VAYESHEV “And he Settled”

TORAH: Genesis: 37:1-40:23HAFTORAH: Amos 2:6-3:8

B’RIT CHADASHAH: Matthew 1:1-6, 16-25All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

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HE SETTLEDAnd Yaʽaqob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the

land of Kenaʽan. (Genesis 37:1)

The  Hebrew  term  “Va‟yeshev”  means  “and he settled”  in  the land of his father's sojourning's, in eretz Canaan. “yeshev”  - “settling down” in peace and tranquillity. 

 

RETIREMENTJacob endured through many trials. • he struggled in the womb with his brother. • He was forced to leave his family because of Esau’s murderous 

threats after the way he obtained the blessings. • He  lived 20 years with a manipulative uncle and yet had  left 

with wives, children and possessions. • He  struggled with  a  divine  being  before  figuring  out  how  to 

appease Esau upon his return to the Promised Land. • His  daughter  was  rescued  from  the  arms  of  an  evil  prince 

although  the  questionable  method  of  securing  her  release brought worry to Jacob. 

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RETIREMENTAfter  all  of  this,  why  wouldn’t  Jacob,  now  an  elderly  man,  be ready for “settling” into a restful retirement?• Retirement was not יהוה’s plan for Jacob. • His  favoured  son,  Joseph,  would  soon  be  kidnapped  by  his 

own brothers and sold as a slave. • Jacob endured another 22  years of  trials, mourning a  son  in 

whom he had placed so much hope. 

There is no real “settling” in this world. There is always another battle, another trial, another test for the person of faith. 

Our mission in life is to keep moving forward.

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TRIALS And not only this, but we also exult in pressures, knowing that pressure

works endurance; and endurance, approvedness; and approvedness, expectation. And expectation does not disappoint, because the love of Elohim has been poured out in our hearts by the Set-apart Spirit which

was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the proving of your belief works endurance. And let endurance have a perfect work, so that you be perfect and complete, lacking in

naught. (James 1:2-4)

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SOJOURNJacob now  referred  to his  life  as  a  “sojourn” as he answered a question posed by Pharaoh:

And Pharaoh said to Yaʽaqob, “How old are you?” And Yaʽaqob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojournings are

one hundred and thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not reached the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.”

(Genesis 47:8-9)

Jacob  has  come  to  accept  that  trials  and  difficulties  have  been the tool that יהוה used to bring him to “completion”

By belief, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he was about to receive as an inheritance. And he

went out, not knowing where he was going. By belief, he sojourned in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents

with Yitshaq and Yaʽaqob, the heirs with him of the same promise, (Hebrews 11:8-9) 6

WALKING WITH GOD Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: ..and confessed that they were aliens and strangers on the earth.

(Hebrews 11:13)The benefits of not being too “settled” on this earth…

But now they long for a better place, that is, a heavenly. Therefore Elohim is not ashamed to be called their Elohim, for He

has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:16)“Sojourning” implies walking, mobility, progress, and growth. The danger of the “settled” lifestyle is  that  one  can  become spiritually paralyzed or stagnant. Obsession with security can hinder us from following Elohim. We find the idea of “walking” connected with righteous men: And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

(Genesis 5:24 NKJV)..Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked

with God. (Genesis 6:9 NKJV)7

INVITATION TO WALKTHEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging

guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of

the Spirit. [John 3:18.] (Romans 8:1 AMP)

For we walk by not by sight or appearance. (2 Corinthians 5:7 AMP)

How to “walk”? יהושע invites each of us to “yoke up” with Him:"Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I

will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest

for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.“ (Matthew 11:28-30 CJB) 8

GENERATIONS

Joseph life – a repetition of the father’s.• As the mother of Jacob remained childless for a long time after 

her marriage, so also the mother of Joseph. • As Rebekah had undergone severe suffering  in giving birth  to 

Jacob, so Rachel in giving birth to Joseph. • As Jacob's mother bore two sons, so also Joseph's mother. • Like Jacob, Joseph was born circumcised. (Midrash)• As the father was a shepherd, so the son. • As  the  father  served  for  the  sake  of  a  woman,  so  the  son 

served under a woman. • Like  the  father,  the  son  appropriated  his  older  brother's 

birthright. 

