Genesis 38
38
The Story of Judah and Tamar
1Around that time, Judah left his brothers at Hebron and went to Adullam # 38:1 From Hebron to Adullam was a day’s journey of about twelve miles. to stay with a man named Hirah. # 38:1 Hirah means “fading” or “to turn pale.” 2There he met and married a Canaanite girl, the daughter of Shua. He slept with her and 3she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and Judah # 38:3 Some Hebrew manuscripts, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and one ancient Targum have “she [Bath-Shua] named him.” named him Er. 4She conceived again and gave birth to another son and named him Onan. # 38:4 Onan means “strong” or “vigorous.” 5While they # 38:5 Or “he” or “she” (LXX). were staying in Chezib, # 38:5 Chezib was a village about three miles south of Adullam and is likely the “Achzib” mentioned in Josh. 15:44. Chezib means “false.” she gave birth to a third son and named him Shelah. # 38:5 Shelah means “a request” or “something asked for.”
6When their sons were grown, Judah arranged for Er, his oldest son, to marry a girl named Tamar. # 38:6 Tamar means “date palm.” The Midrash states that Tamar was the daughter of Noah’s son, Shem. See Bereshit Rabbah 85:10. This conjecture would mean that Tamar was not Canaanite (since Canaan was the cursed son of Ham), but was a descendant of Shem, just like the sons of Israel. 7But Er had become so wicked in the sight of Yahweh that Yahweh ended his life. 8Then Judah said to Er’s brother Onan, “Your duty # 38:8 This custom, called “levirate marriage,” was later adopted into Hebrew law (see Deut. 25:5–10). It was a disgrace for a dead man’s living brothers to fail to have children with the widow of the deceased. is to join yourself to her. Go perform your duty as a brother-in-law and provide an heir for your brother.”
9Onan, however, did not want to produce a child that would not be his own rightful heir, # 38:9 Since Onan’s brother Er, the firstborn, died, Onan stood in line to receive a great inheritance from his father Judah. But if he fathered a child with Er’s widow, that inheritance would be greatly diminished. so whenever he and Tamar had intercourse, he purposely spilled his semen onto the ground to keep her from getting pregnant and having a child that would belong to his dead brother. 10But what he did was wicked in Yahweh’s sight, so he took Onan’s life also.
11Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my youngest son Shelah grows up.” So Tamar went home to her parents, but Judah worried that Shelah would end up dead like his brothers. # 38:11 In other words, since Judah lost two of his sons already, he had no intention of ever giving Shelah to Tamar, fearing he would lose him too.
12After some time passed, Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When his time of mourning was over, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went to Timnah # 38:12 Timnah is about four miles northeast of Adullam. to enjoy the festivities at the sheep-shearing. # 38:12 The time of shearing the sheep was a time of celebration and festivities. See 1 Sam. 25:11, 36; 2 Sam. 13:23, 28. 13-14Meanwhile, Tamar had learned that Shelah had grown up, but Judah had still not given him to her to father a child for her deceased husband. So, when Tamar found out her father-in-law was coming to Timnah for the sheep-shearing, she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself. And she sat waiting at the crossroads # 38:13–14 Or “She sat at the entrance to Enaim.” Enaim means “crossroads” or “intersection.” where Judah would have to pass by.
15-16When Judah saw her, she was wearing a veil over her face, so he thought she was a prostitute. He had no clue that she was his own daughter-in-law. So he approached her and said, “Come sleep with me.”
“What will you give me if I do?” she answered.
17He responded, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.”
“What guarantee can you give me that you will really send it?” she asked.
18-19“Well, what pledge do you want?” Judah asked.
Tamar answered, “Give me your necklace with your personal signet # 38:18–19 This “signet” refers to an engraved cylinder seal. “The center was hollowed out and a cord passed through so that the seal could be worn around the neck. When the cylinder was rolled over soft clay, the resultant impression served as a means of identifying personal possessions and of sealing and legitimating clay documents. It was a highly personal object that performed the function of the signature in modern society” (JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis, Nahum M. Sarna). and the staff # 38:18–19 Or “[tribal] scepter.” The leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel each had scepters (see Num. 24:17). you’re holding.” So, he gave them to her, and he went and slept with her. When she got up and went home, she removed her veil and put her widow’s garment back on. Later, she discovered she was pregnant.
20Soon afterward, Judah sent the young goat by his friend Hirah the Adullamite to recover his items from the prostitute, but she was nowhere to be found. 21So he asked the townspeople, “Where is the temple prostitute that sits by the crossroads?”
They answered, “No prostitute has been there.” 22So he returned to Judah and informed him, “I couldn’t find her, and besides that, the townspeople said that no prostitute has been there.”
23Judah replied, “Let her keep my pledge. If we try to go get it now, we’ll become a laughingstock. # 38:23 Or “we’ll appear contemptible [dishonest].” After all, I did send you with the payment I promised her, and you couldn’t find her.”
