Women in the Bible – Lesson 2: Tamar

A youth Bible study on Women in the Bible based on the Yale Bible Study.

Practice Duration 60 minutes
Lesson developed byJill Olds and Victoria Crook
Materials Checklist

Gather

  • Begin with a check in with members
  • Open with prayer

Engage

Activity 1: Riddles

Ask a serious of Riddles/questions to your students that may seem tricky but point out double standards, such as these following:

  1. A father and son were in a car accident where the father was killed. The ambulance brought the son to the hospital. He needed immediate surgery. In the operating room, a doctor came in and looked at the little boy and said I can’t operate on him he is my son. Who is the doctor? (Answer: The mother)
  2. ‘‘In Nevada, the town One Horse has one barber in the whole town. For some reason, one of the laws in the town is that every man in town must be clean-shaven. Further, every man either must shave himself or be shaven by the barber, and the barber may only shave those that don’t shave themselves. So, the question is: who shaves the barber?’’ (Answer: The barber is a woman)
  3. Have students write their own if feasible. After you go through the questions/riddles break down why you answered questions in specific fashions. What questions does this bring up?

Activity 2: A Man’s a Boss, a Woman’s Bossy

Watch the clip “A Man’s a Boss, a Woman’s Bossy” together.

Reflect

Read the focal scripture and reflect on the following questions together:

  1. What double standards do you see here in the story, as far as men and women are concerned?
  2. Tamar’s options can sound… icky to us today. But realistically, what options did she have? What do you make of the fact that her cleverness is praised?
  3. Who holds the power in this story?

Send Forth

Close the lesson in prayer (either the leader or a group member).