Boaz Marries Ruth

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Ruth 4:1) Then Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by, to whom he said, "Ho, such a one! Turn aside, sit down here." And he turned aside and sat down.

At the end of the last chapter and post, Ruth had let Boaz know he was her next of kin, and by law, should marry her.  Boaz, in turn, let Ruth know that although he was her kin, he knew she had one who was nearer in kin to her than he was.  So Boaz went to the city gate and sat and waited until that kinsman he had spoken of came by.  He did indeed come by, and Boaz said something to the effect of he was the one Boaz had been looking for, and he asked him to sit down.  The man did as Boaz asked and sat down with him.

(2) And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, "Sit down here." And they sat down.

Boaz also called ten elders of the city to come and sit by him.  His purpose was to call a court to determine whether or not Ruth's next of kin would assume his responsibility as laid out in Deuteronomy 25:7-9.

(3) And he said to the kinsman, "Naomi, who has come again out of the country of Moab, sells a parcel of land which was our brother Elimelech's, (4) And I thought to advise you, saying, 'Buy it before the inhabitants and before the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it, but if you will not redeem it, tell me that I may know, for there is no one to redeem it besides you, and I after you.'" And he said, "I will redeem it."

Boaz began by explaining to his kinsman that Naomi who had come back from Moab was now needing to sell a parcel of land that had belonged to their mutual kinsman, Elimelech.  He had come to inform Elimelech's nearest kinsman that he might buy it and redeem it, preserving the inheritance in the family according to the law (Leviticus 25:25).  Boaz asked his kinsman to tell him then and there if he would redeem the land, for if he didn't, then it was Boaz's responsibility to redeem it as he was the nearest of kin after the kinsman to whom he now spoke.  The kinsman said he would indeed redeem it.

(5) Then said Boaz, "What day you buy the field of the hand of Naomi, you must buy also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance."

Boaz went on to explain that on the day the kinsman bought the field from Naomi, he was also buying it from Ruth, as her husband had been the rightful heir of Elimelech's land upon his passing.  Now that her husband was also dead, it was the redeemer's duty to raise up the name of Ruth's husband and Naomi's son, Mahlon, perpetuating it according to the law (Deuteronomy 25:5).

(6) And the kinsman said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance; you redeem my right to yourself as I cannot redeem it."

At that, the kinsman said he would not be able to redeem the land, for he had his own inheritance to think of and pass on to the next generation.  He was surely married and had children and thought that marrying Ruth and raising up children in her husband's name would greatly diminish his own inheritance for his children.

(7) Now this was the custom in former time concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things, a man plucked off his shoe and gave it to his neighbor, and this was a testimony in Israel.

The custom at that time concerning redemption and the exchanging of property, in order to confirm the transaction, a man was to take off his shoe and give it to the other party, in this case Boaz, to confirm that he had refused his right of redemption and allowed it to pass to Boaz.  In Deuteronomy 25:8-9, we saw a stricter version of this custom that was the law, where the widow of the brother of the man who refused to uphold his responsibility in taking his brother's widow as his wife, she herself took off her brother-in-law's shoe and spit in his face because he refused to do his duty in perpetuating his brother's name.  As this kinsman was not a brother to Mahlon, he was therefore not obliged to take Ruth as his wife, but it appears that it remained a custom in the transferring of property to remove the shoe and pass it to the other party to confirm the transaction in the presence of the elders in Israel.

(8) Therefore the kinsman said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." So he drew off his shoe. 

So the kinsman told Boaz to buy the land for himself, and he took off his shoe to confirm that he was relinquishing his right to the land and giving Boaz the right to redeem it.

(9) And Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. (10) Moreover, Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of this place, you are witnesses this day."

Boaz then said to the elders and thus in testimony to all the people of Israel that they were witnesses to the fact that he had bought all that had been Elimelech's, and all that would have been passed down to his sons, Chilion and Mahlon, from Elimelech's widow, Naomi.  In addition, he was purchasing the right to make Ruth his wife and agreeing to raise up the names of Mahlon and his father Elimelech, so that their names would not be cut off and forgotten among their brethren.  From their position at the gate of the city, the elders and the people present were witnesses to those facts that day.

(11) And all the people who were in the gate and the elders said, "We are witnesses. Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and like Leah, the two who built the house of Israel, and may you do worthily in Ephratah and be famous in Bethlehem, (12) And let your house be like the house of Pharez whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give you of this young woman."

The elders and the people present at the gate of the city declared they were indeed witnesses.  They blessed the union of Boaz and Ruth.  The fact that they wished that Ruth who was coming into his house be like Rachel and Leah seems to indicate that Boaz had married before this time, and their wish was that both women would continue to build up the house of Israel as Rachel and Leah had done.  They wished that Boaz might do well in Ephratah and Bethlehem, which were one and the same place, where Rachel had died and was buried, according to Genesis 35:19.  The elders and the people also wished that Boaz's house might be like that of Pharez, the son of Judah, by Tamar who was actually Judah's daughter-in-law.  When Tamar's husband Er died, the other sons of Judah and Judah himself refused to do their duty to Tamar to raise up an inheritance to her dead husband.  However, she tricked Judah into impregnating her when he did not know it was his daughter-in-law.  This event was detailed in Genesis 38.  The people wished that Boaz's house might be like that of Pharez who was the result of the union between his mother and a redeemer, although an unwitting one.  May he as Ruth's redeemer have descendants as numerous as Judah by Pharez.  The fact that Ruth was a Moabitess, although often mentioned, seems to be of no concern, as Ruth had obviously become a proselyte or convert to the Jewish religion.  

(13) So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife, and when he went in to her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.

