“And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.”
Genesis 38:12 is part of the larger narrative in the Book of Genesis that focuses on the family of Jacob and his sons. This particular verse provides some background information about the circumstances in which Judah finds himself after the death of his wife’s daughter.
To understand the context, let’s explore the preceding verses. Genesis 38 begins by mentioning that Judah, one of Jacob’s sons, left his brothers and settled in Adullam. There, he married a Canaanite woman named Shuah, with whom he had three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah.
In verse 6, Judah arranged a marriage between his firstborn son, Er, and a woman named Tamar. However, Er was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and as a consequence, God took his life. According to the Levirate law, which required a man to marry his deceased brother’s widow to continue the family lineage, Judah asked his second son, Onan, to fulfill this duty. However, Onan refused to fulfill his obligation, and he, too, died before the Lord.
After the death of his first two sons, Judah was reluctant to give his third son, Shelah, to Tamar in marriage, fearing that he might also die. Consequently, he sent Tamar back to her father’s house and delayed the marriage.
Genesis 38:12 occurs in the aftermath of these events. It states that Judah’s wife’s daughter, whose name is not mentioned, died. This would mean that one of Judah’s own children from his marriage to Shuah passed away. The verse also mentions that Judah found solace and went up to Timnath with his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
The significance of this verse lies more in the broader narrative of the entire chapter rather than the specific details provided in this verse alone. Genesis 38, as a whole, presents a complex and somewhat controversial account that highlights themes of faithfulness, deception, and redemption.
Later in the chapter, Tamar disguises herself as a prostitute and seduces Judah, who unknowingly sleeps with her. From this encounter, Tamar becomes pregnant with twins, Perez and Zerah. These twins play an essential role in the genealogy of the tribe of Judah, which eventually leads to the lineage of Jesus Christ.
In conclusion, Genesis 38:12 briefly mentions the death of Judah’s wife’s daughter and his subsequent journey with his friend. However, the verse gains more significance when read in the broader context of Genesis 38, which focuses on the events involving Judah, his sons, and Tamar, ultimately leading to the fulfillment of God’s plan for the tribe of Judah and the Messianic lineage.
