Tamar

an ancestor of Jesus

Who was Tamar?

Judah’s daughter-in-law: she married Er, his firstborn, who died. Genesis 38:6-7
Judah did not give her in marriage to his son Shelah, as he should have. She had children by Judah, and Judah admitted that she was more righteous than he. Genesis 38:14, 18, 26
She was the mother of the twins Perez and Zerah. Matthew names her in the genealogy of Jesus. Genesis 38:27-30; Matthew 1:3

Feast day: December 24: Commemoration of all the holy ancestors of Jesus Christ

What the Bible says

Genesis 38:6-7

⁶And Juda took a wife for Her his firstborn, whose name was Thamar. ⁷And Her, the firstborn of Juda, was wicked in the sight of the Lord: and was slain by him.

Genesis 38:14, 18, 26

¹⁴And she put off the garments of her widowhood, and took a veil: and changing her dress, sat in the cross way, that leadeth to Thamnas: because Sela was grown up, and she had not been married to him. ¹⁸Juda said: What wilt thou have for a pledge? She answered: Thy ring and bracelet, and the staff which thou holdest in thy hand. The woman therefore at one copulation conceived. ²⁶But he acknowledging the gifts, said: She is juster than I: because I did not give her to Sela, my son. However, he knew her no more.

Genesis 38:27-30; Matthew 1:3

²⁷And when she was ready to be brought to bed, there appeared twins in her womb: and in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, whereon the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying: ²⁸This shall come forth the first. ²⁹But he drawing back his hand, the other came forth: and the woman said: Why is the partition divided for thee? and therefore called his name Phares. ³⁰Afterwards his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread: and she called him Zara.

Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.

The path of Tamar

Before Jesus. Judah married her to Er, his oldest son. Er offended the Lord and died. Genesis 38:6-7
Before Jesus. Following the custom, Judah asked his second son, Onan, to raise up descendants for his brother. Onan refused, and he died too. Genesis 38:8-10; NAB note on Gn 38, 8
Before Jesus. Judah asked Tamar to go back to her family and wait as a widow until Shelah grew up. But Judah was afraid that Shelah would die too. Genesis 38:11
With Jesus. Shelah grew up, and Judah did not give him to her as a husband. Tamar took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil and sat down by the road to Timnah. Genesis 38:12-14
With Jesus. Judah did not recognize her and took her for a prostitute. She asked him for some pledges that showed who their owner was, and she became pregnant. Genesis 38:15-18
With Jesus. Tamar went back home and put on her widow’s clothes again. Judah sent a friend to get his pledges back, but the friend could not find her. Genesis 38:19-20
Afterward. Three months later, Judah was told that Tamar was pregnant, and he ordered her to be burned. Genesis 38:24
Afterward. Tamar sent him the pledges. Judah recognized them and said she was more in the right than he was, because he had not given her Shelah. Genesis 38:25-26
Afterward. She had twins: Perez and Zerah. Perez is an ancestor of King David and of Jesus. Genesis 38:27-30; Ruth 4:18-22; Matthew 1:3
Afterward. The Book of Chronicles also remembers her: Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law, was the mother of Perez and Zerah. 1 Chronicles 2:4

Words of Tamar

“By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.” Genesis 38:25

As she was being led out to be punished, she sent this message to Judah.

What they were like

She waited for years in her father’s house, as Judah had asked her. Genesis 38:11, 14
When she saw that she was not being given Shelah, she acted on her own. Genesis 38:14
She did not say Judah’s name: she sent him the pledges and asked him to recognize them. Genesis 38:25

The greatest thing they did

Judah admitted that she was more in the right than he was. Genesis 38:26
The elders of Bethlehem remembered her at the wedding of Ruth and Boaz. Ruth 4:12
Matthew names her in the genealogy of Jesus. Matthew 1:3

Not to be confused with

She was the daughter of King David and the sister of Absalom, many centuries later. 2 Samuel 13:1
Absalom, the son of David, had a very beautiful daughter named Tamar. 2 Samuel 14:27

In the Church today

Feast day: December 24, Commemoration of all the holy ancestors of Jesus Christ (commemoration). Roman Martyrology, December 24

What people ask

Why did Tamar cover herself with a veil by the road?

Judah had not married her to his son Shelah, as he had told her he would. Genesis says she knew this when she covered herself with the veil. Genesis 38:11, 14

Why did Judah say she was more in the right?

Because he had not kept his word: he had not given her his son Shelah. Judah himself said so. Genesis 38:26

What was the law of the brother-in-law?

If a man died without children, his brother married the widow to raise up descendants for him. A NAB note explains that Israel considered it very important. Genesis 38:8; Deuteronomy 25:5-6; NAB note on Gn 38, 8

Why is Tamar in the genealogy of Jesus?

Because she was the mother of Perez, an ancestor of David and of Jesus. Matthew names her together with three other women: Rahab, Ruth and the wife of Uriah. Matthew 1:3, 5-6

Who was Shelah?

Judah’s third son. Judah asked Tamar to wait as a widow until Shelah grew up. Genesis 38:5, 11

Who was Zerah?

Perez’s twin, the one who had the red thread on his hand. Saint Matthew names both brothers in the family of Jesus. Genesis 38:30; Matthew 1:3

What she suffered She was widowed twice, without children. Genesis 38:7-10 Judah sent her to wait in her father’s house and did not keep his word. Genesis 38:11, 14 She…

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Who Tamar is connected to

Judah · father-in-law and daughter-in-law
Boaz · ancestor of Boaz
Jesus · ancestor of Jesus

More people

All the people of the Bible · The Twelve Apostles · Women of the Bible

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