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Easy-to-Read Version
Genesis 38:24
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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It happened about three months later, that it was told Yehudah, saying, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute; and moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution." Yehudah said, "Bring her forth, and let her be burnt."
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.
And about three months later it was told to Judah, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the whore, and now, behold, she has conceived by prostitution." And Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned."
About three months later someone told Judah, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, is guilty of acting like a prostitute, and now she is pregnant." Then Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned to death."
After three months Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, and as a result she has become pregnant." Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"
About three months later Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the [role of a] prostitute, and she is with child because of her immorality." So Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned [to death as punishment]!"
Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and behold, she is also pregnant by prostitution." Then Judah said, "Bring her out and have her burned!"
Now after three moneths, one tolde Iudah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the whore, and lo, with playing the whore, she is great with childe. Then Iudah saide, Bring ye her foorth and let her be burnt.
Now it happened about three months later that it was told to Judah saying, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry." Then Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"
About three months later someone told Judah, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has behaved like a prostitute, and now she's pregnant!" "Drag her out of town and burn her to death!" Judah shouted.
About three months later Y'hudah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been acting like a whore; moreover, she is pregnant as a result of her prostitution." Y'hudah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned alive!"
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law has committed fornication, and behold, she is also with child by fornication. And Judah said, Bring her forth, that she may be burned.
About three months later Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality." And Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned."
And it came to pass, about three months later, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the harlot; and moreover, she is with child because of her harlotry. And Judah said, Bring her out, and let her be burned.
About three months later someone told Judah, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has been acting like a whore, and now she is pregnant." Judah ordered, "Take her out and burn her to death."
About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law, Tamar, has been acting like a prostitute, and now she is pregnant.”
And after three months, it happened. It was told to Judah, saying, Your daughter-in-law Tamar has committed adultery, and also, behold, she is pregnant by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her out and let her be burned.
After thre monethes it was tolde Iuda: Thamar thy doughter in lawe hath plaied the whoore: and beholde, by whordome is she gotten with childe. Iuda sayde: brynge her forth, that she maye be brent.
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 moreover, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
Now about three months after this, word came to Judah that Tamar, his daughter-in-law, had been acting like a loose woman and was with child. And Judah said, Take her out and let her be burned.
And it came to passe, after three monethes one tolde Iuda, saying: Thamar thy daughter in lawe hath played the harlot, and with playing the harlot is become great with chylde. And Iuda sayde: Bryng her foorth, that she may be brent.
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 moreover, behold, she is with child by harlotry.' And Judah said: 'Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.'
And it came to passe about three moneths after, that it was tolde Iudah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot, and also behold, she is with child by whoredom: and Iudah said, Bring her foorth, and let her be burnt.
And it came to pass after three months, that it was told Judas, saying, Thamar thy daughter-in-law has grievously played the harlot, and behold she is with child by whoredom; and Judas said, Bring her out, and let her be burnt.
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 moreover, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
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!"
Lo! sotheli aftir thre monethis thei telden to Judas, and seiden, Thamar, `wijf of thi sone, hath do fornycacioun, and hir womb semeth to wexe greet. Judas seide, Brynge ye hir forth, that sche be brent.
And it cometh to pass about three months [after], that it is declared to Judah, saying, `Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath committed fornication; and also, lo, she hath conceived by fornication:' and Judah saith, `Bring her out -- and she is burnt.'
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar your daughter-in-law has prostituted; and moreover, look, she's pregnant by prostitution. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told to Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath played the harlot; and also, behold she [is] with child by lewdness: and Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
It happened about three months later, that it was told Judah, saying, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute; and moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution." Judah said, "Bring her forth, and let her be burnt."
And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry." So Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"
About three months later, Judah was told, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has acted like a prostitute. And now, because of this, she's pregnant." "Bring her out, and let her be burned!" Judah demanded.
About three months later, Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has sold the use of her body. She is going to have a baby by doing this sinful thing." Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"
About three months later Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the whore; moreover she is pregnant as a result of whoredom." And Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned."
And it came to pass that about three months after, it was told Judah, saying - Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath been guilty of unchastity, moreover also lo! she hath conceived by unchastity. Then said Judah, Bring her forth and let her be burnt.
And behold, after three months, they told Juda, saying: Thamar, thy daughter-in-law, hath played the harlot, and she appeareth to have a big belly. And Juda said: Bring her out that she may be burnt.
About three months later Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; and moreover she is with child by harlotry." And Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned."