Boaz took Ruth as his wife, and he performed his conjugal duty.  As the ultimate proof that God blessed this union, it is said that He gave her conception, and she bore a son.

(14) And the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord who has not left you this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. (15) And he shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him."

The women of Bethlehem, neighbors of Naomi, told her that the Lord had not abandoned her and left her without descendants after all.  Through her daughter-in-law Ruth, who so loved her, and was better to her than seven sons would have been, she had a grandson.  They wished that his name be famous in Israel as he was to her a restorer of life and nourisher to her in her old age at a time when she had felt alone and abandoned.

(16) And Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom and became nurse to him.

Naomi took the baby and laid him in her bosom as a sign of her tender love and affection for him, and she became a nurse to him, aiding Ruth in her care of him.

(17) And the women her neighbors gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi," and they called his name Obed; he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

The neighbor women suggested a name for the baby that was indeed adopted by Ruth and Boaz.  They suggested the name of Obed which meant "serving," as they saw him serving, nourishing, and comforting Naomi in her old age as they had wished for her in verse 15.  However, the name had greater significance than they knew as Obed's grandson, David, was God's beloved servant.  Life was restored to Naomi's name as a son, actually a grandson, was born to her son's wife.  Obed would go on to have a son Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David.  In this would Obed's name become famous in Israelite history as the grandfather of David, as the women neighbors had wished (v. 14).

(18) Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,

The author of Ruth now inserted a descendant genealogy of Pharez, the son of Judah and Tamar, whose house the people of Israel wished for the descendants of Boaz and Ruth to mirror (v. 12).  Pharez's son was Hezron.

(19) And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, (20) And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, (21) And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed,

Pharez's son Hezron had a son Ram who produced Amminadab, who produced Nahshon, and Nahshon produced Salmon, the father of Boaz.  And of course, Boaz's son was Obed.

(22) And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Completing the genealogy from Judah (by his son Pharez) to David, Obed would go on to have a son Jesse, who was the father of David.  How beautiful and fitting that Ruth the Moabitess should play a prominent role in the genealogy of David which would also extend to Jesus, the Son of David, the Lion of Judah.  Of course, Ruth had converted to Judaism, so was not really a Moabite at the time she married Boaz.  But this shows how the Gentile, someone not originally of the Jewish faith, was grafted into the line of Jesus, just as Jesus offered his salvation to the Gentiles and allowed them to be grafted into His living vine (Romans 11).  As the author of Ruth linked her to her great-grandson David, we know her book was written after David's anointing which agrees with Jewish tradition that the prophet Samuel may have written it.

Genealogy of Jesus Continues Back Past David

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 3:33) Who was of Aminadab, who was of Aram, who was of Hezron, who was of Pharez, who was of Judah,

The last post established Jesus's descendancy from David, who was the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, who was the son of Aminadab, and Luke continues the ascendancy through Judah, making Jesus that Lion of Judah referenced in Revelation 5:5.

(34) Who was of Jacob, who was of Isaac, who was of Abraham, who was of Terah, who was of Nahor,

Judah was the son of Jacob, who was, of course, the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham, and that established Jesus's descendancy from Abraham.  Luke continued by naming Abraham's father as Terah, and Terah was the son of Nahor.

(35) Who was of Serug, who was of Reu, who was of Peleg, who was of Eber, who was of Shelah, (36) Who was of Cainan, who was of Arphaxad, who was of Shem, who was of Noah, who was of Lamech,

Luke continued Jesus's ascendancy through Noah who was the son of Lamech.  Once again, I have to continue in the next post as Blogger only allows me 20 labels per post.

Genealogy of Jesus Christ, Part 1

I have been challenged to stop my current chronological Bible study and study only what Jesus said.  Although I feel like God gave us the entire Bible for a reason, and those who pick and choose only the parts they like are "...according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).  The argument was that Jesus fulfilled the law, meaning there is no more law, and the letters can't be trusted because they were just written by men who were only writing their interpretation of what it was to follow Christ.  Only Jesus's words mattered, and Jesus never said anything about homosexuality or abortion or transgenderism or much of any of today's cultural issues.  (Never mind the fact that men wrote down what Jesus said.)  However, I accepted the challenge.  I know that regardless of any arguments, I will learn a lot from the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

(Matthew 1:1) The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: 

The first verse of Matthew acts as a sort of title for what was to follow:  The genealogy of Jesus Christ, Son of David, and Son of Abraham.  Jesus came from the line of David and Abraham.  It had been promised to Abraham that the Christ should descend from him, "...in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3), and, "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice" (Genesis 22:18).  There is only One who could bless every family of every nation on earth, and that is Jesus Christ.  The prophecy was also made to David and by David, "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom" (2 Samuel 7:12), and, "The LORD has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it, 'I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body'" (Psalm 132:11).

(2) Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brothers.

Abraham's son was Isaac, and from Isaac came Jacob, and from Jacob came Judah.  There were also prophecies about Jesus (Shiloh) being descended from Judah, one being, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be" (Genesis 49:10).  The meaning of Shiloh was "tranquility, safety" and both of those describe the Messiah who would make peace between God and men, and would save men from their sins.  Another prophecy is, "Yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the chief ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s" (1 Chronicles 5:2).  Jesus is called the Lion of Judah:  "And one of the elders said to me, 'Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to loose its seven seals'" (Revelation 5:5).  Also of note about Judah, as well as other of Jesus's ancestors like Jacob, David, and others, the ancestor was often a younger brother, demonstrating that the preeminence of Christ did not come from the primogeniture of His ancestors, as earthly princes did, but from the will of God.

(3) Judah begat Pharez and Zerah by Tamar, Pharez begat Hezron, and Hezron begat Aram.