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GENERATIONS con’t• The father was hated by his brother, and the son was hated by 

his brethren.• The father was the favourite son as compared with his brother, 

so was the son as compared with his brethren. • Both the father and the son lived in the land of the stranger. • The father became a servant to a master, also the son.• The master whom  the  father  served was  blessed  by God,  so 

was the master whom the son served.• The father and the son were both accompanied by angels, and 

both married their wives outside of the Holy Land. • The father and the son were both blessed with wealth.• Great things were announced to the father in a dream, so also 

to the son. • As the father went to Egypt and put an end to famine, so the 

son. 

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GENERATIONS con’t• As the father exacted the promise from his sons to bury him in 

the Holy Land, so also the son. • The father died in Egypt, there died also the son. • The body  of  the  father was  embalmed,  also  the  body  of  the 

son. • As  the  father's  remains  were  carried  to  the  Holy  Land  for 

interment, so also the remains of the son. • Jacob the father provided for the sustenance of his son Joseph 

during  a  period  of  seventeen  years,  so  Joseph  the  son provided  for  his  father  Jacob  during  a  period  of  seventeen years.

(Mashiach ben Josef and Mashiach ben David)

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JOSEPHThis is the genealogy of Yaʽaqob. Yosĕph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the young man was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Yosĕph brought an evil report of them to his father.

(Genesis 37:2)

• The mothers of the sons of Jacob made a competition out of having these children. 

• They were conceived in strife. • Now, these bad feelings are playing out in the sons lives. • Joseph,  was  with  the  sons  of  Bilhah  (Dan  &  Naphtali)  and 

Zilpah  (Gad  &  Asher)  tending  their  father's  flocks.  In  the Hebrew  it  says  that  Joseph “would bring their evil reports to his father”.

OLD AGEAnd Yisra’ĕl loved Yosĕph more than all his children, because he

was the son of his old age. (Genesis 37:3)

The Book of  Jasher and other oral histories  tell us  that  Joseph, his  father’s  prodigy,  studied  with  his  father  and  became  his prime disciple  in the worship of יהוה. The other brothers, were not as eager to learn as Joseph was. • Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons “because he was

the son of his old age”. • The  Hebrew  word  here  for  “old age”  is  shown  with  vowel 

points  as  “zawqoon”  could  also  read  this  as “zawqayn‟im”  - “old” or “aged” with “having wisdom”. 

• He  was  the  son  of  Israel’s  “age old wisdoms”  or  “ancient knowledge”.

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JOSEPH יהושעWas a shepherd (Genesis 37:2)  is the Good Shepherd יהושע

(John 10:11)Beloved of his father (Genesis 37:3) 

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; 17:5)

Anointed by his father (coat of many colours) Genesis 37:3

 anointed as Messiah ben יהושעDavid (Heb. 1:9)

Brothers hated him (Genesis 37:4) 

 was hated without a cause יהושע(John 15:25)

Brothers refused his rule (Genesis 37:8) 

We do not want this man to rule over us (Luke 19:14)

Brothers jealous of him (Genesis 37:11)

It was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over (Mark 15:10)

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PICTURE OF THE MESSIAH As the beloved son of the father, Joseph symbolises Messiah יהושע.

JOSEPH יהושעSent out by his father (Genesis 37:12-14) 

 sent by His Father (John יהושע5:30-36)

Brothers conspired to kill him (Genesis 37:18)

The chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against יהושע in order to bring about His death (Matthew 27:1)

Brothers disbelieved him (Genesis 37:19-20)

 s brothers did not believe’יהושעin Him (John 1:11; 3:18)

Stripped of his robe (Genesis 37:23)

 was stripped of his יהושעgarments and made to wear a scarlet robe (Matthew 27:28)

Cast into a pit (Genesis 37:24) Spent 3 days in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40)

Brothers ate a meal while he was in the pit (Genesis 37:25)

Brethren ate the Passover while He was in the grave (John 13:1)

Sold for pieces of silver (Genesis 37:28)

Judas was paid 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15)

Raised from the pit (Genesis 37:28)

