Many members of the three Religions of the Book use the Bible as a source of guidance for matters of character formation and decision-making.   Employment of biblical passages for ethical purposes is not without its complications, however.  One such complication occurs in Genesis 38, in the story of Judah’s seduction by his daughter-in-law, Tamar.

Judah’s misconduct is part of a larger picture of good and bad behavior in Jacob’s family.  Reuben’s dalliance with his father’s concubine results in a rebuke (Gen 49:3-4).  Joseph’s fidelity to his employer initially leads to a temporary setback.  (Readers might wonder, however, if Potiphar really believes his wife’s tale since he has Joseph jailed instead of executed.) In the end, Joseph’s incarceration is but a stepping stone to better things (Genesis 39).  These stories cohere reasonably well with contemporary sexual ethics since continence is rewarded and incontinence is punished.  Judah’s tale, however, is a bit more complicated.

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