Article #38 the series: You Are God’s Masterpiece: The Genesis Notes.
你是神的杰作:《创世记手记》系列第三十八篇
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How does God transform a story of sin into a story of grace?
神是如何将一个罪的故事改写成一个恩典的故事的呢？
Judah’s Story
犹大的故事
Just as we are getting started with the life story of Joseph we are interrupted by a strange and uncomfortable story about Joseph’s older brother, Judah.
就在我们开始讲述约瑟的生平时，发生在约瑟的哥哥犹大身上的一个奇怪而令人不安的故事打断了我们。
This entire story does not fit with my idea of what it should look like to be a part of God’s plan. God kills two wicked men, one man will sleep with his wife, but will not allow his wife to conceive a child, a woman dresses up like a prostitute to seduce her father-in-law so she can become pregnant by him, the father-in-law wants to kill the daughter-in-law. This sounds like the plot of a movie I would NOT see. How can this be God’s plan? To make things even more hard to comprehend, the child resulting from all of this will be a part of God’s chosen ones – he is one of the forefathers of Jesus. WHAT?!
这整个故事都与我的想法不相符，我认为这应该是 神计划的一部分。神杀了两个为恶的男人，有一个男人和他的妻子同寝，但不让妻子怀孕，还有一个女人打扮成妓女去勾引她的公公，因而从他怀孕，公公想要杀了儿媳……这情节听起来像是一部我都不愿去看的电影。这怎么可能是 神的计划呢？更令人费解的是，这一切结果最后带来的孩子将是 神所拣选的子民中的一部分……他是耶稣的先祖之一。什么？！
At That Time
那时
The story starts with an odd line: “At that time … ” What time? What was going on in the story?
故事以一句奇怪的话开头：“那时…。”什么时间？故事里发生了什么？
“At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah.” (Genesis 38:1 NIV)
“那时，犹大离开他弟兄下去，到一个亚杜兰人名叫希拉的家里去。” 创世记38:1
Joseph was just sold into slavery. Do you remember whose idea it was to sell Joseph as a slave? Judah’s. First the brothers were going to kill him. Then they changed their mind and Reuben persuaded them to throw him into a cistern. Reuben was going to save his life. But before Reuben could save him, Judah had this great idea to sell Joseph.
约瑟刚刚被卖为奴隶。还记得是谁的主意把约瑟卖为奴隶吗？是犹大。最开始哥哥们打算杀了约瑟。后来他们改变主意，流便劝他们把约瑟丢在野地的坑里。流便想要救约瑟的命。流便还没有来得及搭救约瑟，犹大就出了个主意把约瑟卖了。
“Judah said to his brothers, ‘What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.’ His brothers agreed.” (Genesis 37:26-27 NIV)
“犹大对众弟兄说：‘我们杀我们的兄弟，藏了他的血，有什么益处呢？我们不如将他卖给以实玛利人，不可下手害他，因为他是我们的兄弟，我们的骨肉。’众弟兄就听从了他。”
创世记37:26-27
Judah Left
犹大离开
After Judah had this terrific idea to sell his brother, he himself left his brothers and he moved away. We do not know why, but this major decision to leave resulted in Judah living separate from his family for about 20-25 years. He will come back together with his brothers at the end of the story. This story of Judah and Tamar in Genesis 38 takes place during these 20-25 years while Joseph is a slave in Egypt – a slave because of Judah’s suggestion. For all of Joseph’s years of suffering as a slave, Judah is also suffering in a different way.
犹大出了这个绝妙的主意，卖掉自己的弟弟之后，他就离开了他的弟兄们。我们不知道原因，但离开的这个重大决定，导致犹大与他的家人分开生活了大约20到25年。故事结尾时，他会和他的兄弟们一起回来。创世记三十八章中，犹大和他玛的故事发生在这20到25年中。当时，约瑟是埃及的奴隶，正是因为犹大的建议，他成为了一名奴隶。在约瑟为奴受苦的这些年里，犹大也在以不同的方式经受苦难。
Judah’s Life
犹大的一生
There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. He married her and made love to her; she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er. She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan. She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him. Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also. Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s household until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s household. After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.