Judah had twins Pharez and Zerah by Tamar, his daughter-in-law, and Jesus descended from Pharez through his son Hezron, and Hezron's son Aram, called Ram in the Old Testament.  It is interesting to note that Tamar was actually an adulteress and played a prostitute to seduce her father-in-law, although when you read her entire story, she was deemed more righteous than Judah.  Bathsheba, also in the line of Christ, as David's wife, was an adulteress.  Rahab, also an ancestor of Christ, was a Canaanite harlot.  In Deuteronomy 23, we just learned that descendants of an illegitimate child were forbidden from ever entering "into the congregation of the Lord", yet God sent "His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Romans 8:3). Additionally, Ruth, also in the line of Christ, was a Moabitess, and we were also told in Deuteronomy 23 that a Moabite was forbidden from entering into the congregation of the Lord.  However, there came Jesus Christ, the Messiah, as prophesied in Isaiah 56, through whom God would give to all such imperfect sinful people in His house and within His walls "a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters." 

(4) And Aram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon; and Nahshon begat Salmon.

Aram's son was Amminadab, and Amminadab's son was Nahshon, who was named prince of the tribe of Judah in the book of Numbers.  Nahshon fathered Salmon.

(5) And Salmon begat Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz begat Obed by Ruth, and Obed begat Jesse.

Salmon and Rahab, the Canaanite harlot who was justified by works when she received the Israelite spies into her house and sent them out a secret way (Joshua 2, James 2:25), brought forth Boaz.  Boaz married Ruth, the Moabitess, and they begat Obed, who was the father of Jesse.  John Wesley, in his Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, pointed out that "Salmon, Boaz, and Obed, must each of them have been near a hundred years old, at the birth of his son here recorded."  Wesley suggested that it was owing to "the providence of God (that) was peculiarly shown in this."  However, Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, wrote that "Jesse is thought to be, not the immediate son of Obed, but to be of the fourth generation from him; though no others are mentioned between them in Ruth, any more than here.  A Jewish writer observes, that 'the wise men of the Gentiles say, that there were other generations between them; perhaps,' says he, 'they have taken this from the wise men of Israel, and so it is thought.'"  Even if this were true, Jesse may be said to be begotten by Obed, just as others in scripture are said to be sons when in fact they might have been grandsons or great-grandsons.  We can be sure that Jesse was a direct descendant of Obed.

I will stop this post with this, as Blogger only allows twenty labels per post, and all these names of Jesus's direct ancestors are important to note.  The genealogy of Jesus is continued in the next post:

Genealogy of Jesus Christ, Part 2

Census of Israel in the Plains of Moab, Part 3

Because Blogger limits the number of labels per post, I've had to separate this chapter into many short posts in order to note all the important names.  There is a census being taken in this chapter of all the able-bodied men of war from twenty years and older.  It began here:

Census of Israel in the Plains of Moab, Part 1

Census of Israel in the Plains of Moab, Part 2

Now on with part 3:

(Numbers 26:19) The sons of Judah were Er and Onan; and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.

Next were counted the men of the tribe of Judah.  Judah's first two sons, Er and Onan, died because of their sins in the land of Canaan where they were born, and had no descendants to be counted.

(20) And the sons of Judah after their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites; of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.

The sons of Judah who did have families to count were Shelah, Pharez, and Zerah.

(21) And the sons of Pharez were: of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

The Pharzites from the family of Pharez were divided into two families from Pharez's two sons:  from his son Hezron came the Hezronites, and from his son Hamul, the Hamulites.

(22) These are the families of Judah according to those who were numbered of them, seventy-six thousand five hundred.

The tribe of Judah numbered 76,500 able-bodied men of war twenty years and older.  Their numbers had increased 1900 since the first census 38 years prior to this time.

(23) The sons of Issachar after their families: Tola, the family of the Tolaites; of Pua, the family of the Punites; (24) Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. (25) These are the families of Issachar according to those who were numbered of them, sixty-four thousand three hundred.

The sons of Issachar and their families who were counted were Tola, Pua, Jashub, and Shimron.  They numbered 64,300, an increase of 9900 since the census 38 years prior to this one.

(26) The sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites; of Elon, the family of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. (27) These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those who were numbered of them, sixty thousand five hundred.

From the tribe of Zebulun, the families of his sons Sered, Elon, and Jahleel, were counted and totaled 60,500, which was an increase of 3100 since the first census.

That ends this short post because Blogger limits the number of labels per post.  To continue the census count:

Census of Israel in the Plains of Moab, Part 4

Does God Permit the World to Hate His People to Save Them From Falling into the Death Traps of the World?

I have been following a chronological Bible study set forth by Skip Andrews.  In the last post, in Genesis chapter 45, Joseph had just revealed himself to his brothers, and the brothers had returned to their father Jacob and had given him the news that Joseph was still alive.  Before continuing with the story of Joseph and his family in Genesis 46, Mr. Andrews inserted a few verses from 1 Chronicles, chapter 2, that continue a previously started genealogy of the sons of Judah who were probably born during the time of the famine in the land when Joseph ruled in Egypt.

(1 Chronicles 2:5) The sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul. (6) And the sons of Zerah were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara, five of them in all.

We learned in an earlier study that the firstborn sons of Judah were Er, Onan, and Shelah, and then Tamar bore him Pharez and Zerah.  Here we learn about the sons of Pharez and Zerah.

(7) And the son of Carmi was Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the accursed thing.

The best I can understand is that Carmi was the son on Zimri, Zerah's son.  Joshua 7:1 gives a little more detail about the ancestry of this son of Carmi who was the troubler of Israel, who "took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel."  The original meaning of the word translated as "accursed" was more like "banned" or "set aside" and here referred to things set aside and dedicated to God.  He apparently took things that were dedicated to God.

