KJV
Genesis 38
1¶ And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name [was] Hirah.
2And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name [was] Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.
3And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.
4And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
5And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.
6And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name [was] Tamar.
7And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
8And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
9And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled [it] on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.
10And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
11Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren [did]. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
12¶ And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
13And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
14And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which [is] by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.
15When Judah saw her, he thought her [to be] an harlot; because she had covered her face.
16And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she [was] his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?
17And he said, I will send [thee] a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give [me] a pledge, till thou send [it]?
18And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that [is] in thine hand. And he gave [it] her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
19And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
20And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive [his] pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.
21Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where [is] the harlot, that [was] openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this [place].
22And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, [that] there was no harlot in this [place].
23And Judah said, Let her take [it] to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.
24¶ And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she [is] with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
25When she [was] brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these [are, am] I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose [are] these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.
26And Judah acknowledged [them], and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
27And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins [were] in her womb.
28And it came to pass, when she travailed, that [the one] put out [his] hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
29And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? [this] breach [be] upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
30And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.
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Abortion Genesis 38:24
About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”
Achzib: Also Called Chezib, a City of Judah Genesis 38:5
Then she gave birth to another son and named him Shelah; it was at Chezib that she gave birth to him.
Adullam: An Ancient City of Canaan Genesis 38:1
About that time, Judah left his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah, an Adullamite.
Adultery: Judah Genesis 38:1–24
About that time, Judah left his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah, an Adullamite. / There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua, and he took her as a wife and slept with her. / So she conceived and gave birth to a son, and Judah named him Er.
Adultery: Penalties For Genesis 38:24
About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”
Bracelet by Men Genesis 38:18, 25
“What pledge should I give you?” he asked. She answered, “Your seal and your cord, and the staff in your hand.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. / As she was being brought out, Tamar sent a message to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong.” And she added, “Please examine them. Whose seal and cord and staff are these?”
Canaanites: Judah Marries a Woman of Genesis 38:2
There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua, and he took her as a wife and slept with her.
Chezib: Birthplace of Shelah Genesis 38:5
Then she gave birth to another son and named him Shelah; it was at Chezib that she gave birth to him.
Children: Power of Parents Over, During the Patriarchal Age Genesis 38:24
About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”
Er: Son of Judah Genesis 38:3, 6, 7
So she conceived and gave birth to a son, and Judah named him Er. / Now Judah acquired a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. / But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; so the LORD put him to death.
Hirah: An Adullamite Genesis 38:1, 12
About that time, Judah left his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah, an Adullamite. / After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah.
Incest: Judah Genesis 38:16–18
Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “What will you give me for sleeping with you?” she inquired. / “I will send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah answered. But she replied, “Only if you leave me something as a pledge until you send it.” / “What pledge should I give you?” he asked. She answered, “Your seal and your cord, and the staff in your hand.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.
Inheritance: Provisions for Inheritance Under Levirate Marriages Genesis 38:7–11
But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; so the LORD put him to death. / Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and raise up offspring for your brother.” / But Onan knew that the offspring would not belong to him; so whenever he would sleep with his brother’s wife, he would spill his seed on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother.
Judah: Son of Jacob: His Incest with his Daughter-In-Law Genesis 38:12–26
After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had finished mourning, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah. / When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” / she removed her widow’s garments, covered her face with a veil to disguise herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that although Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife.
Judah: Son of Jacob: Lives at Chezib Genesis 38:5
Then she gave birth to another son and named him Shelah; it was at Chezib that she gave birth to him.
Judah: Son of Jacob: Takes Two Wives Genesis 38:1–6
About that time, Judah left his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah, an Adullamite. / There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua, and he took her as a wife and slept with her. / So she conceived and gave birth to a son, and Judah named him Er.
Lasciviousness: Judah Genesis 38:15, 16
When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute because she had covered her face. / Not realizing that she was his daughter-in-law, he went over to her and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.” “What will you give me for sleeping with you?” she inquired.
Marriage: Levirate (The Brother Required to Marry a Brother's Widow) Genesis 38:8, 11
Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife. Perform your duty as her brother-in-law and raise up offspring for your brother.” / Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.
Masking by Tamar Genesis 38:14
she removed her widow’s garments, covered her face with a veil to disguise herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that although Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife.
Mourning: Wearing Mourning Clothes Genesis 38:14
she removed her widow’s garments, covered her face with a veil to disguise herself, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah. For she saw that although Shelah had grown up, she had not been given to him as a wife.
Onan: Killed for his Refusal to Raise Seed (Offspring) for his Deceased Brother Genesis 38:4
Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Onan.
Patriarchal Government: Exercised in Acting As Judges Genesis 38:24
About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!”
Pharez: A Twin Son of Judah by Tamar Genesis 38:29
But when he pulled his hand back and his brother came out, she said, “You have broken out first!” So he was named Perez.
Pledge: General Scriptures Concerning Genesis 38:17–20
“I will send you a young goat from my flock,” Judah answered. But she replied, “Only if you leave me something as a pledge until you send it.” / “What pledge should I give you?” he asked. She answered, “Your seal and your cord, and the staff in your hand.” So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him. / Then Tamar got up and departed. And she removed her veil and put on her widow’s garments again.
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Genesis 38:1 Verse 1
at that time--a formula frequently used by the sacred writers, not to describe any precise period, but an interval near about it.
Genesis 38:2 Verse 2
And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite--Like Esau [Ge 26:34], this son of Jacob, casting off the restraints of religion, married into a Canaanite family; and it is not surprising that the family which sprang from such an unsuitable connection should be infamous for bold and unblushing wickedness.
Genesis 38:8 Verse 8
Judah said unto Onan ... marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother--The first instance of a custom, which was afterwards incorporated among the laws of Moses, that when a husband died leaving a widow, his brother next of age was to marry her, and the issue, if any, was to be served heir to the deceased (compare De 25:5).
Genesis 38:12 Verse 12
Judah ... went up unto his sheep-shearers--This season, which occurs in Palestine towards the end of March, was spent in more than usual hilarity, and the wealthiest masters invited their friends, as well as treated their servants, to sumptuous entertainments. Accordingly, it is said, Judah was accompanied by his friend Hirah. Timnath--in the mountains of Judah.
Genesis 38:18 Verse 18
signet, &c.--Bracelets, including armlets, were worn by men as well as women among the Hebrews. But the Hebrew word here rendered "bracelets," is everywhere else translated "lace" or "ribbon"; so that as the signet alone was probably more than an equivalent for the kid, it is not easy to conjecture why the other things were given in addition, except by supposing the perforated seal was attached by a ribbon to the staff.
Genesis 38:24 Verse 24
Bring her forth, and let her be burnt--In patriarchal times fathers seem to have possessed the power of life and death over the members of their families. The crime of adultery was anciently punished in many places by burning (Le 21:9; Jud 15:6; Jer 29:22). This chapter contains details, which probably would never have obtained a place in the inspired record, had it not been to exhibit the full links of the chain that connects the genealogy of the Saviour with Abraham; and in the disreputable character of the ancestry who figure in this passage, we have a remarkable proof that "He made himself of no reputation" [Php 2:7].