Raised from the grave (John 20)15

JOSEPH יהושעMade a slave (Genesis 37:28) Matthew 26:15; Philippians 2:7Taken to Egypt to avoid being killed (Genesis 37:28)

Taken to Egypt to avoid evil Herod (Matthew 2:13)

Covered his robe with blood (Genesis 37:31)

His robe was covered with blood (Mark 15:17)

Made overseer (Genesis 39:4) The Father loves the Son and has placed all things into His hands (John 3:35; Matthew 28:18)

Made no defence (Genesis 39:19)

 gave no answers (Isaiah יהושע53:7; Luke 23:9)

Imprisoned with two (Genesis 40:2-3)

Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with יהושע (Luke 23:32)

Falsely accused (Genesis 40:15)  falsely accused (Matthew יהושע27:23; Mark 15:11-15; Luke 23:21-23)

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KETONETAnd he made him a long robe. (Genesis 37:3)

• “ketonet” spelled “kaf-tav-nun-tav”.  - to cover ; a shirt: - coat, garment, robe.

• root  word  as  “kee’tan” (kaf-yud-tav-nun)  meaning  “woven linen” or “woven wool”

• also “katan”,  as  in  “tallit katan”  =“under tallit”,  which represents our prayer covering. 

• They can also display a future rank and honour of position in the family. 

• Those  who  wore  the  katan  were  usually  ones  that  studied Torah and were sons of the Covenant. 

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MANY COLOURSin  the  Hebrew  Torah  we  find  simply  the  word  “pasim”, “pey-samech-yud-mem”, - “to the wrists” and/or “ankles” - a long and sleeved  tunic  colours  denoting  both  a  pattern  of  interwoven lines and different colours

“ketonet pasim” - a long tunic worn by those of noble or priestly rank. 

The  following picture of  the “priestly tunic” worn by  the Kohen HaGadol (the High Priest) is ready and waiting for the next Priest who will serve in Mashiach‟s Temple.

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GOVERNOR COAT

• Jacob (Israel) made Joseph the Kohen Gadol of the family.• He made him High Priest, after the order of the Melek Tzadik. • Joseph studied under his  father and was  set-apart as  Israel’s 

High Priest in his generation. • No wonder his brothers couldn’t handle it. 

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David Rohl’s book “The Test of Time”. In it, he shows  the  archaeological  evidence  that Joseph was  indeed  in Egypt when  the Torah states  that  he  was.  This  is  a  picture  of  the statue  of  Joseph,  in  his  royal  Governor’s “coat of many colors”. This statue was found in  his  tomb  in  Egypt.  His  name,  both  as Joseph  (in  Hebrew)  and  his  Egyptian  name “Zaphnath-Pa’neah” (meaning  “Saviour of the Age”) were  written  in  numerous  places within this tomb. 

From  the  book Joseph by  Yair  Davidi,  “In Scotland, one’s rank was shown by the number of colors one wore on the kilt, one color being the lowest rank, seven colors being the highest.”

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SPEAK TO HIM PEACEBut when his brothers saw that their father

loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and were not able to speak peaceably to

him. (Genesis 37:4)“v‟lo yachlu dabro l‟shalom.”    -    “They could not speak peaceably to him” ~ “They could not speak a kind word to him” ~ “They could not speak to him on friendly terms”. literally,  “they could not speak him to peace”.

Leviticus 19:17, which states, Do not hate your brother in your heart. Reprove your neighbor, for certain, and bear no sin because of him. Had the brothers  told  Joseph how they  Joseph might have come to understand their feelings. It might have made him more modest, or at least more thoughtful. Paraphrase:  “Do not hate your brother in your heart”: “Those who hate tend to hide their hate in their heart”.

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JOSEF DREAMSAnd Yosĕph dreamed a dream, and told it to his brothers. So they hated him even more. And he said to them, “Please listen to this dream which

I have dreamed: “See, we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field, and see, my sheaf rose up and also stood up. And see, your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” And his

brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Shall you indeed rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his

words. And he dreamed still another dream and related it to his brothers, and said, “See, I have dreamed another dream, and see, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” And he

related it to his father and his brothers. And his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall we,

your mother and I and your brothers, indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” And his brothers envied him, but his father guarded

the word. (Genesis 37:5-11)

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• Jacob,  to  whom  he  told  it  first,  was  rejoiced  over  it,  for  he understood its meaning properly. 