(8) And the son of Ethan was Azariah.

Continuing with another of Zerah's sons, we have the son of Ethan.

And now back to Genesis:

(Genesis 46:1) And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

Jacob, or Israel, Joseph's father, upon hearing the news that Joseph was alive and in Egypt, began his journey to his son, but first stopped at Beersheba to offer sacrifices to God.  Beersheba was a place that had been consecrated to God by Abraham, where God had appeared to Abraham and Isaac.  It apparently was at least somewhat on the way to Egypt, but I am sure Jacob wanted to make a point of stopping to honor and thank God for His blessing in bringing his son back to him, and providing a way out of their certain death from starvation.

(2) And God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” (3) And he said, I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. (4) I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.”

God appeared to Jacob in his dreams at night.  He told him not to fear going to Egypt, for He would be with him.  Jacob had determined to see Joseph before he died, but he may have had fear because of his advanced age, but God gave him confirmation that He would indeed be with him on this journey and He would bring him back again.  Jacob may or may not have realized exactly what this meant, as he would not make a journey back to his home himself, but rather his bones would be brought back to rest with those of his fathers.  At any rate, Jacob surely felt assurance that God was with him on this journey.  Additionally, and probably more importantly, God was confirming that even in Egypt, His covenant would be fulfilled that from Jacob (Israel) would come a great nation.  I have to admit I had to defer to the more learned Biblical scholars to determine the meaning of the last part of verse 4.  I remembered that Jacob's eyes were dim or blind in his old age, and thought this had something to do with praying for his blind eyes.  However, there is a consensus that this referred to Joseph shutting his father's eyes when he died, meaning he would be with him until that time, and that his most dear son would be the one to perform this last tender act for him.

(5) And Jacob rose up from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. (6) And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his descendants with him. (7) His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.

Jacob and his family must have camped at Beersheba after sacrificing to God before their journey to Joseph in Egypt, as that is where he had his visions of the night, and from where he now departed.  Jacob, with his sons and all his descendants who had been living there in the land of Canaan, went in the wagons Pharaoh had provided for the journey, along with all their cattle and goods, and came to Egypt.

(8) And these were the names of the children of Israel, who came to Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn. (9) And the sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Phallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

A list of the sons of Jacob is begun with the names of their sons.  Reuben was his firstborn son.

(10) And the sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.

Simeon was Jacob's second born son, and he probably had the first five sons by his wife, and then either remarried or the Canaanite woman was his concubine.

(11) And the sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (12) And the sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Pharez, and Zerah, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.

The first two sons of Judah, Er and Onan, died in Canaan and therefore did not go with Jacob to Egypt, but are mentioned as the sons of Judah here.

(13) And the sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron. (14) And the sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. (15) These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dinah; all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty-three.

The six sons of Leah, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, were grouped together, and they were the ones born in Padan Aram, but not their sons.  Additionally, Leah bore Dinah in Padan Aram, but at first glance, Dinah doesn't appear to be counted among the "souls" borne by Leah to Jacob.  If you count the six sons and their sons and their sons, when applicable, it totals 33.  That would mean that the souls of his sons and daughters would have to mean of his sons and daughters-in-law.  Another school of thought, and probably the correct one, is that Er and Onan were not counted because they were not here anymore; Dinah is most certainly counted as she was expressly mentioned; and Jacob is included in the number who came to Egypt as verse 8 does specifically mention "Jacob and his sons".

(16) And the sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. (17) And the sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah their sister; and the sons of Beriah were Heber, and Malchiel. (18) These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob, sixteen souls.

Next the sons of Leah's maid, Zilpah, are grouped together, Gad and Asher, with their sons and daughters.  The fact that these souls including their sister Serah make sixteen, I believe proves that Dinah was counted above, along with Jacob, and that Er and Onan were eliminated because they did not go to Egypt.

(19) The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, were Joseph and Benjamin. (20) And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.  (21) And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. (22) These were the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob; all the souls were fourteen.

Rachel's sons, Joseph and Benjamin, and their sons are grouped together next.  Rachel is called Jacob's wife, whereas Leah was not.  Rachel was the wife Jacob always wanted and the desire of his heart.  He was tricked into taking Leah as his wife, but as far as he was concerned, Rachel was his one true wife.  Joseph's sons are said to have been born in Egypt, to distinguish them from the children coming to Egypt with Jacob.  It is interesting that Benjamin would have so many children by this time.  He is often described as a "lad" and thought of as attached to his father, rather than a man grown old enough to have had so many children by this time.  Biblical scholar Albert Barnes gave a good account of the ages of Jacob and his children when they came to Egypt:

"Jacob himself was 130 years of age (Gen. 47:9). Joseph was in his thirtieth year when he stood before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams and receive his commission as governor-general of Egypt, (Gen. 41:46). At the end of the second year of the famine nine full years were added to his life. He was therefore, we may suppose, 39 years old when Jacob arrived in Egypt, and born when his father was 91. As we conceive that he was born in the fifteenth year of Jacob’s sojourn in Padan-aram, and Reuben in the eighth, we infer that Reuben was at the time of the descent into Egypt seven years older than Joseph, or 46, Simon 45, Levi 44, Judah 43, Dan about 43, Naphtali about 42, Gad about 42, Asher about 41, Issakar about 41, Zebulun about 40, Dinah about 39, Benjamin about 26."

It is hard to believe that Benjamin could have had ten sons by the time he was 26!  Biblical scholar Dr. John Gill supposed that Benjamin was actually 32 by this time.  Since Mr. Barnes did not specifically say how he calculated Benjamin to be only 26, I can't really say one way or another.  Although some scholars believe some of these children of Benjamin were born after he was in Egypt, that is not in keeping with the pattern of only numbering the souls who went to Egypt.  Dr. Gill felt it was not likely that Benjamin had more than one wife, but at 32, it is possible that he could have had ten sons by this time, especially if any sets of twins were included.

