Judah noticed her and thought she was a prostitute, since she had covered her face. So he stopped and propositioned her. “Let me have sex with you,” he said, not realizing that she was his own daughter-in-law.

Genesis 38:15-16

For Meditation

“Revenge is a dish best served cold.” This popular expression summarizes Tamar’s conspiracy against her father-in-law so well, and she perfectly executed it with extreme vengeance.

The wickedness of her two late husbands may have taken a grievous toll on Tamar. Her humiliation in Onan’s arms was painful. It was so disgusting that God put the young man to death (9-10). As Judah instructed, Tamar obediently moved to her father’s house and waited. The waiting may have been painful, as she observed Shelah grow into a marriageable young man, yet Judah did not initiate their marriage (Gen. 38: 14). His knees had buckled. Tamar had become a curse to his family, and he was not going to lose his only son to her.

Her mother-in-law died, yet there was not a hint of the marriage. It may have finally dawned on Tamar that Judah had fooled her. There may have been whispers that Judah was arranging to marry Shelah to another woman. What would the jilted woman do in this case?

Rumors have a way of flying on their own. Tamar caught this one that Judah was on his way to Timnah with his friend Hirah to shear his sheep. She sensed an opening to settle scores with her father-in-law. Tamar disguised herself, put on a veil, and sat at the entrance to the village of Enaim on the road to Timnah. She may have known something about Judah that made her go that way. Never think that people take no notice of your infidelity. Samson may have taken a script out of Judah’s story.

Judah fell right into Tamar’s trap. He could not keep his eyes straight nor his desires under control. He saw only a prostitute at the gate of Enaim, so he stopped and propositioned her. “Let me have sex with you” (15-16).

And she was his daughter-in-law!

None of Tamar’s actions were right, but they teach Christians an invaluable lesson.

For all men, never work yourself into a wrestling contest with a wounded or scorned woman. It will always be a fierce “no holds barred match.” Is it not said that ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’?

And for all of us, never wrong another person knowingly. First, it displeases God, and a wounded person will usually fight back. Judah had signed up for one, and he would learn the hard way with this wounded Canaanite woman.

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