• He knew that he himself was designated by the sun, • The  moon  stood  for  Joseph's  mother,  and  the  stars  for  his 

brethren, for the righteous are as the stars. • Jacob was so convinced of the truth of the dream that he was 

encouraged  to  believe  that  he  would  live  to  see  the resurrection of the dead, for Rachel was dead, and her return to earth was clearly indicated by the dream. 

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SHEKEMAnd his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shekem. And Yisra’ĕl said to Yosĕph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in

Shekem? Come, I send you to them.” ..(Genesis 37:12-13)• Shekem means  “upper back” or “shoulder”  and  is  the  part  of  the 

shoulder that carries the weight of a burden or a load. • Shimeon and Levi took out their anger on the men and animals of 

the whole  city  because  of  the  kidnapping  and  rape  of  their  sister Dinah. 

• Plus,  Jacob  had  purchased  a  field  from  Hamor,  Shekem’s  father there  too.  So,  they  owned  the  land  of  Shekem  and  they  return there, the place of their revenge, to plot the killing of Joseph. 

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“They [Israelites] shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west [the Philistines live in the western part of Canaan]; they [Israel] shall spoil them of the east [those in Arabia] together [together with the Philistines]; they [Israel] shall lay their hand on upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them [Israel].” Isaiah 11:14

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… And he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the sheep, and bring back word to me.”

So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shekem. (Gen 37:13-14)

• he tells him to look into the “peace‟ (shalom) of his brothers and the “shalom‟ of the flock and report back. 

• Israel is telling Joseph to “go make peace with your brothers”.

• Though he knew that  the hatred of his brethren might bring on unpleasant adventures, Joseph, ready to go on his father's errand. 

• “send  me  word"--an  unconscious  prophecy.  He  did  not  say that he expected to see Joseph again, but only to have word from him. 

OUT OF THE DEPTH..So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shekem.

(Genesis 37:14)

he sent him “out of the depth” of Hebron. “m‟emeq”,  spelled  “mem-ayin-mem-kuf”. mem = water, ayin = eye or fountain, mem = water and kuf = to surround, in  the  “eye”  or  “centre  of  the  fountain” and “surrounded by the waters”; like in an immersion  or  in  a  mikvah  (collection of water). Hebron  isn't  in  a  valley,  it's  on  a  hill.  It's literally  a  city  on  a  very  steep  hill.  So, what's at the “depth of Hebron”? • “Cave of the Patriarchs”. Hebron means “joining” or  “conjunction”.  Israel  sent Joseph  from  the  “cave of conjunction”, the “depth (m‟emeq) of Hebron”,    to make  peace  with  his  brothers  at Shekem, the “shoulder of the burden”. • With his royal priestly tunic he went as “Sar Shalom”,  the  Prince  who  would make  Peace  and  restore  the  nation, Israel. • a fore-shadow of Mashiach.28

CERTAIN MANAnd a certain man found him, and see, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What do you seek?” And he said, “I

am seeking my brothers. Please inform me where they are feeding their sheep.” And the man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go towards Dothan.’ ” So Yosĕph went after his brothers and

found them in Dothan. (Genesis 37:15-17)

Joseph reaches Shekem he is found by a “certain man”. =“v‟ye‟matzahoo” (“and he found” a man). Joseph “received” or “found knowledge”  in  this man. This  “man with knowledge” was a messenger of Elohim This man tells him that his brothers chose to go to Dothan. 

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Dothan literally means “two wells”.  It also comes from the root word “dat” which is “religious law”. 

A  prophetic  symbol  of  how  the  brothers would  hold  court  and seek  to  kill  Joseph,  just  as  the  Roman  appointees  among  the Sanhedrin would do to יהושע, Mashiach ben Yoseph, according to “dat” or “religious law”.

They  had  “two wisdoms” or “two paths”.  One  path  to murder and another to selling their brother into slavery, good or evil.

