Biblical Hebrew Forum

[jimstinehart AT aol.com]

Dear Prof. Yigal Levin:

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

In the e-n-t-i-r-e  Bible, there is onlyone instance in which the KJV 
translation reports “she said” in threeconsecutive verses:  Genesis 38:16-18. 
 In all three verses, “she said” incontext 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, thatis, Tamar [impersonating 
a prostitute] said/she said:  The pledge is to be your signets, braceletand 
staff.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The entire Bible falls apart at the seams absent TMRT-)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 beendeliberately and brilliantly 
designed by the Hebrew author to recall T-)MR.  TMR : T-)MR.

Jim Stinehart
Evanston, Illinois