Genesis 38:6 - Exposition

And Judah took a wife (cf. Genesis 21:21 ; Genesis 24:4 ) for Er his firstborn, —"by the early marriage of his sons Judah seems to have intended to prevent in them a germinating corruption (Lange)— whose name as Tamar— "Palm tree" (Gesenius). Though the name was Shemitic, it does not follow that the person was. Cf. Melchisedeck and Abimelech. Yet she is not expressly called a Canaanite, though it is more than probable she was. Lange conjectures that she may have been of Philistine descent, and thinks the narrative intends to convey the impression that she was a woman of extraordinary character.