?

Why might he face ridicule?

14.   According to verse 24, what did Judah plan to do when he discovered his daughter-in-law was pregnant?

What does this tell us about Judah?

By what authority could Judah call for Tamar’s death?

By Judah’s very sentencing of Tamar, he is admitting that she is still part of the family.  What does this mean for Judah?

Read Matthew 7:3-5.  In what way does this verse apply to Judah?

Why is it easier for us to see “sin” in other people and not in ourselves?

15.   Notice in verse 25 that Tamar still considers Judah her father-in-law.  What does this tell us about Tamar?

What simple message did Tamar send to her father-in-law?

What do you think Judah was thinking when he saw his belongings and realized that the “prostitute” was really his daughter-in-law?

What did Judah reply when he realized what he had done?

What does this comment reveal about his character?

What does it mean to you that Tamar was more righteous than Judah?  Does this mean that Tamar’s actions were righteous?  Please explain.

What do you think is meant by the last part of verse 26?

16.   Once again, we have twins.  To show us how important the right of the firstborn is, what do they do to determine which child is born first?

What happens after the scarlet cord is attached?

Which child was actually born first?  What does his name mean?

What did they name the second son and what does his name mean?

What can you learn about these two children?

17.   Why do you think this account of Judah interrupted the narrative of Joseph?

Can you see any connections between this episode and the episode with Joseph?