Judah’s Wife

Soon after Judah and his brothers sold Joseph into slavery, Judah left home and visited Hirah, an Adullamite. While there, Judah met a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua, and he married her.

The Bible gives us no details about the daughter of Shua other than she was a Canaanite, so Judah should not have married her. Her father’s name, Shua, means wealth. Perhaps Judah was attracted to their riches and wanted to attach himself to the wealthy family.

Judah’s Canaanite wife bore him three sons – Er, Onan, and Shelah.

Judah found Er a wife at a young age. Her name was Tamar. But right after the mention of their marriage, Genesis 38:7 says, “But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death.”

So as was the custom, Judah gave Tamar to Onan, who refused to do his duty to pass on his brother’s line, so God put him to death.

Two sons, killed by God. What did Judah’s wife think of this? Did she attribute their death to her husband’s God? Did she even know about Judah’s God? We certainly see no evidence of Judah living a godly life, or trying to share his faith with his family.

Were Judah and his wife there for each other after the deaths of their sons? Did they find comfort in each other? Did they grow apart?

Genesis 38:12 tells of Judah’s wife’s death many years after the deaths of her first two sons. We’re told that her husband mourned for her, then after his time of mourning, he went with his Canaanite friend to the sheep shearing celebration.

What a sad life Judah’s wife lived. Raised in a pagan environment, married to a man who should have been godly but wasn’t.

Judah’s Wife in Scripture: Genesis 38:1-12