TAMAR (1)

CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
    I. Her distress.
A. She was left a widow by her two husbands.
1. The first husband.
Tamar married Er, the eldest son of Judah, and became a widow when God killed him for his wickedness (Gen 38:6–7).
2. The second husband.
She was widowed the second time when Onan, younger brother of Er, whom she had married, was also killed by God (Gen 38:8–10).
B. She was lied to by her father–in–law, Judah, who promised her that, upon coming of age, his third son Shelah would become her husband (Gen 38:11–13).
II. Her disguise.
A. However, upon realizing Judah would not keep his word, Tamar disguised herself as a common prostitute and lured him into her tent for sexual immorality (Gen 38:12–16).
B. For payment she secured Judah’s seal with its cord and his staff (Gen 38:17–18).
C. Three months later, upon learning of her pregnancy, an indignant Judah ordered her to be burned to death (Gen 38:24).
III. Her defense.
After she displayed the seal and staff belonging to the father of her unborn child, an embarrassed and repentant Judah confessed his sin and set aside her punishment (Gen 38:25–26).
IV. Her delivery.
Tamar gave birth to twin boys, Pharez and Zarah (Gen 38:27–30).
THEOLOGICAL SUMMARY
    I. Tamar became an ancestress of Achan (possibly through her son Zarah), the troublemaker in the days of Joshua (1 Chr 2:7; 4:1).
II. Through her firstborn son Pharez, she became an ancestress of both David and Christ.
A. An ancestress of David (Ruth 4:18).
B. An ancestress of Christ (Matt 1:3).
STATISTICS
  Spouses: Er and Onan (Gen 38:6–10)
Sons: Pharez and Zarah (Gen 38:27–30)
First mention: Genesis 38:6
Final mention: Matthew 1:3
Meaning of her name: “Palm”
Referred to: Seven times
Biblical books mentioning her: Four books (Genesis, Ruth, 1 Chronicles, Matthew)
Important fact about her life: She was Judah’s daughter–in–law, who bore him twins (Gen 38:12–30).

TAMAR (2)

CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
    I. She was attacked by Amnon, her half brother.
A. Tamar was the beautiful daughter of King David (2 Sam 13:1).
B. She was Absalom’s sister (2 Sam 13:22).
C. She was raped and then rejected by her half brother Amnon (2 Sam 13:6–18).
II. She was avenged by Absalom, her full brother.
A. Absalom later killed Amnon for his crimes against Tamar (2 Sam 13:28–29).
B. Tamar became a broken and desolate woman (2 Sam 13:20).
STATISTICS
  Father: David (2 Sam 13:1)
Mother: Maacah (2 Sam 3:3; 13:1)
Brothers: Full brother, Absalom (2 Sam 13:1); half brother, Amnon (2 Sam 3:2)
First mention: 2 Samuel 13:1
Final mention: 1 Chronicles 3:9
Meaning of her name: “Palm”
Referred to: 14 times
Biblical books mentioning her: Two books (2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles)
Important fact about her life: She was David’s daughter, who was raped by her half brother Amnon (2 Sam 13:1–19).

TERAH

CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
    I. Terah, the parent.
He fathered three sons and one daughter through two wives (Gen 11:26; 20:12).
B. Abraham was born of his first wife and Sarah of his second, thus making them half brother and sister (Gen 20:12).
C. Rebekah was his great-granddaughter (Gen 22:23).
II. Terah, the pagan.
At one time, he worshiped idols in Mesopotamia (Josh 24:2).
III. Terah, the pilgrim.
A. Terah left Ur of the Chaldeans, taking with him Abraham, Sarah, and Lot (his grandson), and moved to the city of Haran. There he lived out his life and died at age 205 (Gen 11:31–32).
B. He is mentioned in the genealogy leading to Christ (Luke 3:34).
STATISTICS
  Father: Nahor (Gen 11:24)
Spouses: Two wives (Gen 11:26; 20:12)
Sons: Abraham, Nahor, and Haran (Gen 11:26)
Daughter: Sarah (Gen 20:12)
First mention: Genesis 11:24
Final mention: Luke 3:34
Meaning of his name: “Turning, duration”
Referred to: 10 times
Biblical books mentioning him: Four books (Genesis, Joshua, 1 Chronicles, Luke)
Place of death: Haran (Gen 11:32)
Age at death: 205 (Gen 11:32)
Important fact about his life: He was the father of Abraham and Sarah (Gen 11:26; 20:12).

TIGLATH-PILESER III

CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
    I. Tiglath-pileser and Judean King Ahaz (2 Kgs 16:7–10).
A. The message from Ahaz (2 Kgs 16:7–9).
1. This powerful Assyrian king was also known as Pul (2 Kgs 15:19; 1 Chr 5:26).
2. Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath, begging the Assyrian king to help him against the attacking Syrian army.
B. The meeting with Ahaz.
After the battle, Ahaz hurried to Damascus and met with Tiglath.
II. Tiglath-pileser and northern Israelite King Menahem.
He invaded Israel during Menahem’s reign but was bought off with a bribe of some two million dollars (2 Kgs 15:18–19).
III. Tiglath-pileser and northern Israelite King Pekah (2 Kgs 15:28–29).
A. During his reign Tiglath attacked and carried off many citizens of the 10 tribes into Assyrian captivity.
B. Tiglath was succeeded at death by Shalmaneser V.
STATISTICS
  First mention: 2 Kings 15:19
Final mention: 2 Chronicles 28:20
Meaning of his name: “My confidence is the son of Esharra”
Referred to: Nine times
Biblical books mentioning him: Three books (2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles)
Occupation: King of Assyria (2 Kgs 15:19)
Important fact about his life: He was the first of several Assyrian kings to invade Israel.

TOBIAH

CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
    I. His hatred for Nehemiah the prophet.
He was an Ammonite who, along with Sanballat and Geshem, hated and opposed Nehemiah in his project to rebuild the fallen walls of Jerusalem (Neh 2:10, 19).
II. His harassment of Nehemiah the prophet.
A. He began by ridiculing the prophet, saying his wall was so weak that a fox climbing up on it would break down the stones (Neh 2:19; 4:1–3).
B. He then became very angry as the work progressed (Neh 4:7).
C. He joined in a plot to attack the workers (Neh 4:8).
D. He and his associates attempted to assassinate Nehemiah by tricking him into a meeting (Neh 6:1–9).
E. He then, along with Sanballat, hired a friend of Nehemiah by the name of Shemaiah to betray him, but the prophet saw through their plot (Neh 6:10–14).
F. Because of Tobiah’s great wealth, prominence, and influence, many of the rich people of Judah displayed a loyalty to him (Neh 6:17–19).
1. He wrote letters to them and received letters from them.
2. They kept telling Nehemiah what a wonderful man he was.
3. Tobiah continuously sent threatening letters to Nehemiah.
III. His handling by Nehemiah the prophet.
A. Eliashib, the high priest, was a personal friend of Tobiah and had actually provided this troublemaker with living quarters in the courts of the house of God itself (Neh 13:4–5).
B. Upon returning from a trip and learning of this, Nehemiah ordered Tobiah to clear out immediately. In fact, the great wall-builder personally threw all of Tobiah’s household goods into the street and purified the room (Neh 13:6–9).
STATISTICS
  First mention: Nehemiah 2:10
Final mention: Nehemiah 13:8
Meaning of his name: “God is good”
Referred to: 12 times
Biblical books mentioning him: One book (Nehemiah)
Important fact about his life: He was one of three troublemakers who opposed Nehemiah (Neh 2:10; 4:3–8).

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