John Gill Commentary Genesis 38:6

"And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, and her name was Tamar." — Genesis 38:6 (ASV)

And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn
He chose one for him, and presented her to him for his liking; he approved of her and married her: whose name [was] Tamar ;
which signifies a "palm tree": the Targum of Jonathan says, she was the daughter of Shem; but it is altogether improbable that a daughter of his should be living at this time, and young enough to bear children: it is much more probable that she was daughter of Levi, Judah's brother, as an Arabic writer ^F15 asserts; but it is more likely still that she was the daughter of a Canaanite, who was living in the same place, though his name is not mentioned, (Genesis 38:11) .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F15: Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. p. 16.