Three months or so later, Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law has been playing the whore—and now she's a pregnant whore." Judah yelled, "Get her out here. Burn her up!"
Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry." Then Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
played the harlot: Genesis 34:31, Judges 19:2, Ecclesiastes 7:26, Jeremiah 2:20, Jeremiah 3:1, Jeremiah 3:6, Jeremiah 3:8, Ezekiel 16:15, Ezekiel 16:28, Ezekiel 16:41, Ezekiel 23:5, Ezekiel 23:19, Ezekiel 23:44, Hosea 2:5, Hosea 3:3, Hosea 4:15
let her: Genesis 20:3, Genesis 20:7, Genesis 20:9, Leviticus 20:10, Leviticus 21:9, Deuteronomy 22:21-27, Deuteronomy 24:16, 2 Samuel 12:5, 2 Samuel 12:7, Jeremiah 29:22, Jeremiah 29:23, Matthew 7:1-5, Romans 2:1, Romans 2:2, Romans 14:22
Reciprocal: Genesis 38:17 - Wilt thou Genesis 46:12 - Judah Joshua 2:3 - Bring Joshua 7:25 - burned 1 Samuel 14:44 - thou shalt Job 31:11 - an iniquity Ezekiel 16:38 - as women Matthew 1:3 - Thamar Matthew 1:19 - a public 1 Corinthians 6:16 - an harlot
Cross-References
But one night God spoke to Abimelech in a dream and said, "You will die. The woman you took is married."
So give Abraham his wife again. He is a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you don't give Sarah back to him, I promise that you will die. And all your family will die with you."
Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, "Why have you done this to us? What wrong did I do to you? Why did you lie and say that she was your sister? You brought great trouble to my kingdom. You should not have done this to me.
But the brothers said, "Should we let these people treat our sister like a prostitute? They were wrong to do that to our sister!"
About that time, Judah left his brothers and went to stay with a man named Hirah from the town of Adullam.
Judah met a Canaanite girl there and married her. The girl's father was named Shua.
Then she had another son named Shelah. Judah lived in Kezib when his third son was born.
He asked some of the men at the town of Enaim, "Where is the prostitute who was here by the road?" The men answered, "There has never been a prostitute here."
So Judah's friend went back to Judah and said, "I could not find the woman. The men who live in that place said that there was never a prostitute there."
So Judah said, "Let her keep the things. I don't want people to laugh at us. I tried to give her the goat, but we could not find her. That is enough."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And it came to pass about three months after,.... The above affair happened, and when the pregnancy of Tamar began to be somewhat visible, as it does in women with child about that time:
that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot: her being with child being observed by some of the family, or her neighbours, and knowing that she did not cohabit with Shelah, who, according to custom, ought to have been her husband, concluded that she had had a criminal conversation with some other person, which they were officious enough to report to Judah:
and also, behold, she [is] with child by whoredom; which was judged to be a plain proof and evidence that she had played the harlot:
and Judah said, bring her forth, and let her be burnt: not that Judah can be thought to be a civil magistrate in a Canaanitish and Heathen city where he sojourned, and as such pronounced this sentence on her at once, or even had the power of life and death in his own family; and besides Tamar was not in his, but in her own father's house: but the sense seems to be, that as he was a man of credit and esteem in the neighbourhood, and had an influence and interest in it; he moved that she might be brought out of her father's house, and take her trial before the civil magistrates, and be committed to prison until she was delivered, for it would have been barbarous, and contrary to the law and light of nature, to have burnt her when quick with child, and then indeed to be burnt to death, according to the usage of this country; and as we find adultery in later times was punished with this kind of death, even among Heathens, Jeremiah 29:22; as it was in Egypt in the times of Sesostris the second f; so Salaethus, prince of Croton in Italy, made a law that adulterers should be burnt alive, as Lucian g relates; as did also Macrinus the emperor, that those that were guilty of adultery should be burnt alive together, their bodies joined to each other h: and this criminal action of Tamar was judged adultery, because she was, of right, and according to a custom or law then in use, the wife of Shelah: the Targum of Jonathan intimates, she was judged deserving of this death, because the daughter of a priest; the same law obtaining among the patriarchs as did in the times of Moses,
Leviticus 21:9; and some, as Jarchi relates, say she was the daughter of Shem i, the same with Melchizedek, priest of the most high God: one reason why Judah was in haste to have the sentence pronounced on her, and as soon as could be executed, was not only the disgrace she brought upon his family, but that she might be dispatched, and so his son Shelah freed from being obliged to marry her, which he did not care he should, and was glad of this opportunity to prevent it.
