"But Er, Judah's first born was wicked in the LORD'S sight; so the LORD put him to death."
Gen 38:7
Gen 38:7
When Judah decided to leave his brothers in Egypt, he traveled into Canaanite territory where he settled down. There he met a woman who being of a Canaanite tribe would bare him his first born son, Er. It can be speculated that Er was a way ward child as most likely he did not know the ways of the Hebrew. He lived among his father Judah and his mother and her family. Judah was the foreigner within a foreign land and he and his son would have adopted the ways of Canaan.
Judah would have known the Hebrew custom that allowed husband's to make concubines of foreign women, but the wives of Israel were to be of the same nation. Something which Judah in his rebelliousness did not honor. He left his brothers; his fellow tribesmen to venture out in life on his own. When he came to a place of his choosing, he became enticed with the way of the land. Although Judah may have considered his son Er to be an Israelite, coming from honorable stock, scripture reveals that Er was not an Israelite at heart. Er did not adopt the ways of the Hebrew and therefore could not be awarded any Hebrew inheritance. Only Hebrew wives who bore children with their Hebrew husbands had entitlement to the family rights of the first born child. Canaanite concubines were exempt unless they gave their children over to the Hebrew wives to raise as their own. Judah's Canaanite wife was a wife in name only, her position of faith within pagan tradition denied her and her children any traditional Hebrew inheritance. Judah broke away from Israelite tradition and for this reason he unknowingly forfeited Hebrew blessings on his children. Because Judah did not choose a Hebrew wife, it is easy to see why the first born son of Judah did evil before the Lord. Er lived among his extended Canaanite family who practiced traditional pagan superstitions and rituals and because of his nationality, Er was not considered a pure Hebrew. Had he grown up with the ways of Godly tradition, he would have fared far better in his life. But because of his upbringing, Er was against God and his actions openly denied God and all forms of Godly living.
Judah would have known the Hebrew custom that allowed husband's to make concubines of foreign women, but the wives of Israel were to be of the same nation. Something which Judah in his rebelliousness did not honor. He left his brothers; his fellow tribesmen to venture out in life on his own. When he came to a place of his choosing, he became enticed with the way of the land. Although Judah may have considered his son Er to be an Israelite, coming from honorable stock, scripture reveals that Er was not an Israelite at heart. Er did not adopt the ways of the Hebrew and therefore could not be awarded any Hebrew inheritance. Only Hebrew wives who bore children with their Hebrew husbands had entitlement to the family rights of the first born child. Canaanite concubines were exempt unless they gave their children over to the Hebrew wives to raise as their own. Judah's Canaanite wife was a wife in name only, her position of faith within pagan tradition denied her and her children any traditional Hebrew inheritance. Judah broke away from Israelite tradition and for this reason he unknowingly forfeited Hebrew blessings on his children. Because Judah did not choose a Hebrew wife, it is easy to see why the first born son of Judah did evil before the Lord. Er lived among his extended Canaanite family who practiced traditional pagan superstitions and rituals and because of his nationality, Er was not considered a pure Hebrew. Had he grown up with the ways of Godly tradition, he would have fared far better in his life. But because of his upbringing, Er was against God and his actions openly denied God and all forms of Godly living.