Genesis 38:1-6

Judah and Tamar

1 At that time Judah left his brothers and settled near an Adullamite named Hirah.
2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite named Shua; he took her as a wife and slept with her.
3 She conceived and gave birth to a son, and he named him Er.
4 She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and named him Onan.
5 She gave birth to another son and named him Shelah. It was at Chezib that[a] [b] she gave birth to him.
6 Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

Genesis 38:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 38

This chapter is wholly taken up with matters relating to Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, from whom the Jews have their name, and from whom Christ sprung: it treats of his marriage with a Canaanitess, his children by her, their character and end, Ge 38:1-11; of his incest with his daughter-in-law, though unknown by him, Ge 38:12-23; of his resentment against her, when he heard she was with child, and his confusion when he found it was by himself, Ge 38:24-26; and of the birth of twins by her, named Pharez and Zarah, Ge 38:27-30.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. LXX reads She was at Chezib when
  • [b]. Or He was at Chezib when
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