Tamar

Tamar - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

Palm. (1.) A place mentioned by Ezekiel (47:19; 48:28), on the southeastern border of Palestine. Some suppose this was "Tadmor" (q.v.).

(2.) The daughter-in-law of Judah, to whose eldest son, Er, she was married (Gen. 38:6). After her husband's death, she was married to Onan, his brother (8), and on his death, Judah promised to her that his third son, Shelah, would become her husband. This promise was not fulfilled, and hence Tamar's revenge and Judah's great guilt (38:12-30).

(3.) A daughter of David (2 Sam. 13:1-32; 1 Chr. 3:9), whom Amnon shamefully outraged and afterwards "hated exceedingly," thereby illustrating the law of human nature noticed even by the heathen, "Proprium humani ingenii est odisse quem laeseris", i.e., "It is the property of human nature to hate one whom you have injured."

(4.) A daughter of Absalom (2 Sam. 14:27).

1. The wife successively of the two sons of Judah, Er and Onan. (Genesis 38:8-30) (B.C. about 1718.) Her importance in the sacred narrative depends on the great anxiety to keep up the lineage of Judah. It seemed as if the family were on the point of extinction. Er and Onan had successively perished suddenly. Judah’s wife, Bathshuah, died; and there only remained a child, Shelah, whom Judah was unwilling to trust to the dangerous union as it appeared, with Tamar, lest he should meet with the same fate as his brothers. Accordingly she resorted to the desperate expedient of entrapping the father himself into the union which he feared for his son. The fruits of this intercourse were twins, Pharez and Zarah, and through Pharez the sacred line was continued.
2. Daughter of David and Maachah the Geshurite princess, and thus sister of Absalom. (2 Samuel 13:1-32; 1 Chronicles 3:9) (B.C. 1033.) She and her brother were alike remarkable for their extraordinary beauty. This fatal beauty inspired a frantic passion in her half-brother Amnon, the oldest son of David by Ahinoam. In her touching remonstrance two points are remarkable: first, the expression of the infamy of such a crime "in Israel" implying the loftier standard of morals that prevailed, as compared with other countries at that time; and second, the belief that even this standard might be overborne lawfully by royal authority --"Speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from thee." The intense hatred of Amnon succeeding to his brutal passion, and the indignation of Tamar at his barbarous insult, even surpassing her indignation at his shameful outrage, are pathetically and graphically told.
3. Daughter of Absalom, (2 Samuel 14:7) became, by her marriage with Uriah of Gibeah, the mother of Maachah, the future queen of Judah or wife of Abijah. (1 Kings 15:2) (B.C. 1023.)
4. A spot on the southeastern frontier of Judah, named in (Ezekiel 47:19; 48:28) only, evidently called from a palm tree. If not Hazazon-tamar, the old name of Engedi, it may he a place called Thamar in the Onamasticon [HAZAZON-TAMAR), a day’s journey south of Hebron.

Definition

Tamar is the name of several different women in the Old Testament. There are also several cities or other places that are named Tamar in the Old Testament.

• Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah. After Tamar became a widow, Judah fathered a son with Tamar, who continued the family name of her dead husband. The son’s name was Perez, who became an ancestor of King David and of Jesus Christ.
• One of King David’s daughters was named Tamar; she was the sister of Absalom. Her half-brother Amnon raped her and left her desolate.
• Absalom also had a daughter named Tamar.
• A city called “Hazezon Tamar” was the same as the city of Engedi on the western shore of the Salt Sea. There is also a “Baal Tamar,” and general references to a place called “Tamar” which may have been different from the cities.

(See also: Absalom, ancestor, Amnon, David, ancestor, Judah, Salt Sea)

(Translation suggestions: How to Translate Names)

Bible References

• 1 Chronicles 2:4
• 2 Samuel 13:2
• 2 Samuel 14:25-27
• Genesis 38:6-7
• Genesis 38:24
• Ruth 4:12
• Matthew 1:1-3

Word Data

• Strong’s: H1193, H2688, H8412, H8559