Verse 11
"Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown-up; for he said, Lest he also die, like his brethren. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house."
This was an impossible arrangement for Tamar, having been defrauded by two husbands, she was now to be defrauded by her father-in-law Judah, who had no intention of marrying her to Shelah. Yet, at the same time, any breach of this so-called betrothal to Shelah would, according to custom, have exposed her to the most brutal penalties. There is no wonder that God judged her case. However, Tamar was a most remarkable woman, and she would eventually claim her rightful place as a mother in Messiah's line. One cannot fail to be outraged by the vicious double standard of morals prevalent in those times.
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