The Signs That Bind

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One of the more dramatic stories in the Bible appears in Genesis 38. It tells of the relationship between the patriarch Judah and his widowed daughter-in-law Tamar. Following the death of her husband, and after her hopes of being redeemed from widowhood by levirate marriage are disappointed by none other than Judah himself, Tamar takes the bold initiative of disguising herself as a harlot sitting by the roadside. Ironically, she seduces Judah into having sexual relations with her, thereby fulfilling his promise that she would be wed to a member of Judah’s family.

As part of their pre-deed agreement, Tamar asks Judah to deposit a pledge until he has paid her the goat he had promised. She requests his signet, cord, and staff (Genesis 38:17-18). But why does Tamar ask Judah for these specific objects? They appear to be the three most prominent signs of identification in antiquity, at least among high-ranking personalities like Judah. Furthermore, on a literary and theological level, they symbolized the fulfillment of Judah’s promise to Tamar that she would be a partner in the establishment of the Kingdom of Judah.

The Signet

The signet is a small object, usually made of clay or stone in the shape of a cylinder or oval stone, embedded in a ring. The name or iconographic emblem of its bearer was typically engraved on the signet. Thousands of different signets, or seals, were found in the Land of Israel from the biblical period and most often belonged to rulers, high officials, and high-ranking personalities. Many of these are royal markers and possess a legal validity that confirms the authenticity of the document. For example, it is written of Jezebel, “So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal” (1 Kings 21:8). Letters were written in the name of King Ahasuerus of Persia and were sealed with his ring (Esther 3:12; Esther 8:8). At times, sealing with a signet was used to verify a transaction, in addition to witnesses (Jeremiah 32:10).

The Cord

The cord in Genesis 38 likely refers to the woolen or linen threads that were plied together as tassels, much like tzitzit (ritual fringes) that adorned the hems of ancient Hebrew garments (Deuteronomy 22:12) or a modern tallit 063(prayer shawl) today. In the ancient eastern Mediterranean, prominent personages would trim the edges of their garments with cords of various kinds, such as those seen in reliefs and sculptures.

Another possibility is that these were cords that girded the waist, a kind of belt, girdle, or sash interwoven with expensive cords. This item of clothing was where weapons were strapped (e.g., 2 Samuel 20:8), but it was also a symbol of righteousness: “Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins” (Isaiah 11:5).

However, the connection to the seal raises two other viable possibilities. First, the cord could represent the strong thread that was connected to the one wearing the signet. In the case of cylinder seals, a hole was drilled through the center of the seal; a pin was typically inserted in this hole and then threaded into a cord, which allowed slack for the seal to be rolled freely across clay to create an impression. The cord could then be used to wear the seal on the neck as a pendant, or on the hand, wrist, or belt. Over time, the wearing of such seals as jewelry came to convey as much status to the wearer as did the engraved image on the seal itself. For this reason, we find the seals themselves being crafted increasingly from more valuable stones.

According to the second possibility that we propose, the cord is related in antiquity to the sealing of letters or other documents. First, a cord, usually made of linen, was wrapped around the document; then, above it, a piece of clay (bulla) was impressed upon it and stamped with the writer’s seal. The purpose of the bulla, which effectively became a seal, ensured that the document could not be opened without breaking or detaching the cord. It is rare to find seals (which were not burnt in an oven) in Mediterranean areas. So far, about a thousand such seals have been found, and many of them were from the First Temple period (c. 1000–586 B.C.E.) in Jerusalem—in the City of David, in the Gihon Spring, and the Ophel. Some bear names that appear in the Bible, such as “Gemaryahu ben Shafan” (Jeremiah 36:10-12).

On the backside of bullae, there are sometimes negative imprints of the papyrus, grooves made by the cord, or negatives of the thread that enable identification of the fibers. Some of the bullae found in Wadi Dalia in the northern Judean Desert, which date to the fourth century B.C.E., even preserve portions of the cords themselves. This unique preservation, thanks to the arid climate, provides a rare glimpse into how the bullae were used to close the papyrus document.

Putting all this together, the signet and the cord were the personal hallmarks of an individual, by which he was identified. This targeted Judah, as Tamar explicitly points out in Genesis 38:25-26.

The Staff

A staff is a large stick usually made of carved wood. To this day in traditional societies, it is a symbol of leadership and is carried by rulers (Ezekiel 19:11), presidents, and heads of the community (Numbers 17). For example, Moses had a staff (Exodus 4:2; Numbers 20:8), as did King Saul’s son, Jonathan (1 Samuel 14:27). The staff served as a sign and means of arbitration and decision in the controversy between Moses and Aaron and Korah and his followers (Numbers 17).

The Symbols Combined

The signet, cord, and staff represent the emblems of the individual’s personal status—much like an ancient identity card. The fact that Judah possessed a signet, dressed in a garment decorated with tassels or wore his signet with a cord as jewelry, and had a 064staff in hand attests to his high status and importance as a leader. The Book of Genesis would later attest to this primogeniture and sovereignty over the tribes of Israel: “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies … Judah is a lion’s whelp” (Genesis 49:8-9).

Indeed, in some places we hear of the “signet” as symbolizing the continuation or cessation of the Kingdom of Judah (e.g., Jeremiah 22:24). This is a promise for all ages, as it says about the scion of the kings of Judah who built the Second Temple: “On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you Zerubbabel my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the Lord, and make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:23).

Tamar’s move was calculated. Using authoritative objects that express the identity of the one possessing them, she asks Judah for a tangible guarantee that requires him to fulfill his promise and oath to act righteously to her. Unbeknownst to Judah, Tamar was seeking a fulfillment of Judah’s original oath to redeem her, not just his promise to pay her a goat. In her actions, she hints at the future—even in the face of death—a guarantee that her son will be the one chosen to continue the Judean dynasty in the future, as she produces the objects at last and reveals the identity of the man who impregnated her: “‘It was the owner of these who made me pregnant. … Take note, please whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.’ Then Judah acknowledged them and said, ‘She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah’” (Genesis 38:25-26).

Judah ultimately acknowledges in public that Tamar acted more righteously than he because he did not fulfill his oath and obligation to defend those under his protection. Tamar—appropriating and using Judah’s own symbols of authority—brought about the fulfillment of his commitment for herself.

One of the more dramatic stories in the Bible appears in Genesis 38. It tells of the relationship between the patriarch Judah and his widowed daughter-in-law Tamar. Following the death of her husband, and after her hopes of being redeemed from widowhood by levirate marriage are disappointed by none other than Judah himself, Tamar takes the bold initiative of disguising herself as a harlot sitting by the roadside. Ironically, she seduces Judah into having sexual relations with her, thereby fulfilling his promise that she would be wed to a member of Judah’s family. As part of their pre-deed agreement, […]