24About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has been promiscuous, and now she is pregnant!” Indignant, Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned!” # 38:24 See Lev. 21:9. 25As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “Look, the one who owns these things got me pregnant! See, whose signet and staff are these?” 26Judah recognized them as his and said, “She is more righteous than I, for I never gave my son Shelah to marry her.” And he let her go free and never slept with her again. # 38:26 Or “he did not know her again.” “To know her” is a Hebrew figure of speech for having sex with her. In chs. 38 and 39 we have two contrasting accounts of lust and the evil it spawns. Why this abrupt interruption of the incredible story of Joseph? Why did God include this chapter in his inspired Word? One reason is that God wanted to paint a contrast between Judah’s unwise choices and immorality and Joseph’s righteous character, which is revealed in the following chapter.
27When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb! 28While she was in labor, one hand popped out, so the midwife wrapped a crimson thread around its wrist, saying, “This one came out first.” 29But immediately, he drew his hand back, and out came his brother; and she said, “Look how you have broken out of the womb!” So, he was named Perez, the one who breaks through. # 38:29 Perez means “breach” or “breaking through.” Perez was an ancestor of King David (see Ruth 4:18–22; Matt. 1:3–6). 30Afterward, his brother came out, the one with the crimson thread on his wrist. That’s why they named him Zerah # 38:30 Zerah comes from a word that sounds like “[dawn’s] crimson brightness.” Or, it could be taken from an Aramaic root for “crimson [thread].” Achan (see Josh. 7:1) was a descendant of Zerah (see Num. 26:20). (“the crimson one”).
Currently Selected:
Genesis 38: TPT
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Learn More About The Passion TranslationGenesis 38
38
Judah and Tamar
1At that time, Judah left his brothers. He went down to stay with a man named Hirah from the town of Adullam. 2There Judah met the daughter of a man from Canaan. His name was Shua. Judah married her and slept with her. 3She became pregnant and had a son. They named him Er. 4She became pregnant again and had another son. She named him Onan. 5She had still another son. She named him Shelah. He was born at Kezib.
6Judah got a wife for his oldest son Er. Her name was Tamar. 7But Judah’s oldest son Er was evil in the Lord’s eyes. So the Lord put him to death.
8Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. After all, you are her brother-in-law. So carry out your duty to her. Provide children for your brother.” 9But Onan knew that the children wouldn’t belong to him. So every time he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground. He did it so he wouldn’t provide children for his brother. 10What he did was evil in the Lord’s eyes. So the Lord put him to death also.
11Then Judah spoke to his daughter-in-law Tamar. He said, “Live as a widow in your father’s home. Wait there until my son Shelah grows up.” Judah was thinking, “Shelah might die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s home.
12After a long time Judah’s wife died. She was the daughter of Shua. When Judah got over his sadness, he went up to Timnah. His friend Hirah from Adullam went with him. Men were clipping the wool from Judah’s sheep at Timnah.
13Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to clip the wool from his sheep.” 14So she took off her widow’s clothes. She covered her face with a veil so people wouldn’t know who she was. Then she sat down at the entrance to Enaim. Enaim is on the road to Timnah. Tamar knew that Shelah had grown up. But she hadn’t been given to him as his wife.
15Judah saw her. He thought she was a prostitute because she had covered her face with a veil. 16He didn’t realize that she was his daughter-in-law. He went over to her by the side of the road. He said, “Come. Let me sleep with you.”
“What will you give me to sleep with you?” she asked.
17“I’ll send you a young goat from my flock,” he said.
“Will you give me something that belongs to you?” she asked. “I’ll keep it until you send the goat.”
18He said, “What should I give you?”
“Give me your official seal and the string that it hangs from,” she answered. “And give me your walking stick.” So he gave them to her. Then he slept with her. And she became pregnant by him. 19After she left, she took off her veil. She put on her widow’s clothes again.
20Judah sent his friend Hirah with the young goat he had promised. He wanted to get back what he had given to the woman. But his friend Hirah couldn’t find her. 21He asked the men who lived at Enaim, “Where’s the temple prostitute? She used to sit beside the road here.”
“There hasn’t been any temple prostitute here,” they said.
22So Hirah went back to Judah. He said, “I couldn’t find her. Besides, the men who lived there didn’t know anything about her. They said, ‘There hasn’t been any temple prostitute here.’ ”
23Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has. I don’t want people making fun of us. After all, I did send her this young goat. We can’t help it if you couldn’t find her.”
24About three months later people brought word to Judah. They said, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of being a prostitute. Now she’s pregnant.”
Judah said, “Bring her out! Have her burned to death!”
25As Tamar was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. She said, “I am pregnant by the man who owns these.” She continued, “Do you recognize this seal and string and walking stick? Do you know who they belong to?”
26Judah recognized them. He said, “She’s a better person than I am. I should have given her to my son Shelah, but I didn’t.” Judah never slept with Tamar again.
27The time came for Tamar to have her baby. There were twin boys inside her. 28As the babies were being born, one of them stuck out his hand. So the woman helping Tamar took a bright red thread. The woman tied it on the baby’s wrist. She said, “This one came out first.” 29But he pulled his hand back, and his brother came out first instead. She said, “Just look at how you have forced your way out!” So he was called Perez. 30Then his brother, who had the red thread on his wrist, came out. So he was named Zerah.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.