Tamar and the Patriarchy: A Feminist Analysis of Genesis

Tamar and the Patriarchy: A Feminist Analysis of Genesis

To the modern day reader, The Bible greatly exemplifies an oppressive patriarchal social structure. Women are often raped and otherwise objectified with no consequence. Typically in the Bible, when a woman is a victim of misfortune due to her husband or father's lack of virtue, God has little pity for her, as she is portrayed as something owned by one or the other. However, the story of Tamar and Judah in Genesis 38 deviates from this typicality, and often times has a feminist interpretation. The passage details the perversion of this system in the privileged males own interest, yet ultimately reinforces it, showing that God is the ultimate Patriarch.

In a social system that glorifies one sex over the other in addition to relying on a hierarchy, it is not uncommon for an individual with a significant amount of social power to begin to think that he is above the law or even above God. Judah has already been established as a man who thinks himself above Hebrew tradition, especially when it comes to the laws of family and marriage; The Bible sets out to deliberately to make an example out of Judah's hubris, beginning with his name. At his birth, his mother, Leah, proclaims, "I will give praise, such that Judah means I will give praise to Yahweh" (Genesis 29:35). Judah's name contains within it a name of God - in this way, it is interpreted that Judah equates himself with God, which gives reason to his near constant disobedience, and why it is necessary for God to intervene. Judah is born into affluence as a result of Hebrew law and social structure, but often disregards these codes, as with his betrayal of his brother Joseph - he defies the social structure by selling his brother into slavery, which is an example of the transcending of class, since Joseph is the favorite son of a wealthy tribe leader. He again defies this by marrying a Canaanite, despite the fact that he and his family fought in a war against them, which is another betrayal to his family and his race. The case of Tamar was not the first offensive, but the most blatant disregard of Jewish code where he is not merely defying taboos but written law.

Tamar is given to Judah's eldest son, Er, whom is soon after struck down for being wicked. By Jewish law, Judah is then required to give Tamar to his second eldest son, Onan, who is subsequently also struck down for his wickedness. Judah sends Tamar away, promising his third son to her (as required by law) but secretly resolving to leave such a promise unfulfilled. Not only does he betray again Hebrew custom, he assumes that the deaths of his sons are a result from Tamar, despite his own family's wrong-doings. This action displays Judah's lack of remorse and understanding of his sins, as well as his own misogyny.

This disregarding in reinforced through the presence of devious sex in the passage. Onan selfishly disrespects the custom, not wishing to have responsibility for children that would not be considered of his own legacy: "But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother" (Genesis 38:9). In this way, he not only chooses to ignore the way of Hebrew life, but uses Tamar for solely sexual purposes, choosing to "emit" onto the ground, spilling his seed. God ultimately strikes down Onan for this sin, but still the tribe of Judah has yet to realize the err of its way.

More sexual deviation is exemplified when Tamar cleverly disguises herself as a harlot and Judah beds with her in exchange for a goat. However, Tamar has slept with him out of greater necessity than material