f Diodor. Sicul. l. 1. p. 54. g "Pro mercede conductis". h Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 4. c. 1. i Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 4. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- The Family of Judah
1. ×¢××× âaÌduÌllaÌm, âAdullam, ârighteousness.â ×××¨× chıÌyraÌh Chirah, ânobility?â
2. ש××Ö¼×¢ shuÌaâ, Shuaâ, âluck, riches, cry.â
3. ער âeÌr, âEr, âwatching.â
4. ××× × 'oÌnaÌn, Onan, âstrong.â
5. ש××× sheÌlaÌh, Shelah, ârequest? rest.â ×××× kezıÌyb Kezib, âfalsehood.â
6. ת×ר taÌmaÌr, Tamar, âpalm.â
12. ת×× × tıÌmnaÌh, Timnah, âcounted or assigned.â
14. ×¢×× ×× 'eÌynayıÌm, âEnaim, âtwo fountains.â
29. פרץ perets, Perets, âbreach.â
This strange narrative is an episode in the history of Joseph; but an integral part of the âgenerationsâ of Jacob. It is loosely dated with the phrase âat that time.â This does not indicate a sequel to the preceding record, the proper phrase for which is âafter these thingsâ (×××× ×××ר×× ××ר 'achar hadebaÌrıÌym haÌ'eÌleh Genesis 22:1). It implies rather a train of events that commenced at least in the past, some time before the closing incident of the previous narrative Genesis 21:22. But the sale of Joseph, which alone is recorded in the last chapter, only occupied some few weeks or months of a year. Hence, the circumstances contained in this memoir of Judahâs family must have taken their rise before that event. The date âat that time,â is rendered indefinite also by being attached to the phrase, âAnd it came to pass,â which covers at least all the events in the first eleven verses of the chapter.
All this is in accordance with the customary mode of arranging parallel lines of events in Hebrew narrative. We shall see reason afterward for placing the birth of Er at as early a date as possible in the life of Judah Genesis 46:12. Now Judah, we conceive, was born when his father was eighty-seven, and Joseph when he was ninety-one, and hence, there is a difference about four years in their ages. We suppose Er to have been born in Judahâs fourteenth year, when Joseph and Dinah were in their tenth, and therefore, about three years before the rape of Dinah, and shortly after Jacob arrived at the town of Shekem. The dishonor of Dinah, and the cruel treatment of Joseph, being of essential moment in the process of things, had to be recorded in the main line of events. The commencement of Judahâs family, having no particular influence on the current of the history, is fitly reserved until the whole of the circumstances could be brought together into a connected narrative. And the private history of Judahâs line is given, while that of the others is omitted, simply because from him the promised seed is descended. As soon as Jacob is settled in the promised land, the contact with Hebron and its neighborhood seems to have commenced. A clear proof of this is the presence of Deborah, Rebekahâs nurse, in Jacobâs family Genesis 35:8. The great thoroughfare from Damascus to Egypt runs through Shekem and Hebron, and we know that when Jacob was residing at Hebron, his sons fed their flocks at Shekem and Dothan, and the youthful Joseph was sent to inquire after their welfare.
Genesis 38:1-11
Judah marries and has three sons. âWent down from brethren.â This seems to have been an act of willful indiscretion in Judah. His separation from his brethren, however, extends only to the matter of his new connection. In regard to property and employment there seems to have been no long or entire separation until they went down into Egypt. He went down from the high grounds about Shekem to the lowlands in which Adullam was situated Joshua 15:33-35. âA certain Adullamite.â He may have become acquainted with this Hirah, when visiting his grandfather, or in some of the caravans which were constantly passing Shekem, or even in the ordinary wanderings of the pastoral life. Adullam was in the Shephelah or lowland of Judah bordering on Philistia proper. âA certain Kenaanite.â This connection with Shuaâs daughter was contrary to the will of God and the example of his fathers. Onan was born, we conceive, in Judahâs fifteenth year, and Shelah in his sixteenth.
