Reference: Tamar (2)
Fausets
("a palm".) (See THAMAR.)
1. (See JUDAH.) Her importance in the narrative (Ge 38:6-30) lies in her being the instrument (though in an incestuous way) of saving from extinction the family and tribe from which Messiah was to spring. Er and Onan were dead; and Judah's wife Bathshun. Shelab alone remained; and Judah's parental fears for him, lest if joined to Tamar he too like his brothers should die, were preventing Judah from giving him as the tribe law required (De 25:5; Mt 22:24) to Tamar. She took the desperate measure of helping herself by incest. Pharez and Zarah were her sons by Judah; and a fruitful race followed, God not sanctioning but overruling evil to His own good purpose (Ro 3:5-8; Ru 4:12,22; Mt 1:3).
2. Daughter of David and Maacah; the handsome Absalom's beautiful sister; forced by Amnon at his bad friend Jonadab's abominable suggestion (2 Samuel 13; 1Ch 3:9). (See ABSALOM; AMNON; JONADAB.) Beauty is a snare unless grace accompany and guard it (Pr 31:30). Tamar excelled in baking palatable cakes (lebibah, "heartcakes," with spices as "cordials".) Amnon availed himself of this to effect his design, as if he wished to see the exquisite grace with which she baked before his eyes.
She remonstrated at his force, dwelling twice on such baseness being wrought "in Israel," where a higher law existed than in pagandom. Yet such was the low opinion she, in common with the rest of David's children, formed of the king's foolish fondness for his offspring that she believed it would outweigh his regard for the law of God against incest (Le 18:9,11). Amnon was his oldest, son, from whom he would not withhold even a half sister! Each prince, it appears, had his own establishment, and princesses were not above baking; the king's daughters in their virginity were distinguished by "garments of divers colours."
3. Absalom's sole surviving child, beautiful as her aunt and father; married Uriel of Gibeah, and bore Maachah, wife of Rehoboam king of Judah (1Ki 15:2; 2Ch 11:20-22; 13:2), and mother of Abijah (2Sa 14:7).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Judah took a wife, for Er his firstborn, - and, her name, was Tamar. And it came to pass that Er, Judah's firstborn was displeasing in the eyes of Yahweh, - so Yahweh put him to death, read more. Then said Judah to Onan, Go in unto thy brothers wife, and fulfil the duty of a brother-in-law unto her, - and raise up seed, to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed would not be his, - and so although he did go in unto his brothers wife, yet made he waste upon the ground, so as not to give seed to his brother. And it was displeasing, in the eyes of Yahweh what he had done, - so he put, him also, to death, Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law - Remain a widow in the house of thy father until Shelah my son grow up. For he said, Lest, he also, die, like his brethren. So Tamar went her way, and remained in the house of her father. And when the days were multiplied, then died Shua's daughter, Judah's wife, - and Judah consoled himself and went up unto his sheep shearers, he and Hirah his friend the Adullamite, towards Timnah. And it was told Tamar saying, - Lo! thy father-in-law is going up towards Timnah, to the shearing of his sheep. So she put off from her the garments of her widowhood and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself up, and sat down in the entrance of, Enaim, which is by the way towards Timnah, - for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she, had not been given him to wife. And Judah, seeing her, reckoned her to be an unchaste woman, - for she had covered her face. So he turned aside unto her. by the way, and said Grant it! I pray thee, let me come in unto thee! For he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What wilt thou give me, if thou shouldst come in unto me? And he said, I, will send a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give a pledge until thou send it? And he said - What is the pledge that I shall give thee? And She said - Thy signet-ring, and thy guard, and thy staff that is in thy hand. So he gave them to her and came in unto her and she conceived by him. Then she arose and went her way, and put off her veil from her, - and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge at the hand of the woman, - but he found her not. So he asked the men of her place saying. Where is the devotee, she that was in Enaim, by the way? And they said, - Then hath been here no devotee. Then returned he unto Judah, and said - I found her not, - moreover also, the men of the place said, There hath been here no devotee.. And Judah said: Thou must take it to her, lest we become a contempt, - lo! I sent this kid, and, thou, hast not found her. And it came to pass that about three months after, it was told Judah, saying - Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath been guilty of unchastity, moreover also lo! she hath conceived by unchastity. Then said Judah, Bring her forth and let her be burnt. When, she, was about to be brought forth, then, she herself, sent unto her father-in-law saying, By the man to whom these belong, have I, conceived! And she said - Examine, I pray thee, to whom belong the signet-ring, and the guard, and the staff - these! So Judah examined them and said - More righteous than I! forasmuch, as I had not given her to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more. And, it came to pass at the time of her travail, that lo! twins, were in her womb. And it came to pass when she was in travail, that one put forth a hand, - so the midwife took and bound upon his hand a crimson thread, saying - This came first! And so it was that, no sooner had he withdrawn his hand, than lo! his brother had come. And she said, Wherefore hast thou made for thyself a breach? So his name was called Perez. And afterwards, came his brother, on whose hand was the crimson thread, - so his name was called, Zerah.
The shame of thy sister daughter of thy father or daughter of thy mother, born at home or horn abroad, thou shalt not uncover their shame.
The shame of the daughter of thy father's wife, born to thy father, she being, thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her shame.
When brethren dwell together, and one of them dieth, having, no son, the wife of the dead shall not marry outside to a stranger, - her husband's brother, shall go in unto her, and take her unto him to wife and do for her as a husband's brother.
And let thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bare to Judah, - of the seed which - may Yahweh give thee, of this young woman.
Lo! therefore, all the family hath risen up against thy maidservant, and have said: Give up him that hath smitten his brother, that we may put him to death, for the life of his brother, whom he hath slain, that we may destroy, the heir also. So will they quench my ember that is left, and make my husband without name or remainder, on the face of the ground.
Three years, reigned he in Jerusalem, - and, the name of his mother, was Maachah, daughter of Abishalom.
Deceitful is loveliness and vain is beauty, The woman that revereth Yahweh, she, shall be praised:
And Judah begat Perez and Zarah of Tamah, and Perez begat Hezron, and Hezron begat Ram;
saying - Teacher! Moses, said, If any man die not having children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
But, if, our unrighteousness, commendeth, God's righteousness, what shall we say? Surely, not unrighteous, is God who visiteth with his anger? After the manner of men, I am speaking, - Far be it! Else how shall God judge the world? read more. But, if, the truth of God, by my falsehood, hath the more abounded unto his glory, why, any longer, am, even I, as a sinner, to be judged? And why not, according as we are injuriously charged, and according as some affirm that we say, Let us do the bad things, that the good ones may come? whose sentence is, just.