Genesis 38:2-12 NIV
犹大在那里看见一个迦南人名叫书亚的女儿，就娶她为妻，与她同房，她就怀孕生了儿子，犹大给他起名叫珥。她又怀孕生了儿子，母亲给他起名叫俄南。她复又生了儿子，给他起名叫示拉。她生示拉的时候，犹大正在基悉。犹大为长子珥娶妻，名叫他玛。犹大的长子珥在耶和华眼中看为恶，耶和华就叫他死了。犹大对俄南说：“你当与你哥哥的妻子同房，向她尽你为弟弟的本分，为你哥哥生子立后。”俄南知道生子不归自己，所以同房的时候，便遗在地，免得给他哥哥留后。俄南所做的在耶和华眼中看为恶，耶和华也就叫他死了。犹大心里说：“恐怕示拉也死，像他两个哥哥一样”，就对他儿妇他玛说：“你去，在你父亲家里守寡，等我儿子示拉长大。”他玛就回去住在她父亲家里。过了许久，犹大的妻子书亚的女儿死了。犹大得了安慰，就和他朋友亚杜兰人希拉上亭拿去，到他剪羊毛的人那里。
创世记38:2-12
Judah’s wife was a foreigner, a Canaanite. Judah dutifully found a wife, Tamar, for his son Er. Er was so wicked God killed him. So according to the cultural practices Tamar was given to the next son, Onan, so she could have a child as the heir of Er. Onan did not like this idea and prevented Tamar from becoming pregnant. To God this was wicked and He put Onan to death. Judah then sends Tamar away and blames Tamar for the deaths. Meanwhile Judah’s wife also dies. Family life for Judah seems to be quite difficult.
犹大的妻子是一个外邦人，迦南人。犹大尽职尽责地为长子珥娶了妻子，名叫他玛。珥是恶人， 神就叫他死了。所以按照文化习俗，犹大把他玛给了二儿子俄南，这样他玛就可以有一个孩子作为珥的继承人。俄南不喜欢这个想法，阻止他玛怀孕。对 神来说，这是看为恶的，祂就让俄南死了。犹大为儿子们的死责备他玛，打发她回家。同时，犹大的妻子也死了。犹大的家庭生活看起来十分艰难。
What About Tamar?
他玛呢？
“When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,” she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “And what will you give me to sleep with you?” she asked. “I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” he said. “Will you give me something as a pledge until you send it?” she asked. He said, “What pledge should I give you?” “Your seal and its cord, and the staff in your hand,” she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes again. Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her. He asked the men who lived there, “Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?” “There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here,” they said. So he went back to Judah and said, “I didn’t find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, ‘There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here.’ ” Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn’t find her.” About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.” Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!” As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.” Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not sleep with her again. When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist and said, “This one came out first.” But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out, and she said, “So this is how you have broken out!” And he was named Perez. Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist, came out. And he was named Zerah.”
Genesis 38:13-30 NIV
有人告诉他玛说：“你的公公上亭拿剪羊毛去了。”他玛见示拉已经长大，还没有娶她为妻，就脱了她作寡妇的衣裳，用帕子蒙着脸，又遮住身体，坐在亭拿路上的伊拿印城门口。犹大看见她，以为是妓女，因为她蒙着脸。犹大就转到她那里去，说：“来吧！让我与你同寝。”他原不知道是他的儿妇。他玛说：“你要与我同寝，把什么给我呢？”犹大说：“我从羊群里取一只山羊羔，打发人送来给你。”他玛说：“在未送以先，你愿意给我一个当头吗？”他说：“我给你什么当头呢？”他玛说：“你的印，你的带子和你手里的杖。”犹大就给了她，与她同寝，她就从犹大怀了孕。他玛起来走了，除去帕子，仍旧穿上作寡妇的衣裳。犹大托他朋友亚杜兰人送一只山羊羔去，要从那女人手里取回当头来，却找不着她，就问那地方的人说：“伊拿印路旁的妓女在哪里？”他们说：“这里并没有妓女。”他回去见犹大说：“我没有找着她，并且那地方的人说：‘这里没有妓女。’“犹大说：“我把这山羊羔送去了，你竟找不着她，任凭她拿去吧，免得我们被羞辱。”约过了三个月，有人告诉犹大说：“你的儿妇他玛作了妓女，且因行淫有了身孕。”犹大说：“拉出她来，把她烧了！”他玛被拉出来的时候，便打发人去见她公公，对他说：“这些东西是谁的，我就是从谁怀的孕。请你认一认，这印和带子并杖都是谁的？”犹大承认说：“她比我更有义，因为我没有将她给我的儿子示拉。”从此犹大不再与她同寝了。他玛将要生产，不料她腹里是一对双生。到生产的时候，一个孩子伸出一只手来，收生婆拿红线拴在他手上，说：“这是头生的。”随后这孩子把手收回去，他哥哥生出来了。收生婆说：“你为什么抢着来呢？”因此给他起名叫法勒斯。后来，他兄弟那手上有红线的也生出来，就给他起名叫谢拉。
创世记38:13-30
Tamar is now a widow and has no children. She has returned to her father. She is not being taken care of like she should, an injustice has been done to her. Tamar makes a plan. She pretends to be a prostitute, she sleeps with Judah and becomes pregnant. When Judah finds out, he wants to kill Tamar. Tamar then reveals Judah is the father of her child. In the end Tamar has twins. One is named Perez. He is in the genealogy of Jesus. What an incredible story.
