T

Tamar

Tamar in the Bible — wife of Er (GEN 38:6), and mother of Perez (GEN 38:29) and Zerah (GEN 38:30) by Judah. Referenced in 6 scripture passages.

Name meaning: palm; palm-tree

Profile

Gender
male
Scripture References
6 references
Known Names
1 name
Relationships
5 connections

Biography

The daughter of King David and sister of Absalom, Tamar was raped by her half-brother Amnon. After the assault, Amnon rejected her cruelly, compounding her trauma. Her brother Absalom sheltered her and later avenged her by killing Amnon, which set in motion events leading to Absalom's rebellion.

Significance

Tamar's tragic story exposes the devastating impact of sexual violence and the failure of family and authority to provide justice, foreshadowing the dysfunction that would plague David's house.

Key Events

Raped by half-brother Amnon(2 Samuel 13:14)
Rejected and humiliated by Amnon(2 Samuel 13:15-17)
Lived desolate in Absalom's house(2 Samuel 13:20)

Names & Labels (1)

Tamarproper name
Hebrew
תָּמָֽר
Transliteration
tamar
Meaning
date palm
Greek
Θαμαρ
Reference
GEN 38:6
Strong's
H8559

Family & Relationships (5)

wife

Er(GEN 38:6)

sister-in-law

Onan(GEN 38:8)

concubine

Judah(GEN 38:18)

mother

Perez(GEN 38:29)
Zerah(GEN 38:30)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Tamar in the Bible?

Tamar is described in the Bible as wife of Er (GEN 38:6), and mother of Perez (GEN 38:29) and Zerah (GEN 38:30) by Judah.

What does the name Tamar mean?

The name Tamar means “palm; palm-tree” according to Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary.

Continue Your Study