Biblical Figure Tamar's Story And Significance
Biblical Figure Tamar's Story And Significance
Tamar is a significant biblical figure appearing in the book of Genesis as the daughter-in-law of Judah, and again in 2 Samuel as David's daughter. The name "Tamar" means "palm tree" [3].
In Genesis 38, Tamar's story is intricately linked with the family of Judah. She was married successively to Judah's two sons, Er and Onan, but both died without giving her children [4]. Judah promised Tamar that his third son, Shelah, would marry her, but he failed to fulfill this promise. As a result, Tamar took drastic measures to secure her rights and ensure the continuation of Judah's lineage. She disguised herself as a prostitute and had a child with Judah, resulting in the birth of twins, Perez and Zerah [1, 5].
The story of Tamar in Genesis has been interpreted in various ways throughout history. Some see her actions as a demonstration of her faith and determination to continue the lineage of Judah, while others view her behavior as morally questionable [8]. According to Matthew Henry, Tamar's actions were a result of Judah's failure to provide her with Shelah as a husband, exposing her to temptation [8]. In contrast, Augustine interprets Tamar's actions as a typological representation of the Church gathered from among the Gentiles [9].
Tamar also appears in 2 Samuel as the daughter of David, who was raped by her half-brother Amnon. This event led to a deep-seated anger and revenge by another brother, Absalom, who eventually had Amnon killed [6, 7]. The story highlights the complexities and challenges faced by the royal family of David.
The significance of Tamar's story lies in its demonstration of the complexities of human relationships and the providence of God in the face of human failure. As Augustine notes, even in the midst of human sin and failure, God can bring about good [9]. The multiple appearances of Tamar in the biblical narrative underscore the importance of understanding the cultural and historical context in which these stories took place.
The biblical account of Tamar has been referenced and alluded to throughout history, with various interpretations and understandings emerging. The name "Tamar" is also associated with a place mentioned in Ezekiel 47:19 and 48:28, believed to be a city near the Dead Sea [2, 10].
The story of Tamar serves as a reminder of the complexities of human nature and the sovereignty of God in the biblical narrative. The various interpretations of her story highlight the ongoing relevance and significance of the biblical account in understanding human experience and divine providence.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Tamar — (palm tree). + The wife successively of the two sons of Judah, Er and Onan. (Genesis 38:8-30) (B.C. about 1718.) Her importance in the sacred narrative depends on the great anxiety to keep up the lineage of Judah. It seemed as if the family were on the point of extinction. Er and Onan had successively perished suddenly. Judah's wife, Bathshuah, died; and there only remained a child, Shelah, whom Judah was unwilling to trust to the dangerous union as it appeared, with Tamar, lest he should meet with the same fate as his brothers. Accordingly she resorted to the”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Tamar — Palm. (1.) A place mentioned by Ezekiel (47:19; 48:28), on the southeastern border of Palestine. Some suppose this was "Tadmor" (q.v.). (2.) The daughter-in-law of Judah, to whose eldest son, Er, she was married (Gen. 38:6). After her husband's death, she was married to Onan, his brother (8), and on his death, Judah promised to her that his third son, Shelah, would become her husband. This promise was not fulfilled, and hence Tamar's revenge and Judah's great guilt (38:12-30). (3.) A daughter of David (2 Sam. 13:1-32; 1 Chr. 3:9), whom Amnon shamefully outrag”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Tamar — palm; palm-tree”
- Genesis “Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. -- Genesis 38:6”
- 1 Chronicles “Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five. -- 1 Chronicles 2:4”
- II Samuel “II Samuel 13:1 (LITV) — And afterward it happened that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, and her name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her.”
- 2 Samuel “After this, Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. -- 2 Samuel 13:1”
- Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 38:12: It is a very ill-favoured story that is here told concerning Judah; one would not have expected such folly in Israel. Judah had buried his wife; and widowers have need to stand upon their guard with the utmost caution and resolution against all fleshly lusts. He was unjust to his daughter-in-law, either through negligence or design, in not giving her his surviving son, and this exposed her to temptation. I. Tamar wickedly prostituted herself as a harlot to Judah, that, if the son might not, the father might raise up seed to the deceased. Some excuse this by sugg”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — BOOK XXII. (part 78): "This he spake not of himself; but being the high priest, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the people."(1) In the same way the action of Judah was bad as regards his sinful passion, but it typified a great good he knew nothing of. Of himself he did evil while it was not of himself that he typified good. These introductory remarks apply not only to Judah, but also to all the other cases where in the narrative of bad actions is contained a prophecy of good. 84. In Tamar, then, the daughter-in-law of Judah, we ”
- Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 47:19: Tamar--not Tadmor in the desert, but Tamar, the last town of Judea, by the Dead Sea. Meaning "palm tree"; so called from palm trees abounding near it.”