他玛现在是寡妇，没有孩子。她回到了父亲家里，没有得到应有的照顾，这对她是不公平的。他玛定了一个计划：她假扮妓女，和犹大同寝，从他怀孕。当犹大发现了，就想杀她。于是他玛指出犹大是她孩子的父亲。最后，他玛生了一对双胞胎。其中一个叫法勒斯。他也在耶稣的族谱中。这是多么让人难以置信的故事。
What is your opinion? Who is right and who is wrong in this story?
你有什么看法？在这个故事中，谁对，谁错？
Is This Story Okay?
这个故事有趣吗？
This is a story with a horrible list of bad happenings. It is easy for us to read the story and judge the characters, but once we condemn Judah and Tamar in our own minds it is really hard to understand why or how God could use this sinful situation to bring forth a child who would lead to the birth of Christ. It just doesn’t seem to make sense.
这个故事中发生了一系列糟糕而可怕的事件。我们很容易在读这个故事时，论断里面的人物，但当我们心中给犹大和他玛定罪时，真的很难理解 神为何或如何在这种罪恶的处境下带来一个最终会导向基督诞生的孩子。这看上去并不合理！
We know God hates sin and wickedness, otherwise He would not have killed Er and Onan. How could God have killed the sons of Judah, but then allow Judah to do these shameful things and bless him with a child?
我们知道 神憎恨罪和邪恶，否则他就不会杀死珥和俄南。神怎能杀了犹大的子孙，还允许犹大行这些可耻的事，并赐福给他一个孩子呢？
The Moment Everything Changed
当一切都改变时
If this was a movie script the most dramatic moment would have been when Judah went to kill Tamar. It seems there must have been quite a crowd gathered around him as he stormed to Tamar’s father’s home to condemn her to death. But just as Tamar is being led out to her death, she sends a message to Judah.
如果这是一个电影剧本，当犹大去杀他玛时，就是最戏剧性的时刻。当他冲进他玛父亲的家里定她死罪时，身旁一定有很多人围观。但他玛被拉出来受死时，她打发人去给犹大带话。
“As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. ‘I am pregnant by the man who owns these,’ she said. And she added, ‘See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.’”
Genesis 38:25 NIV
“他玛被拉出来的时候，便打发人去见她公公，对他说：‘这些东西是谁的，我就是从谁怀的孕。请你认一认，这印和带子并杖都是谁的？’”
创世记38:25
Judah’s seal, cord and staff are like a modern-day identification card or business card.
犹大的印、带子和杖，相当于现代人的身份证或名片。
Tamar knew an injustice had been done to her. She speaks out the truth, she exposes the injustice, but she does not speak out against Judah and his sons. She never says a word against them, but she points out the facts.
他玛知道自己遭受了不公正的对待。她说真话，揭露不义，她并没有指摘犹大和他的众子。她从未说过反对他们的话，但她指出了事实。
At this moment Judah does something completely changing the direction of this story. He did not deny they were his children. He did not blame someone else. He confessed his own sin. He admitted he had done wrong and acknowledged Tamar was more righteous than he was.
此时，犹大做了一件完全改变故事情节方向的事。他没有否认是他的孩子，也没有责怪别人。他承认了自己的罪过。他承认他玛比自己更有义，是自己做错了事。
“Judah recognized them and said, ‘She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.’ And he did not sleep with her again.”
Genesis 38:26 NIV
“犹大承认说：‘她比我更有义，因为我没有将她给我的儿子示拉。’从此犹大不再与她同寝了。”
创世记38:26
After many years of suffering (two sons die, his wife dies, no grandchildren) he confesses openly the truth. He does not hide what he did. He openly says, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her my son Shelah.”
