What happensPermalink
Judah fathers Er, Onan, and Shelah by Shuah. Er marries Tamar; God kills him. So Onan marries her, but refuses to impregnate her; God kills him. So Judah refuses to let Shelah marry her. She dresses as a prostitute, and Judah, not recognizing her, sleeps with her himself.
Why it mattersPermalink
The wickedness of Judah, Er, and Onan in this chapter illustrate the dangers of integrating with the Canaanites. Onan’s fear, that Tamar’s child would be Er’s and take his inheritance, is the same reason Ruth ends up with Boaz and not her nearest kinsman (Ruth 4:6).
Key versePermalink
Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again.