Genesis 38:6

6 Soothly Judah gave a wife, that was called Tamar, to his first begotten son Er.

Genesis 38:6 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 38:6

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn
Chose one for him, and presented her to him for his liking, whom he approving of married: whose name [was] Tamar;
which signifies a "palm tree": the Targum of Jonathan says, she was the daughter of Shem; but it is altogether improbable that a daughter of his should be living at this time, and young enough to bear children: it is much more probable that she was daughter of Levi, Judah's brother, as an Arabic writer ^F15 asserts; but it is more likely still that she was the daughter of a Canaanite, who was living in the same place, though his name is not mentioned, ( Genesis 38:11 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. p. 16.

Genesis 38:6 In-Context

4 And again when another child was conceived, she named the child (that was) born, Onan.

5 And she childed the third son, whom she called Shelah, and when he was born, she ceased to bear child more (she ceased to bear any more children). (And she bare her third son, whom she called Shelah, when she was at Chezib.)

6 Soothly Judah gave a wife, that was called Tamar, to his first begotten son Er.

7 And Er, the first begotten son of Judah, was wayward in the sight of the Lord, and therefore he was slain of the Lord (and so the Lord killed him).

8 Therefore Judah said to Onan, his son, Enter thou [in] to the wife of thy brother, and be thou fellowshipped to her, that thou raise seed to thy brother. (And so Judah said to his son Onan, Sleep with thy brother's wife, and be fellowshipped to her, and so raise thou up seed, or some sons, for thy brother.)