经过多年的苦难(他的两个儿子死了，他的妻子死了，没有孙子)，他公开承认了真相。他没有隐瞒自己的所作所为。他公开说：“她比我更有义，因为我没有将她给我的儿子示拉。”
He then repented of his sin. He does the right thing. He took Tamar home to live with him, he did not treat her as a wife, but he cared for her as he should have and she raised her twin sons in his home.
然后他忏悔了自己的罪。他做了对的事情，带他玛回家一同生活，并没有把他玛当妻子对待，而是照当做的去照顾她，他玛在家里抚养她的孪生儿子。
Confession and Repentance
认罪悔改
With confession and repentance everything can change. The worst circumstances can be changed for the glory of God.
随着认罪和悔改，所有一切都会改变。最坏的情况为了 神的荣耀也能被改变。
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord … ”
Acts 3:19 NIV
“所以你们当悔改归正，使你们的罪得以涂抹；这样，那安舒的日子就必从主面前来到。”
使徒行传3:19
Can you think of a situation in your own life, or in the life of someone you know, which seemed so wrong, so against God’s plan and so ugly, but once sin was confessed and lives were turned toward God the ugly story became beautiful?
你能想到自己的生活或相识的其他人的生活中有类似的情形吗？这些事看起来是大错特错，完全违背 神的计划，丑陋不堪，可是一旦认罪，生命回转归向 神，丑恶的故事变为美好？
The Rest of The Story
接下来的故事
The rest of the story is fascinating. Three other times in the Bible we hear about Tamar. She actually becomes quite famous.
接下来的故事很吸引人。我们在《圣经》中还听说过他玛三次。事实上她变得相当有名。
1 Chronicles 2:4 lists her name in the genealogy of Israel. Tamar is one of the few women listed.
历代志上2:4在以色列的族谱中列出了她的名字。他玛是所列为数不多的妇女之一。
“The sons of Judah: Er, Onan and Shelah. These three were born to him by a Canaanite woman, the daughter of Shua. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death. Judah’s daughter-in-law Tamar bore Perez and Zerah to Judah. He had five sons in all.”
1 Chronicles 2:3-4 NIV
“犹大的儿子是珥、俄南、示拉；这三人是迦南人书亚女儿所生的。犹大的长子珥，在耶和华眼中看为恶，耶和华就使他死了。犹大的儿妇他玛给犹大生法勒斯和谢拉。犹大共有五个儿子。”
历代志上2:3-4
In Ruth, Tamar’s story is used as a blessing to Boaz.
在路得记中，他玛的生平故事被用来祝福波阿斯。
“Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”
Ruth 4:12 NIV
“愿耶和华从这少年女子赐你后裔，使你的家像他玛从犹大所生法勒斯的家一般。”
路4:12
And most impressive she is the first woman listed in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew chapter 1.
最令人印象深刻的是，她是马太福音 第一章中 列在耶稣家谱上的第一个女人，
“Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar … ”
Matthew 1:3a NIV
“犹大从他玛氏生法勒斯和谢拉。”
马太福音 1:3a
In Matthew chapter 1 is the list of Jesus’ family tree. There are, in fact, five women listed. The first one is Tamar. Here are the other famous women:
马太福音第一章中列出了耶稣的家谱。其中有5位妇女被列入名单，第一位是他玛。以下是其他几位著名的女人：
Tamar – a foreigner, a widow, dressed like a prostitute to become pregnant
他玛——一个外邦人，寡妇，打扮成妓女而怀孕
Rahab – a foreigner, a prostitute, honored God with her actions
喇合——一个外邦人，妓女，以她的实际行动荣耀 神
Ruth – a foreigner, a widow, honored God with her actions
路德——一个外邦人，寡妇，以她的行为荣耀 神
Bathsheba – “Mother of Solomon,” adulteress, wife of King David
拔士巴——“所罗门的母亲”—— 通奸者，大卫的妻子
Mary – virgin, submitted her life to God
马利亚——童贞女，把生命献给 神
These five unlikely ladies were very important to God’s plan. Widows, prostitute, foreigners, adulteress, virgin. God used them.
这五位女性看起来不太可能却在 神的计划中非常重要。寡妇，妓女，外帮人，通奸者，童贞女。神使用了她们。
Why do you think God uses unlikely people to do His Kingdom work? Why would he use people with these kinds of backgrounds?
