12 In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died; when Judah’s time of mourning was over,[a] he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she put off her widow’s garments, put on a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. She saw that Shelah was grown up, yet she had not been given to him in marriage. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He went over to her at the roadside, and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a kid from the flock.” And she said, “Only if you give me a pledge, until you send it.” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord, and the staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she got up and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.
20 When Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite, to recover the pledge from the woman, he could not find her. 21 He asked the townspeople, “Where is the temple prostitute who was at Enaim by the wayside?” But they said, “No prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah, and said, “I have not found her; moreover the townspeople said, ‘No prostitute has been here.’” 23 Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, otherwise we will be laughed at; you see, I sent this kid, and you could not find her.”
24 About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the whore; moreover she is pregnant as a result of whoredom.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” 25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “It was the owner of these who made me pregnant.” And she said, “Take note, please, whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah acknowledged them and said, “She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not lie with her again.
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So, thankfully due to having the right 'supporting materials" Tama was able to avoid the termination of an unwanted pregnancy.
Imagine if she, or anyone in that situation, did not!
Tom I do understand the point you are trying to make, but this pregnancy was not unwanted or accidental it was quite intentional and planned, You have to start at verse one and also need to understand the Levirate Marriage law, If a husband died leaving no Heir and he had an eligble brother that brother was to marry her and give her an heir to provide for her. Judah reneged on thisso Tamar plotted to get an heir using her father in law. In the end Judah did the right thing which is a trait he shows several times. He conspires with his brothers against Joseph, But he keeps them from killing him. One thing that this story teaches us is never rush to judgement. It is also an example of grace as judah took the opportunity do do whats right and Tamar was not condemned for her actions. It also is inserted into the story of Joseph which in my opinion was to contrast the unwavering faith of Joseph to the up and down faith of Judah.
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