Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yigal Levin <Yigal.Levin AT biu.ac.il>]

Sorry, Jim, I just don’t see what you're getting at. I've already agreed that 
the multiple repetition of "watomer Tamar" may have been done on purpose, for 
dramatic effect. I think that we both agree on the importance of the whole 
story in the larger narrative. But what's your point? That Judah's 
daughter-in-law was NOT named Tamar? I know of at least two more women with 
that name in the Bible. So what?

 

Yigal Levin 

 

From: jimstinehart AT aol.com [mailto:jimstinehart AT aol.com] 
Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2012 2:30 PM
To: Yigal.Levin AT biu.ac.il; b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] TMR T)MR

 

Dear Prof. Yigal Levin:

 

You wrote:  “I don't think that there is any reason to doubt that the name 
Tamar means ‘date palm’.  Why this particular woman was given this name is 
irrelevant.  And ‘watomer’ is the regular way to say ‘(she) said’.  It is 
possible that the writer of this particular text juxtaposed the two words so 
many times for dramatic effect, but I doubt that this could be proven.”

 

In the  e-n-t-i-r-e  Bible, there is only one instance in which the KJV 
translation reports “she said” in three consecutive verses:  Genesis 38: 
16-18.  In all three verses, “she said” in context effectively means “Tamar 
said”.  It’s spelled T-)MR, and as such looks suspiciously like the name TMR.

 

At Genesis 38: 16, T-)MR means TMR T-)MR, that is, Tamar [impersonating a 
prostitute] said/she said:  What will you give me?

 

At Genesis 38: 17, T-)MR means TMR T-)MR, that is, Tamar [impersonating a 
prostitute] said/she said:  Will you give me a pledge? 

 

At Genesis 38: 18, T-)MR again means TMR T-)MR, that is, Tamar [impersonating 
a prostitute] said/she said:  The pledge is to be your signets, bracelet and 
staff.

 

Three times in a row, T-)MR, referring to TMR.

 

Then just when Tamar is about to be burned alive, at Genesis 38: 25, once 
again:  T-)MR means TMR T-)MR, that is, Tamar [impersonating a prostitute] 
said/she said:  The pledge I have are your signets, bracelet and staff.

 

A fourth time, T-)MR, referring to TMR.

 

T-)MR translated as “she said” occurs in three consecutive verses in only one 
place in the entire Bible, and in that once instance, in context it means TMR 
T-)MR:  Tamar said.

 

Yet you assert:  “It is possible that the writer of this particular text 
juxtaposed the two words so many times for dramatic effect, but I doubt that 
this could be proven.”

 

As the proof that TMR is a shortened version of T-)MR, with the name TMR 
meaning “she said”/T-)MR, please consider the following:

 

(1)  All four critical moments in the text that determine whether or not 
Tamar/TMR will be burned alive feature the phrase T-)MR:  “she said”, in 
context meaning TMR T-)MR:  “Tamar said”.

 

(2)  In the entire Bible, the  o-n-l-y  time when T-)MR appears in three 
consecutive verses is Genesis 38: 16-18, and in those three verses T-)MR in 
context means TMR T-)MR:  “Tamar said”.

 

The Hebrew author wants his audience to realize that TMR as a name is 
intentionally a shortened form of T-)MR, so that the name TMR means “she 
said”.  The phrase T-)MR appears in the text all four times when everything 
is on the line as to whether TMR will or will not be burned alive.  T-)MR 
three consecutive times to get that critical pledge, and then T-)MR a fourth 
time referencing that pledge to avoid getting burned alive.  TMR T-)MR, in 
three consecutive verses, uniquely in the entire Bible.  Otherwise Tamar 
would have been burned alive, there would have been no “younger” twin son 
Perez [Judah’s twin son/grandson, who is borne before his “older” twin 
brother Zerah], and no line of descendants of Judah leading to King David.  

 

The entire Bible falls apart at the seams absent TMR T-)MR three times in 
quick succession.  Because absent that thrice-said T-)MR, there’s no TMR!  In 
chapter 38 of Genesis, the name TMR has been deliberately and brilliantly 
designed by the Hebrew author to recall T-)MR.  TMR : T-)MR.

 

Jim Stinehart

Evanston, Illinois