在你看来， 神为什么要使用看起来不太可能的人来完成衪天国的工呢？祂为什么要使用有这样背景的这些人呢？
The Big Picture
全景图
Let’s look at the big picture. God’s big plan was to have a family on earth (the Jews) who would know God and share God with the whole world. Through them God brought us the law, the prophets and the Messiah. Through this family – Abraham’s family – the whole world would be blessed.
让我们看一下事情的全景图。神的大计划是 在地球上建立一个认识神并与全世界分享 神的家族(犹太人)。通过他们， 神为我们带来了律法，先知和 弥赛亚。因着亚伯拉罕的这个家族，整个世界都会得到祝福。
Judah was the son in this family who was going to lead the world to Messiah. Not the oldest, Reuben. Not even Joseph. God chose Judah. But then Judah walked away from his family and had a very separate life, he lived his own way. Finally Judah came to an important place in his life where he humbled himself, broke his own will, and confessed his sin and repented. At that moment everything changed.
作为这个家族中的儿子，犹大将带领世界走向弥赛亚。不是长子流便。也不是约瑟。神选择了犹大。但当时犹大却离开了他的家，过着非常独立的生活。直到最后，犹大来到了他生命中的一个重要节点，他谦卑自己，破碎了自己的意志，忏悔了自己的罪过。在那一刻，所有一切都改变了。
Judah’s Way vs God’s Way
犹大的道路与 神的道路
Before this Judah was doing things his own way. He separated from his family. Found his own foreign wife, found a foreign wife for his son, rejected his daughter-in-law, visited a prostitute and faced life with a family getting smaller and smaller.
在这之前，犹大一直在按照自己的道路行事。他和家族分开，为自己找了一个外邦人妻子，为他的儿子找了一个外邦人妻子，拒绝了他的儿媳，找了一个妓女，眼看着自己的家变得越来越弱小。
Judah Is Broken
破碎的犹大
Judah is finally broken of his strong will. He does not cover it up. He confesses. He is broken in front of God and submits to Him. He confesses and does what is right. His life is now forever changed and we will see Judah’s name more and more throughout the entire Bible. Jesus is called: “The Lion of the tribe of Judah.”
犹大的坚强意志终于被破碎了。他没有掩盖事实，他承认事实。他被 神破碎，最终向 神顺服。他忏悔并做了正确的事。他的生命因而被永远改变了，在整本圣经中，我们会看到犹大的名字越来越多被提及。耶稣本人也被称为“犹大部落的狮子”。
God Wants A Big Family
神想要一个大家庭
Judah had left his family, left God’s chosen people, tried to make his own plan, his own destiny. But God was always with him and God waited for Judah to come back so God could accomplish His great work in Judah’s life.
犹大离开了他的家族，离开了 神拣选的子民，试图制定自己的计划，安排自己的命运。神却一直与他同在，并且等候犹大回转归来，为的是在犹大的生命中成就伟大的作为。
Our lives as Christians are to be lived for Jesus and furthering His name on this earth. We are not to live for ourselves. As we follow Jesus He wants us to have many, many children. Spiritual children. Are we growing God’s family? Or are we running away to pursue our own life? When we pursue our own life, we get smaller and smaller. Judah lost two sons and a wife and had no grandchildren. Finally when Judah submitted to God’s plan, Judah’s family grew. When we pursue God’s life we will grow – we will have many spiritual children and grandchildren.
作为基督徒，我们要为耶稣活在世上，彰显他的名。我们并不是为自己而活。当我们跟随耶稣的时候，他希望我们有很多的孩子。属灵的孩子。我们在建造 神的家吗？还是为了追求自己的生活而逃走呢？当我们追求自己的生活时，我们的家会变得越来越小 (犹大失去了两个儿子和一个妻子，没有孙子！) 最终，当犹大顺服 神的旨意时，他的家就增长繁盛了。当我们追求合神心意的生命时，我们将会成长——我们会有许多属灵的后代。
How are you building the family of God? Are you leading people to Christ who can be considered your spiritual children? Do you have spiritual grandchildren? Is your spiritual family getting smaller or bigger? How can you grow this family?
你是如何建立 神的家庭？你是否正领着那些可能会成为你属灵儿女的人到基督那里去？你有属灵的子孙吗？你的属灵家庭是变小了还是变大了？你如何能使这个家庭壮大起来呢？