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REUBENAnd they saw him from a distance, and before he came near them, they plotted against him, to kill him. And they said to each other, “See, this master of dreams is coming! “Now, then, come and let us now kill him

and throw him into some pit, and shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ Let us then see what comes of his dreams!” But Re’ubĕn heard and rescued him from their hands, and said, “Let us not take his life.” And Re’ubĕn said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him” – in order to

rescue him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father. (Genesis 37:18-22)

• He was  the first of  the brethren of  Joseph  to make an attempt  to save him, so the city of Bezer in the tribe of Reuben was the first of the cities of refuge of the innocent that seek help. 

• Hosea, one of thy descendants, shall be the first to endeavor to lead Israel back to his heavenly Father."

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EMPTY CISTERNSo it came to be, when Yosĕph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Yosĕph of his robe, the long robe which was on

him. And they took him and threw him into a pit. And the pit was empty, there was no water in it. (Genesis 37:23-24)

When  Joseph  approached  his  brothers  to  bring  them shalom, they  stripped  him  of  his Cotonet pasim -  just  as  Yeshua  was stripped  of His priestly  garment  and  threw  Joseph  into  the empty cistern. 

PROPHETS IN TRAINING“And He shall sit as a refiner and a cleanser of silver. And He shall

cleanse the sons of Lĕwi, and refine them as gold and silver, and they shall belong to יהוה, bringing near an offering in righteousness.

(Malachi 3:3)

In the Pit Joseph was a ‘Prophet in Training’.“What am I doing stuck in this PIT?” How could the people so close to us, those who we trusted, hurt and betray us?The  answer  is  simple.  We  are  being  prepared,  purified,  refined,  and made  ready  to  rule  and  reign  with  Yeshua  as  kings  (melachim)  and priests (cohanim) with Him in His Kingdom. If Yeshua baptizes us with the  Ruach  HaKodesh  (Holy  Spirit)  and  with  fire,  we  should  not  be confounded by the preparation.

“I indeed immerse you in water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to bear. He

shall immerse you in the Set-apart Spirit and fire. (Matthew 3:11)

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THE FIRES OF PURIFICATION… “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by

your name, you are Mine. “When you pass through the waters, I am with you; and through rivers, they do not overflow you.

When you walk through fire, you are not scorched, and a flame does not burn you. (Isaiah 43:1-2)

• submit to the fires of purification and trust God that with Him by our side we will not be burned, then God will exalt us in His perfect way and perfect time to fulfil our destiny. 

• the fire can be uncomfortable and even painful, it can be the very thing that sets us free.

in which you exult, even though for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by manifold trials, in order that the proving of

your belief – much more precious than gold that perishes, and proven by fire – might be found to result in praise and respect and esteem at the revelation of יהושע Messiah, (1 Peter 1:6-7)

20 SHEKELSAnd Yehudah said to his brothers, “What would we gain if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? “Come and let us sell him to the Yishmaʽĕlites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our flesh.” And his brothers listened. And men, Midyanite traders passed by, so they pulled Yosĕph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Yishmaʽĕlites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Yosĕph to Mitsrayim. (Genesis 37:26-28)

They sell  Joseph to the Yishmaelites  for 20 pieces of silver. 20  is the number of “expectancy”. “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to them, ‘When a man separates a vow, by your evaluation of lives unto יהוה, when your evaluation is of a male … from five years old up to twenty years old, then your evaluation for a male

shall be twenty sheqels, and for a female ten sheqels; (Leviticus 27:2-5)Torah states that 20 sheqels is value of a young man below 20 years of age.  Joseph was 17. 

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BLOOD OF A MALE GOATSo they took Yosĕph’s robe, killed a male goat, and dipped the robe in the blood, and sent the long robe and brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Please look, is it the robe of your son or

not?” (Genesis 37:31-32)

• Torah makes sure to tell us that they killed a “male goat” (as in  Yom  Kippur)  and  dipped  the  tunic  in  the  blood  of  the “kapparah”  or  offering  of  atonement  and  bring  it  home  to Israel. 

• Genesis  49:8-12;  that  his  garment  would  be  washed  in  the “blood of grapes”. You, Yehudah, .. Binding his donkey to the vine, and his donkey‟s colt to the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine, and his robes in the blood of grapes…

• The Passover  Seder’s  third  cup of wine  (blood of  the  grapes representing  the kapparah),  the cup of  redemption. This  is a picture of Messiah’s redemptive work. 

