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 first-born, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. read more. And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. And Onan knew that the seed would not be his: and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he frustrated the purpose, lest he should give seed to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also. Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son shall be grown; (for he said, Lest perhaps he die also as his brethren did:) and Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. And in process of time, the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died: and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep-shearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told to Tamar, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnath, to shear his sheep. And she put off from her, her widow's garments, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath: for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him for a wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me have access to thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law:) and she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayst have access to me? And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock: and she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou sendest it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? and she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thy hand: and he gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him. And she arose and went her way and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, where is the harlot that was openly by the way-side? and they said, There was no harlot in this place. And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place. And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her. And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told to Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the harlot; and also, behold she is with child by lewdness: and Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son: and he knew her again no more. And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that behold, twins were in her womb. And it came to pass when she travailed, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. And it came to pass as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out; and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. And afterwards came out his brother that had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his name was called Zarah.
The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten by thy father, (she is thy sister) thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
If brethren shall dwell together, and one of them shall die and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without to a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in to her, and take her to him for a wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.
And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young woman.
And behold, the whole family hath risen against thy handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they will quench my coal which is left, and will not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.
Three years he reigned in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
These were all the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.
Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
And Judah begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man shall die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.
But if our unrighteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man.) By no means: for then how shall God judge the world? read more. For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie to his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.