(23) And the son of Dan was Hushim. (24) And the sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. (25) These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob; all the souls were seven.

Finally, the sons of Rachel's maid Bilhah are mentioned in the final group, two sons and five grandsons for a total of seven souls.

(26) All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, were sixty-six souls in all.

The number of his descendants who came with Jacob to Egypt, excluding the wives who were not actually his flesh and blood, were 66.  This number includes the totals from each group before mentioned--32 from Leah's children (excluding Er and Onan who had died, and this time not counting Jacob, as only the ones who came "with Jacob" are counted), 16 souls from Leah's maid Zilpah, 11 souls from Rachel (Joseph and his sons are not counted because they were already in Egypt), and 7 from Bilhah.

(27) And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were seventy.

Now Joseph and his sons are counted, and including Jacob, there were 70 souls from the house of Jacob who were in Egypt.

(28) And he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to show him the way and perhaps to inform Joseph of his father's coming so that a place might be already prepared for him when he got there.  Goshen is said to have been the first part of Egypt nearest to Canaan.

(29) And Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. (30) And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.”

Jacob had just made it inside Egypt, and as Judah had been sent before him to Joseph, Joseph now went to Goshen to meet his father.  The trip was a long hard one for an old man and with more youthful Judah and Joseph going and coming back to him, he was able to see his Joseph sooner, which was obviously his heart's desire.  Now that he had seen that his Joseph was still alive, he was ready to die.  It was not that he was impatient to die, but he could now be content to die, having seen his beloved son alive once again.

(31) And Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and show Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. (32) And the men are shepherds, for their trade has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.’"

Joseph told his brothers and all of his father's household that he planned to let Pharaoh know that his brothers and all of his father's house had come to him from the land of Canaan.  The word translated as "show", rather than physically showing his family to Pharaoh, meant more like "show forth" or "make known".  He would also let him know that his brothers were shepherds, reinforcing the fact that they fed livestock, and that they had brought all their flocks and herds with them.  We touched on the subject before that Egyptians did not associate with shepherds, but Joseph planned to be honest and upfront with Pharaoh, and he was obviously not ashamed of his family and what they did for a living.

(33) "And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you and shall say, ‘What is your occupation?’ (34) That you shall say, ‘Your servants’ trade has been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

Joseph instructed his brothers to be honest with Pharaoh when he asked about their occupation, and to let him know that it was all they had ever known, and that it had been what their fathers before them had done.  Joseph explained that by being honest upfront, they could be allowed to dwell in Goshen, which was just inside Egypt and under the reign of Pharaoh, but set apart from the Egyptians who would find the Hebrew shepherds disgusting to live among.  Joseph himself declared that "every shepherd (was) an abomination to the Egyptians".  Once again, some of the reasons for this might have been because in the Egyptians' experience, shepherds were usually lawless bandits and/or associated with the King-shepherds who had ravaged their country, and also perhaps because Hebrews ate and sacrificed animals that the Egyptians found sacred. Being allowed to dwell in Goshen would give Joseph's family the freedom to live and worship as they wished apart from the paganism of the Egyptians.  I really liked a quote I found from the 1599 Geneva Bible Translation Notes, "God permits the world to hate His own, so they will forsake the filth of the world, and cling to Him."  We are told many times in the Bible that the world would hate God's people, and it might appear that it was just their cross to bear.  However, when you see it as God's merciful act to protect them from falling into the traps of Satan and the world, it is a beautiful sentiment from a loving God!

Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, took the idea of God permitting the world to hate His own people and applied it directly to the story of Joseph and his family winding up in Egypt.  He quoted Bishop Warburton (1698–1779), in his Divine Legation of Moses, who, in essence, said that God purposely brought His people to Egypt for a time.  He had promised them the land of Canaan, but they kept intermarrying with the Canaanites and picking up their idolatrous practices.  God, in His infinite wisdom, brought them to this little corner of Egypt, where they could live apart from the Egyptians, and because the Egyptians found them to be an abomination, they would keep separate from them.  If they had gone to any other country, they may have been absorbed into "Gentilism", as Bishop Warburton put it, but God mercifully put them in Egypt.  This is why I love studying the Biblical scholars of old!  They often give me insights I've never had.  Once again, my little human mind had never seen so grand a plot perpetuated by God.  About as far as I had ever seen was that God brought good out of what Joseph's brothers had meant for evil, and God's people were saved from starvation.  It is awesome to think of the grander plan to move them to this little corner of Egypt to protect them from the "filth of the world" and to keep them close to Him, which is definitely for their ultimate good, and a marvelous act of love and mercy!

I have to bring that thought into the present time and think of how Christians are beginning to be "persecuted" for their beliefs in this country.  I use quotation marks because I know that we have no idea what real persecution is!  But it's coming.  I've honestly said before that it should be worn as a badge of honor when liberals hate conservative Christians for their beliefs, but to view hatred and persecution as a good thing that keeps us from falling into the death traps of the Godless world sort of blows the mind.  It's not a good thing perpetuated by God, but God allows it to keep us separate and clinging to Him.  Think of the people who call themselves Christians who have convinced themselves that God would endorse same sex marriage because he wants people to love one another.  Think of the people who call themselves Christians who have convinced themselves that it is okay to kill innocent babies in the womb because it is an act of love and mercy to do away with the unwanted burden on the family and society and "save" the baby from a terrible unloved life!  If God allows His true followers to be hated and separated for their beliefs because in His infinite wisdom, He knows they might otherwise fall into the "filth of the world", I say it is blessed to be hated by the world.  Isn't that what Jesus Christ said?

“Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." - Matthew 5:11-12

I think of the people in this United States of America who have had freedom people in other parts of the world only dream about.  They are pretty much free to say and think whatever they will, and they have become comfortable with a worldview that has pushed God out of their schools and the public square, and with an insane view that you must not use God as the rule by which you live and make laws, even though He is the very creator of moral law.  As if you could actually separate God from it!  What makes a thing right or wrong--some high and mighty panel's opinion?  Does that really make murdering an innocent unborn baby moral?  "Enlightened" Americans and even some who call themselves Christians have become wise in their own eyes and believe they know better than God, or else they have twisted His word to pretend that what they are doing is okay with Him.  Paul pegged this behavior precisely in Romans, chapter 1, verses 18-32:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves,
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to vile affections, for even their women changed the natural use for what is against nature.
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful;
Who knowing the judgment of God, that those who commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them who do them.

Basically, people know in their hearts what is right and wrong, because God put it there; they can plainly see His creation all around them and understand His eternal power, so that they are without excuse!  But they didn't glorify God nor were they thankful to Him, but became wise in their own eyes.  They thought they were so wise, but God said they became fools!  They changed the truth about God and made Him into something they could corrupt.  They began to worship His created things more than Him.  Therefore God turned His back to them--after all, is that not what they wanted?--and that is when same sexes burned in their lust for one another.  They chose not to acknowledge God, even though they knew better, so God let them do their own thing, which was filled with all sorts of evils.  They knew what they did was worthy of death, but they did it anyway, and they took pleasure in others who did the same.  Perhaps that explains a whole generation who stands up for the "rights" to do things against God.  Perhaps that explains politicians and media who may not do all these things themselves, but promote the "rights" of others to do the things that are against God.

I can't understand how people cannot see!  They choose not to see.  If only they would look to God for the truth!  I guess that is why my blog has become a Bible study.  Rather than my ranting against the Godless insanity in our country, I wish people could just turn to God's word for the truth.  That is my greatest wish for anyone:  just read your Bible and God will reveal His truth to you.

I get chilled to the bone when I think of our country's ruling party voting God out of their platform.  Oh, they got so much negative press that we were told they voted Him back in; I am sure that the Almighty Holy God of the universe felt privileged!  If you watched that actual vote on C-Span and didn't merely listen to the liberal-leaning media, you would have seen that the Democrat party representatives did not want God back in their platform.  The man taking the vote asked for the "ayes" and "nays" and realized the nays had it, so he took the vote again.  You see, it was already predetermined that they would vote God back into their platform, but the voters weren't cooperating.  He took the vote three times, and then threw up his hands and walked away from the platform.  It was obvious that the Democrats did not want God as part of their platform.  How could they, when you think about it.  They want a platform that kills babies and promotes homosexuality, something God called an abomination!  They want any reference to Him removed from the public square, so why would they leave His name in their platform?  Anyway, they eventually passed the amended platform putting God back in it, pretending the ayes had it, and when they announced it passed, you could hear the boos and hissing!  It was really chilling!  And these are the people leading our country right now.  And the people, some calling themselves Christians, have actually convinced themselves that it doesn't matter!  "Republicans never do anything about abortion anyway", I have heard.  "Both parties have their good points and bad points, and you just do the best you can", I've heard.  Will you explain to me how on earth one can truly believe that immoral Godless people, by their own admission, can be trusted to have the country's best interests at heart?!  And yet people have become comfortable and content with compromising their views about God, believing it does not matter, believing they can still be Christians while accepting and doing what the world does.  Would it not be better to be hated and separated for eternal salvation rather than be slowly lulled into a sleep of eternal death and separation from God?  It reminds me of the lyrics from Casting Crowns:

United States of America,
Looks like another silent night,
As we're sung to sleep by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children;

And while we're lying in the dark,
There's a shout heard cross the eastern sky,
For the Bridegroom has returned
And has carried His bride away in the night, in the night.

America, what will we miss
While we are sleeping?
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay?

America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King?
Will we be sleeping?
Will we be sleeping?

United States of America,
Looks like another silent night.

Maybe a little persecution and separation would be just the thing to wake up God's people and make them take a stand.  Although I believe a bad time is coming in this country, as God often does, I believe He will use it for good to awaken His people, and that will be a blessing in disguise if they awaken to eternal salvation in Him, rather than die with the world forever apart from Him.  God, in His mercy, is giving us another chance to come to Him, to cling to Him, rather than go the way of the unrighteous world as described by Paul in Romans 1.  I pray that people will open their eyes and take that chance!

The Fascinating Line of Judah That Produced the Lion of Judah

I am going to take an ever-so-slight detour from the chronologically ordered Bible study I have been doing by Skip Andrews.  Mr. Andrews placed the first six verses in Genesis 39 here, and then continued the rest of Genesis 39 after what is written here.  It may have been Mr. Andrews's purpose to show that at the same time Joseph began captivity in Egypt, these events with Judah's sons were happening, but I see no real reason to separate the story of Joseph, so I will study Judah's sons here and will then return to Joseph.

(Genesis 38:6) And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

Previously in this chronological reading, it was reported that Judah had taken a Canaanite wife, and she had borne him three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah.  Now Judah's son Er had grown and it appears that Judah chose the wife for Er.

(7) And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD killed him.

Judah's son Er was a wicked man.  We are not told exactly what he did, but it was bad enough that the Lord took him out.  Judah started his family on the wrong foot.  He left his brothers' companionship and made friends among the Canaanites and married a Canaanite woman.  He continued friendships with the Canaanites as shown in the next few verses.  At the very least, his children were not brought up in a God-fearing home.

