to a fascinating, and frankly, slightly scandalous passage from the Book of Jubilees, a text that expands on the stories we find in Genesis.
This particular passage, Jubilees 41, picks up the story of Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and his daughter-in-law, Tamar. Remember how Judah's son, Er, was not a good man? The text tells us straight up: "he was wicked in the eyes of the Lord, and He slew him." Boom. No sugarcoating there! This sets the stage for the ancient practice of yibbum, or levirate marriage.
Now, according to the customs of the time, it was Judah’s responsibility to provide Tamar with another son from his lineage, through his second son, Shelah, to continue Er's line. So, Judah tells Tamar, "Remain in thy father's house as a widow till Shelah my son be grown up, and I shall give thee to him to wife." Seems straightforward. But here's where things get complicated. Shelah grows up…but Judah’s wife, Bêdsû’êl, has other plans. "Bêdsû’êl, the wife of Judah, did not permit her son Shelah to marry.” Why? The text doesn’t explicitly say. Maybe she didn't like Tamar, maybe she had other ambitions for Shelah, or maybe she just didn't want to deal with the complexities of the situation. We can only speculate.
Then, a year later, tragedy strikes again: “Bêdsû’êl, the wife of Judah, died in the fifth year of this week.” (The Book of Jubilees often uses a unique calendar system, referring to periods of years as “weeks”). And soon after, in the sixth year, Judah goes up to Timnah to shear his sheep. Word gets back to Tamar: "Behold thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnah to shear his sheep."
Now, why is this seemingly mundane detail about sheep-shearing so important? What is Tamar going to do with this information? Well, that’s where the story takes an even more dramatic turn! It's a setup, a moment of opportunity, and a hint of the cunning and determination Tamar will display. We're left hanging, wondering what she'll do next, and how this complicated family drama will ultimately play out.
This brief passage from Jubilees 41 offers a fascinating glimpse into the social customs and family dynamics of the ancient world. It reminds us that even within the grand narratives of scripture, there are intimate stories of individuals navigating complex situations, making difficult choices, and shaping their own destinies. And it makes you wonder, doesn't it, about all the untold stories hidden between the lines of the texts we think we know so well?