Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 38/0

Biblical Parallels Index – Bereshit 38

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Tamar, Lot’s Daughters, and Rut

There are numerous parallels between the stories of Yehuda and Tamar, Lot’s daughters, and Megillat Rut -- all stories of women (who are related to each other) rebuilding families in unconventional ways in the wake of disaster.

Tools

• Tanakh Lab demonstrates that one of the chapters which shares the most linguistic parallels to Bereshit 38 (the story of Yehuda and Tamar) is Bereshit 19 (the story of lot and his daughters).  To compare the two, see here. Bereshit 19, in turn, has many parallels to the book of Rut. To compare them, see here.

Articles

• See Naomi, Tamar, and Lot’s Daughters: Continuity at All Costs by Dr. Yael Ziegler for analysis of the parallels between these three stories.
• See Rebuilding a Future When Our World Comes Crashing Down by R. Ezra Sivan for an analysis of how the narratives of Lot’s daughters, Tamar, and Naomi form a narrative arc toward redemption.
• See Redemption in Megillat Ruth by R. Yaakov Medan for exploration of the three interconnected narratives and their relation to the mission of Mashiach.

Birth of Twins

The birth story of Peretz and Zerach parallels the birth story of Yaakov and Esav in Bereshit 25, as Peretz pushes his way ahead of his brother and Zerach’s scarlet thread calls to mind Esav’s redness.

Tools

• Tanakh Lab – Use the Tanakh Lab to compare these two stories .