(8) And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and marry her, and raise up seed to your brother."

After Er died, Judah told his second son to marry Er's widow, as was apparently the custom, so that the firstborn son would have descendants.  Indeed it became a law in Deuteronomy 25:5.  Biblical historians point out that the word used for "marry" here is not the one most commonly used; the verb "yabam" is the same word as the noun that means "brother-in-law", although it may be pronounced a little differently than the noun "yabam".

(9) 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 spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. (10) And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.

From what I read, only the firstborn would have been considered his brother's child; after that, all the other children would have been considered Onan's.  However, it appears that Onan wouldn't even give his brother that.  Onan defied custom that would have honored his brother, and although his brother may not have deserved honor, he apparently did it for selfish reasons.  The act was a sin against the divine institution of marriage and the object of that marriage, the bringing forth of children.  That act greatly displeased the Lord and Onan also was killed by Him.

(11) Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, "Remain a widow at your father's house till my son Shelah is grown." For he said, "Lest he also die like his brothers." And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

Judah told Tamar to go live at her father's house until his youngest son, Shelah, was grown and able to marry her.  That is what he said, but that is not what he intended, for he reasoned within his heart that it was so that his youngest son would not also die like his brothers.  Tamar did as she was asked and went to live at her father's house.

(12) And in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah's wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

After some time Judah's wife died.  The original words transcribed as "in the process of time" give a sense of a multiplied time, even a multitude of years.  It was probably several years after Judah sent Tamar back to her father's house with the pretense that she was only waiting for Shelah to mature, and it was obvious the youngest son was never going to marry her.  Judah was comforted, indicating he had gone through his period of mourning, and now went to Timnah where his sheep shearers were.  He took along his Canaanite friend, Hirah, and they were evidently going for enjoyment after his time of mourning.

(13) And it was told Tamar, saying, "Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep." (14) And she took off her widow's garments, and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah, for she saw that Shelah was grown and she was not given to him as a wife.

It may have been told to Tamar in passing that her father-in-law would be passing through, but it is apparent that Tamar is deliberate in her actions because she was never given to Shelah as wife as was the custom.  She took off her widow's clothes, and whether she meant to look like a harlot or just meant to hide her identity, or both, she wrapped and veiled herself and sat in an open visible place on the road to Timnah.

(15) When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot, because she had covered her face.

Judah did indeed mistake Tamar for a harlot.  I don't believe it was because a veil meant she was a harlot, but because she sat in an open place and since she did have the veil, he didn't recognize her, and assumed she was a harlot.

(16) And he turned to her by the way, and said, "Come now, please, let me come in to you," (for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law). And she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"

While it was true that Judah did not know this was his daughter-in-law, he was still guilty of fornication with a woman who was not his wife.  Tamar asked what Judah would give her.  This may have been so that she behaved like a harlot requiring payment for her hire or so that she would have something of Judah's to be used later, or again, maybe a little of both.  While I have already found Judah guilty, I am reserving judgment on Tamar.  I haven't decided if she is sinfully deceitful or just sly like a fox.  While she was deceiving Judah, I don't see that she has lied.  She did what was asked of her when she went back to her father's house after her husbands died, and she did not marry anyone else when Shelah did not marry her.  She now put herself visibly in the path of Judah, but had he not been willing to take a harlot, this thing would not have gone any further.

(17) And he said, "I will send a kid from the flock." And she said, "Will you give me a pledge till you send it?"

Judah offered to pay her a kid from his flock, but she wanted something of Judah's as a pledge until he sent it; I believe a possession of Judah's is something she wanted all along.

(18) And he said, "What pledge shall I give you?" And she said, "Your signet and your bracelets, and your staff that is in your hand." And he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. (19) And she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Tamar was the one who determined what personal possessions Judah gave as a pledge and he agreed to it.  He gave her what she asked for and went in to her.  It is said that she conceived as a result of it.  Afterward, Tamar went away, took off her veils, and put back on her widow's clothing.

(20) And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand, but he did not find her. (21) Then he asked the men of that place, saying, "Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?" And they said, "There was no harlot in this place." (22) And he returned to Judah and said, "I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place." (23) And Judah said, "Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; behold, I sent this kid and you have not found her."

Judah sent the kid he had promised in payment by his friend, the Adullamite, probably Hirah, but he could not find the her.  He was, of course, looking for a harlot who sat openly by the roadside, but he didn't find one.  When he asked where she was, the men of the place said they knew of no such harlot.  He went back and reported all this to Judah, who decided they should leave well enough alone and let her keep the pledge things so that they not be embarrassed.  Judah realized his act was a shameful one, or maybe not.  Maybe he would just be embarrassed when other men realized he let a harlot trick him out of his signet, bracelets, and staff.  I'm not sure why both of them would be shamed; maybe because his friend helped him.  Perhaps it feels better to include his friend in his shame.  Judah appears to justify himself by stating that they did indeed try to pay the woman, but could not find her.

(24) And it came to pass, about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, "Bring her forth, and let her be burned."

After about three months, it became obvious that Tamar was with child.  Since she was not married to Shelah, who should have been her only rightful husband at the time, it may have been assumed she must have "played the harlot".  Judah certainly seems to have taken it to be adultery and an affront to his family to want her to be burned for her act.

(25) When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, "By the man to whom these belong, I am with child," and she said, "Please determine whose these are, the signet, the bracelets, and staff." (26) And Judah acknowledged them and said, "She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son." And he never knew her again.