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JUDAH LEAVESAnd at that time it came to be that Yehudah left his brothers..

(Genesis 38:1)

Now, the sages teach that when the brothers saw how Joseph’s loss hurt their father that they turned on Judah; because it was his  idea  to  sell  Joseph.  And,  this  is why  Judah  left his  brothers and went his own way, at this time. 

Legends of the Jews: When the sons of Jacob saw how inconsolable their father was, they went to Judah, and said to him, "This great misfortune is thy fault." Judah replied: "It was I that asked you, What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? and now you say the sin lies at my door." The brethren continued to argue: "But it was thou that didst say, Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and we followed thy advice. Hadst thou said, Let us restore him to his father, we had heeded these words of thine as well."

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And at that time it came to be that Yehudah left his brothers, and turned aside to a man, an Adullamite whose name was Hirah. And Yehudah saw there a daughter of a certain Kenaʽanite whose name

was Shuwa. And he took her and went in to her. (Genesis 38:1-2)

• Adullamite,  come  from  the  root  word  “adull”  which  means “justice”. “Adull ami” 

• “Adullam” (the  city)  is  referred  to  as  “hiding place”,  as  in  a “city of refuge”

• Judah goes  to a “city of refuge” and “turns aside” or “finds” Hirah (“nobleman”).

• Then,  he meets  the  daughter  of  a  Canaanite  named  Shuwa and  he marries  her.  Shuwa  or  Shuva  “wealth”  or  “riches”,  it also means “to cry for help” or “an outcry” and is the root for “teshuva” or “turning and repenting”, because it  involves the crying out of a contrite heart. 

• So, Judah in fact marries into “repentance”.

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TAMARSo she conceived and bore a son, .. Ěr. And she conceived again and bore a son, .. Onan. And she conceived yet again and bore a son, …

Shĕlah. And he was at Kezib when she bore him. And Yehudah took a wife for Ěr his first-born, and her name was Tamar. But Ěr, Yehudah’s

first-born, was evil in the eyes of יהוה, and יהוה took his life. And Yehudah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and

raise up an heir to your brother.” And Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. And it came to be, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he spilled on the ground, lest he should give an offspring to his brother. But what he did displeased יהוה, so He took his life too.

Then Yehudah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shĕlah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die as his brothers did.” And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s

house. (Genesis 38:3-11)

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• Er, means “watcher” or “enemy• Onan, meaning “strong”. • Shelah,  which  means  “to be safe”. Shelah,  is  born  in  Kezib 

which means “false”. It would indeed be a “false safety”.

• Tamar, which means “upright”, as in a palm tree. • The righteous people of יהוה are compared to trees, tall and 

upright trees, as in Terebinth, palms and oaks. • Tamar was the granddaughter of Shem, the son of Noah, the 

Melek Tzadik of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Jasher 45:23)• It was Tamar’s brother, Eber that instructed Joseph. The office 

of Melek Tzadik  (Righteous King) passed  from Shem  to Eber, skipping Eber’s father; because he was either not a Tzadik or simply chose a different path. 

• The Book of Jasher and the other oral histories teach that Er found  Tamar  so  beautiful  that  he  did  not  want  her  to  have children and lose her youthful beauty.

Joshuah 10:12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: "Sun, stand still over

Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon."13 So the sun stood still,and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its

enemies,as it is written in the Book of Jashar.

1Sam 1: 17 David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this

lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):

Jasher 45:23 “And in those days Judah went to the house of Shem and took Tamar the daughter of Elam, the son of Shem, for a wife for his

first born Er.”

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The Book of Jubilees, sometimes called Lesser Genesis (Leptogenesis), is an ancient Jewish religious work of 50 chapters, considered canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as well as Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews), where it is known as the Book of Division (Ge'ez: መጽሃፈ ኩፋሌ Mets'hafe Kufale). Jubilees is considered one of the pseudepigrapha by Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Churches.[1]

It was well known to Early Christians, as evidenced by the writings of Epiphanius, Justin Martyr, Origen, Diodorus of Tarsus, Isidore of Alexandria, Isidore of Seville, Eutychius of Alexandria, John Malalas, George Syncellus, and George Kedrenos. The text was also utilized by the Essenes community that originally collected the Dead Sea Scrolls. No complete Hebrew, Greek or Latin version is known to have survived.

