Torah Portions, "and he settled" Gen 37:1-40:23

1. TORAH: Genesis: 37:1-40:23
HAFTORAH: Amos 2:6-3:8
B’RIT CHADASHAH: Matthew 1:1-6, 16-25
All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted
1

2. And Yaʽaqoḇ 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.
2

3. Jacob 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.
3

4. After all of this, why wouldn’t Jacob, now an elderly man, be
ready for “settling” into a restful retirement?
• Retirement was not ‫’יהוה‬s 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.
4

5. 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)
5

6. Jacob now referred to his life as a “sojourn” as he answered a
question posed by Pharaoh:
And Pharaoh said to Yaʽaqoḇ, “How old are you?” And Yaʽaqoḇ
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, Aḇraham 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 Yitsḥaq and Yaʽaqoḇ, the heirs with him of the same
promise, (Hebrews 11:8-9) 6

7. 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

8. THEREFORE, [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

9. 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.
9

10. • 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.
10

11. • 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)
11

12. This is the genealogy of Yaʽaqoḇ. 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”.
12

13. And 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”.
13

14. JOSEPH ‫יהושע‬
Was a shepherd (Genesis 37:2) ‫יהושע‬ is the Good Shepherd
(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
‫יהושע‬ anointed as Messiah ben
David (Heb. 1:9)
Brothers hated him (Genesis
37:4)
‫יהושע‬ was hated without a cause
(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)
14
As the beloved son of the father, Joseph symbolises Messiah ‫יהושע‬.

15. JOSEPH ‫יהושע‬
Sent out by his father (Genesis
37:12-14)
‫יהושע‬ sent by His Father (John
5:30-36)
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)
‫’יהושע‬s brothers did not believe
in Him (John 1:11; 3:18)
Stripped of his robe (Genesis
37:23)
‫יהושע‬ was stripped of his
garments 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

16. JOSEPH ‫יהושע‬
Made a slave (Genesis 37:28) Matthew 26:15; Philippians 2:7
Taken 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)
‫יהושע‬ gave no answers (Isaiah
53:7; 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) ‫יהושע‬ falsely accused (Matthew
27:23; Mark 15:11-15; Luke
23:21-23)
16

17. And 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.
17

18. in 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.
18

19. 19

20. • 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.
20

21. 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.”
21

22. But 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”.
22

23. And 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)
23

24. • 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.
24

25. And his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Sheḵem. And
Yisra’ĕl said to Yosĕph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in
Sheḵem? 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.
25

26. 26
“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

27. … 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 Ḥeḇron, and he went to
Sheḵem. (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.
27

28. ..So he sent him out of the Valley of Ḥeḇron, and he went to Sheḵem.
(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

29. And 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.
29

30. 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.
30

31. And 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’uḇĕn
heard and rescued him from their hands, and said, “Let us not take his
life.” And Re’uḇĕn 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."
31

32. So 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.
32

33. “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)
33

34. … “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)34

35. And Yehuḏah 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, Miḏyanite 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.
35

36. So 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.
36

37. And at that time it came to be that Yehuḏah 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."
37

38. And at that time it came to be that Yehuḏah left his brothers, and
turned aside to a man, an Aḏullamite whose name was Ḥirah. And
Yehuḏah 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”.
38

39. So 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 Keziḇ when she bore him. And Yehuḏah took a
wife for Ěr his first-born, and her name was Tamar. But Ěr, Yehuḏah’s
first-born, was evil in the eyes of ‫,יהוה‬ and ‫יהוה‬ took his life. And
Yehuḏah 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 Yehuḏah 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)
39

40. • 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. 40

41. 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.”
41

42. 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.
42

43. 43

44. … the daughter of Shuwa, Yehuḏah’s wife, died. And Yehuḏah 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. ….. Yehuḏah 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 Yehuḏah was informed, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-
law has whored, and see, she has conceived by whoring.” And Yehuḏah
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
Yehuḏah 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)
44

45. 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.
45

46. Tamar 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)
46

47. And 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 Zeraḥ. 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. 47

48. 48

49. 49