As she had planned all along, when she was found out and brought to her father-in-law, she produced Judah's personal belongings, and of course, Judah recognized them.  He declared Tamar to be more righteous than he was because he did not give her to his son Shelah as he promised.  I agree with Judah, but it was interesting to read some of the earlier commentaries that made Tamar out to be the guiltier one, but there were just as many or maybe more who saw Judah as the guilty one, and excused Tamar.  Dr. John Gill wrote that Tamar was "the greatest criminal" because she sat in the way and purposely deceived him, knowing who he was and yet purposely had an incestual relationship with him, whereas Judah knew nothing but "simple fornication".  Wow!  That certainly was a sexist opinion if there ever was one!  I realize that in Biblical times, a woman's father-in-law became her father, and that would be seen as incestual.  However, in reality, it would seem no more incestual than a brother, which the custom encouraged.  I believe that in Judah's purposely withholding Shelah from Tamar, he would have kept her unnecessarily in widowhood for the rest of her life.  She could have played the harlot with any man, but she didn't.  She purposely sought the same bloodline of her late husband.  She probably wanted a child; I'm sure she didn't want to remain a childless widow all her life.  I believe she was more righteous than Judah in that she didn't play the harlot with just anyone.  And she never lied.  Yes, it could be said she deceived, and perhaps she was guilty of incest, but so was Judah, and he wouldn't have been if he had not himself jumped in bed with whom he thought to be a prostitute.  Therefore, weighing the two "crimes" as equal, Tamar's motives appeared purer, and Judah agreed she was more righteous than he was.  Scripture says that he never had relations with her again after this.

(27) And it came to pass, in the time of her giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. (28) And it came to pass, when she was giving birth, that one put out his hand; and the midwife took and bound on his hand a scarlet thread, saying, "This one came out first." (29) And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out; and she said, "How have you broken forth? This breach be upon you." Therefore his name was called Pharez.

Tamar gave birth to twins.  As she was giving birth, when one baby pushed forth his hand, the midwife tied a scarlet thread on it so they would know which was the firstborn.  So greatly desired were the privileges of the firstborn that it was important to know which baby that was.  However, when that first baby's hand withdrew, out came his brother.  It seems this was astonishing to the midwife.  I'm not sure what "this breach be upon you" really means, other than "you will be remembered for that breach or bursting forth".  In that case, it might make sense that this was Tamar speaking.  Sometimes there were confusing pronouns in the Bible when there were more than one person.  Perhaps Tamar was saying the name of that memory would be upon him, as she called him Phares, which literally meant "breach" or "breaking forth".

Pharez was a direct ancestor of the Messiah.  I am recalling how an earlier ancestor, Jacob, Pharez's grandfather, also scrambled to try to get out of the womb first.  Isn't it interesting that these events are even recorded?  It's as if the spirits of these babies knew what was at stake and they wanted to be the firstborn in this important lineage.  I am reminded of another marvelous passage in the first chapter of Luke where Mary was pregnant with Jesus and came to see her cousin, Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist.  Luke 1:41-44 says that when Elizabeth first heard Mary, the baby inside of her leaped for joy and she was filled with the Holy Spirit and knew Mary was carrying her Lord.  Why did God go to such great lengths to tell us what babies in the womb did?  Was it to remind us that even in the womb they are precious human beings created by God, endowed by the Creator with the unalienable right to life?  An unalienable right, one given by God that cannot be taken away, and yet that is what we do everyday, by abortion.  How dare we take the life of another human being created by God and obviously endowed with His spirit?  We know it's wrong to take a life outside of the womb.  Isn't it interesting that Kermit Gosnell was recently found guilty of murder when he killed babies right after they were born outside of the womb because he failed to kill them "legally" inside the womb, where he would not have been found guilty of murder?  While the testimony in this trial was horrifying, I couldn't help but understand Gosnell when he was bewildered as to why what he did would be considered murder.  After all, he had been paid to kill an unwanted baby.  When he failed to do it inside the womb, wasn't it still an unwanted baby that needed to be disposed of?  Was it only outside of the womb that it became a living, breathing, feeling creation of God who deserved life that it was not only a minute before?  How absurd!  As chilling as the Gosnell testimonies were, it's the practice of abortion itself that is the most chilling.  The fact that Gosnell did not value the life of the babies he murdered had already been demonstrated by the fact he was a late-term abortion "doctor".  In Jeremiah 1:5, God told Jeremiah that He knew him BEFORE He even formed him in his mother's belly and that before he came out of the womb He had sanctified him and ordained him a prophet.  God knew that baby in the womb and even before; He must grieve terribly for the babies who never get a chance to fellowship with Him and do His will on earth.

One more thought on the genealogy of Jesus:  Tamar was also a direct ancestor of the Messiah!  She could have very easily had no descendants at all, if Judah had his way, but she is privileged to have a place in history in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3).  The line of Judah could have been stopped here, but for the actions of Tamar.  I don't know at this point in my study if Shelah had other children.  What interesting people we have in the ancestry of Christ!  Jacob, Judah, and Tamar, a few very interesting ones so far.  This is one of those times when I think of skeptics of the Bible who try to negate the Bible because of the killing and lying and cheating and whores, but those are the kinds of things, and these are the kinds of people, who make it very real!  If people were going to make up a fiction and call it the Word of God, I believe they would have used more righteous-appearing folks to be ancestors of the Messiah!

(30) And afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and his name was called Zarah.

Then the son with the scarlet thread, who would have been the firstborn, came out, and he is forevermore in scripture named second behind his brother in genealogies.  He was called Zarah which literally meant "dawning, shining, rising".  He did dawn first, but Pharez broke forth first and was forever listed first whenever the names of Judah's and/or Tamar's sons were listed.

(1 Chronicles 2:4) And Tamar, his daughter-in-law, bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five.