At Kezib. - This appears the same as Akzib, which is associated with Keilah and Mareshah Joshua 15:44, and therefore, lay in the south of the lowland of Judah. This note of place indicates a change of residence since her other children were born. In the year after this birth the dishonor of Dinah takes place. âTook a wife for Er.â Judah chose a wife for himself at an early age, and now he chooses for his first-born at the same age. âWas evil in the eyes of the Lord.â The God of covenant is obliged to cut off Er for his wickedness in the prime of life. We are not made acquainted with his crime; but it could scarcely be more vile and unnatural than that for which his brother Onan is also visited with death. âAnd be a husband to her.â The original word means to act as a husband to the widow of a deceased brother who has left no issue. Onan seems to have been prompted to commit his crime by the low motive of turning the whole inheritance to his own house. At the time of Erâs death Judah must have been in his twenty-seventh year; Joseph was consequently in his twenty-third, and Jacob had for ten years past had his headquarters at Hebron. Hence, the contact with Timnah, Adullam, and Enaim was easy.
Genesis 38:12-23
Judah now comes into criminal, and, though unknown to him, incestuous sexual intercourse with Tamar. âAnd many were the days,â a year or somewhat more. âTo Timnah.â This town is about twenty miles northwest of Hebron. There is another, however, in the hills about seven miles south of Hebron. âPut on a veil;â to conceal her face from Judah, or any other beholder. âThe qate of Enaim.â This is supposed to be the same as Enam Joshua 15:34. âAnd thy lace.â This is the cord by which the signet was suspended round his neck. âCourtesan.â The original word ק×ש×× qedeÌshaÌh means one consecrated to the worship of Ashtoreth, in which chastity is sacrificed.
Genesis 38:24-30
Tamar bears Perez and Zerah to Judah. After three months her pregnancy was manifest. âLet her be burnt.â It is manifest Judah had the power to execute this punishment. The life of the widow of his son was in his hands. Stoning was the mode of punishment by the law of Moses Deuteronomy 22:20-24; burning, only in aggravated cases Leviticus 20:14; Leviticus 21:9. He is a severe judge in a case where he is equally criminal. âShe hath been more righteous than I. Tamar was less culpable in this matter than Judah. For he was moved by lust to commit fornication, and was the indirect occasion of Tamarâs conduct by withholding Selah. But Tamar, though wronged, was not free from blame in her mode of righting herself. The youthful indiscretion of Judah in forming an intermarriage with a Canaanitish family, without the concurrence of his brothers or his father, has been fruitful of crime. If this immorality goes on, the chosen family will be speedily absorbed in the surrounding paganism. Hence, we begin to see the necessity of an immediate removal to another land, where they may be kept more distinct from the native superstition. By the disclosure of Tamar Judah is brought to acknowledgment of his fault, and, we may infer, to repentance. His abstaining from all further sexual intercourse with her may be accepted as a proof of this. âA scarlet thread.â The right of primogeniture here manifests its importance. âPerezâ - a breach. Slight incidents become the foundation of names, and are often the hinges on which great events turn. The minutest circumstances connected with the progenitors of the promised seed have a lasting interest.
Judah was at the close of his twenty-ninth year when Perez and Zerah were born. The dates in his family history may be arranged as underneath, on the supposition that the first child was born when the father was in his fourteenth year. This hypothesis is fairly allowable when we take into consideration not only other cases, but the early willfulness of Judah, and the example he gave to his children. The command also to be fruitful and multiply Genesis 35:11, which was given especially to Jacob, may have had a tendency to encourage early marriages. It is certain that the Jewish rabbis considered a man to have transgressed a divine precept who passed the age of twenty without being married. They also fixed the marriageable age for males at thirteen years and a day. King Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah when he was not more than twelve 2 Kings 16:2; 2 Kings 18:2; and King Josiah the father of Jehoiakim, when fourteen years of age 2 Kings 22:1; 2 Kings 23:36.
Judah 13 years 6 months when Er was born.
Judah 14 years 4 12 months when Onan was born.
Judah 15 years 3 months when Shelah was born.
Judah 28 years 9 months when Perez was born.
Judah 42 years 3 months when Hezron was born to Perez.
Judah 43 years 2 months when Hamul was born.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Genesis 38:24. Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. — As he had ordered Tamar to live as a widow in her own father's house till his son Shelah should be marriageable, he considers her therefore as the wife of his son; and as Shelah was not yet given to her, and she is found with child, she is reputed by him as an adulteress, and burning, it seems, was anciently the punishment of this crime. Judah, being a patriarch or head of a family, had, according to the custom of those times, the supreme magisterial authority over all the branches of his own family; therefore he only acts here in his juridical capacity. How strange that in the very place where adultery was punished by the most violent death, prostitution for money and for religious purposes should be considered as no crime!
