After Tamar disguised herself and her father-in-law assumed she was a prostitute and slept with her, he sent his friend Hirah the Adullamite with a lamb to exchange it for his signet, cord, and staff, which she had secured from him as a pledge (Gen 38:20). This painting depicts Hirah with a lamb across his shoulders journeying to find Tamar. When he goes to the location where Judah had encountered her, he asks about a temple prostitute, but no one has any knowledge of temple prostitutes being at that location. Three months later, when Tamar turns up pregnant and Judah orders her to be burned to death, she identifies Judah as the father by having his signet, cord, and staff in her possession.