The Book of Jubilees claims to present "the history of the division of the days of the Law, of the events of the years, the year-weeks, and the jubilees of the world" as revealed to Moses (in addition to the Torah or "Instruction") by Angels while he was on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights.[2] The chronology given in Jubilees is based on multiples of seven; the jubilees are periods of 49 years, seven "year-weeks", into which all of time has been divided.

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THE PROSTITUTE… the daughter of Shuwa, Yehudah’s wife, died. And Yehudah was comforted, and went up to his sheep-shearers at Timnah, …. it was

reported to Tamar, saying, .. she took off her widow’s garments, and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat at the

entrance to Ěnayim which was on the way to Timnah. ….. Yehudah saw her, and reckoned her for a whore, for she had covered her face. And he

turned aside to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you,” …. And she said, “What do you give me to come in to me?” And he said, “Let me send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “Do you give me a pledge until you send it?” So he said, “What pledge

should I give you?” And she said, “Your seal and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” … And it came to be, about three months

after, that Yehudah was informed, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has whored, and see, she has conceived by whoring.” And Yehudah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” … And she said, “Please examine whose these are: the seal and the cord and the staff.” And Yehudah examined and said, “She has been more righteous than I,

because I did not give her to Shĕlah my son.” And he never knew her again. (Genesis 38:12-26)

While  this  “right-ruling” or “commandment” would  not  be  codified until  B‟nei  Israel  were  in  the  wilderness,  this  “levirate marriage”  (a childless widow of a first-born marries his brother to produce an heir) mitzvah was already known to Jacob’s children and Tamar. 

• While Tamar’s genealogy is not discussed in Torah, the Book of Jubilee’s, Chapter 41 and Josephus works state that she was an Aramean (descendent of Shem) and Levi’s wife’s (Milcah’s) sister. 

• So, when Judah decides not to honour this command, he was in sin regarding all Israel. 

• Tamar's actions in tricking Judah into giving her an heir, helped set things right, or made “tikkun”, the Hebrew concept of “rectification”. 

• Judah acknowledged this publicly when he said that she had been more righteous than he. 

• The encounter between Judah and Tamar came at Enayim or the “crossroads” on the way to Timnah. Timnah means “portion” or “a part assigned”. It carries the connotation of “inheritance”. They were at the crossroads. Had Judah simply walked on by, there would be no heir for Tamar, no inheritance for the upright.

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DAUGHTER OF HIGH PRIESTTamar  demanded  that,  as  a  pledge  for  the  reward he  promised her,  he  leave  with  her  his  signet,  his  mantle,  and  his  staff,  the symbols  of  royalty,  judgeship,  and  Messiah  ship,  the  three distinctions  of  the  descendants  of  Tamar  from  her  union  with Judah. (Royal Priesthood /  Messiah Prophet / Messiah King)

It was the opinion of Judah that the woman was liable to the penalty of death by burning, for she was the daughter of the high priest Shem, and death by fire is the punishment ordained by the law for a high priest's daughter that leads an unchaste life.

‘And when the daughter of any priest profanes herself by whoring, she profanes her father. She is burned with fire. (Leviticus 21:9)

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PEREZ AND ZERAHAnd it came to be, at the time for giving birth, that see, twins were in her

womb. And it came to be, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand. And the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand,

saying, “This one came out first.” And it came to be, as he drew back his hand, that see, his brother came out! And she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” So his name was called Perets. And

afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. So his name was called Zerah. Genesis 38:27-30)

Perez, "mighty," because she said, "Thou didst show thyself of great power, and it is meet and proper that thou shouldst be strong, for thou art destined to possess the kingdom." Zerah, because he appeared from out of the womb before his brother, but he was forced back again to make way for Perez. There were  two sent out by  Joshua, and  the  line  that Rahab bound  in  the window of her house (scarlet thread) as a token to the army of the Israelites, she received from Zerah. 

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