Read Genesis 38 here or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph:
38:1-30 {s} Judah departed from his brothers among Canaanites
In the middle of the narrative of Joseph, there is one chapter that stands out like a sore thumb: Gen 38, the narrative of Judah. What is the Scripture trying to tell us about Judah? The Chiastic Structure from Gen 37:21-30 is as follows:
In yesterday’s reading, in Gen 37:21-30, we found that Reuben as the firstborn of Jacob, exercised leadership over his brothers, in turning them from killing Joseph to merely putting him in a pit, so that he could return him to their father later. The chiastic structure begins and ends with Reuben. But the central axis is Judah’s counsel, Gen 37:26-27. His brothers listened to him and not to Reuben. The leadership passed from Reuben, to Judah, skipping Simeon and Levi because they murdered the men of Shechem.
Judah was responsible for Joseph being sold as a slave in Egypt.
I wonder, when they returned to their father, and found that he mourned for Joseph without being comforted, if Reuben upbraided Judah, that his plan had been to restore the boy to their father, but thanks to Judah’s bone- headed idea, the boy was now lost forever as a slave in Egypt. I know if I was in Reuben’s shoes, I would be tempted to.
The Teaching Tool of Learning from the Narrative now comes into play. I believe the realization of just how greatly he had screwed up smote Judah’s heart with force, and he did not wait for his father to pass over him, as he had passed over Reuben, and Simeon, and Levi, as unworthy of the birthright and the blessing of Abraham.
The next thing we find is Judah departing from his brothers (Gen 38:1), and living among the Canaanites, apparently long enough to have children grow up and marry themselves. Judah had a guilty conscience, and he believed he was not worthy of God. You know, only the people who know they have done wrong, in whom the Spirit is working to convict of sin and righteousness, hide from God. The proud and arrogant shake their fist at Him and dare Him to strike them with lightning.
If we read ahead, we find that Judah, Tamar, and his sons Shelah, Perez, and Zerah, returned to Jacob. Judah was with his brothers when they went to Egypt to buy grain, and Tamar and his sons went with him to Egypt when the family moved there. More on that coming up …
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Gen 38:1-30, Righteousness and wickedness – Christine Miller
Canaanite Culture – Susan Anthony
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