Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Genesis 38:24-26; 44:30-34 ESV

24 About three months later Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality." And Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned."

25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, "By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant." And she said, "Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff."

26 Then Judah identified them and said, "She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah." And he did not know her again.

30 "Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life,

31 as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol.

32 For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.'

33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.

34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father."

All twelve of Jacob’s sons married wives of the land. This may seem somewhat strange when the importance of both Isaac and Jacob not marrying a woman from among the people among whom Abraham and Isaac dwelt is considered.

Judah is the only other son of Jacob that is given any special attention. His character is not comparable to Joseph’s but he does show some very favorable features.

A. Genesis 37:26-27

26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened to him.

It appears that Judah is aware of the magnitude of wrong which he and his brothers were planning. Also his jealousy of Joseph had not led him to deny their family ties, “for he is our brother, our own flesh. He deserves some credit for refusing to be guilty of the death of his brother. To say more is to presume where the Scriptures are silent.

B. Genesis 38:26 And he did not know her again. The peculiar morality of the law of God - which is centuries in the future - peeks out in this account. First Judah is honest in recognizing Tamar’s claim upon him for a child and of his responsibility for her pregnancy. He could have as easily denied this and had her put to death. It must be accounted in his favor that he assumes his responsibility.

Secondly, Judah shows the sensitivity of conscience and awareness of God’s hatred of sexual uncleanness by having no further marital commerce with Tamor. It is a feature of the law and an accusation of the prophets against the sins of Israel that a man and his son not go in to the same woman for sexual favors. Judah, to his credit did not knowingly do this.

Thirdly, Genesis 44:16; 33-34 The sensitivity to sin and the willingness to be responsible for his family is a winsome feature in Judah’s life as it is set before us. The statement “God has found out the guilt of your servants” is a true indicator of Judah’s own sin and his repentance.

White, in his Bible Characters passes by Judah. Surely with his keen intellect and Christian imagination he could have helped in gaining an understanding of Judah’s standing in Israel. These are only glimpses of spirituality in his life but it is sure if they are there it is of grace.