Q&A Books/Genesis Truth Boosters/Genesis 38Chapter 38Genesis 3813questionsQ1.Why did Judah leave his family after Joseph’s supposed death? Was it because of guilt, or was there some deeper issue causing division among the brothers?Q2.If God had clearly shown in earlier generations that marrying Canaanite women was wrong, why did Judah marry a Canaanite woman in Genesis 38:2? Wasn’t this a sin that should have been avoided?Q3.If God is supposed to be loving and merciful, why does He put some people to death, as we see in Genesis 38:7–10? Doesn’t that seem harsh and contradictory to His character?Q4.Why did God judge Onan so severely in Genesis 38:8–10? What exactly was his sin, and why was it so offensive to God?Q5.Why did Judah seem to place the blame on Tamar and send her away, rather than acknowledging the sins of his own sons in Genesis 38:11? Was he trying to avoid responsibility for their actions?Q6.What exactly were widow’s clothes in the context of Genesis 38:14? Why did Tamar wear them, and what significance did they hold in her culture? Was this practice common, and how does it fit into the Biblical narrative?Q7.Why was Tamar entitled to marry her brother-in-law? Isn’t this an unusual or outdated practice? What was its purpose, and does the Bible explain or justify such customs?Q8.If Tamar was Judah’s daughter-in-law, how did he fail to recognize her when she disguised herself as a prostitute? Wasn’t he aware of her appearance? And why would such a practice even be part of the story?Q9.Was Judah’s encounter with the woman he thought was a prostitute purely for sexual gratification, or could there have been some deeper religious or superstitious motive behind it? What does this reveal about Judah’s actions and the spiritual state of his family?Q10.What exactly was a shrine prostitute? Why would ancient societies involve such practices in their religious rituals, and how does the Bible address and condemn this behavior?Q11.Judah condemned Tamar to death for what he believed was immoral behaviour, yet he himself had been sexually immoral. Doesn’t this reveal a blatant double standard? How does this align with God’s justice and holiness?Q12.Why did Tamar choose to become a single parent rather than remain a childless widow? Wasn’t her decision to deceive Judah an act of desperation, and how does the Bible address this situation?Q13.How do we determine which of Tamar’s twins was considered the firstborn? Why does this matter, and how does this fit into the Bible’s broader narrative?
