Genesis 38:21

21 And he asked the men of the place, Where is the harlot who was in Aenan by the way-side? and they said, There was no harlot here.

Genesis 38:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 38:21

Then he asked the men of that place
Or "of her place" {d}, of the woman's place, supposing that she dwelt somewhere thereabout: saying, where [is] the harlot that [was] openly by the wayside?
that sat there very publicly some little time ago: the word for "harlot" ^F5 comes from another, which signifies to sanctify or separate to holy uses; and harlots were so called, either by an antiphrasis, by way of contradiction, being unholy; or because, as Jarchi observes, they were separated and destined to whoredom; or because they were such as were devoted to Venus, and the worshippers of her, and prostitutes in her temple, and in the temples of other Heathen deities; but it is questionable whether such practices as yet were used; and they said, there was no harlot in this [place];
they had not known any harlot to frequent that place lately, and Tamar sat there so small a time as not to have been observed by them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (hmqm yvna) "viros loci ejus, scil mulieris", Piscator, Schimdt.
F5 (hvdqh)

Genesis 38:21 In-Context

19 And she arose and departed, and took her veil from off her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

20 And Judas sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his shepherd the Odollamite, to receive the pledge from the woman; and he found her not.

21 And he asked the men of the place, Where is the harlot who was in Aenan by the way-side? and they said, There was no harlot here.

22 And he returned to Judas, and said, I have not found her; and the men of the place say, There is no harlot here.

23 And Judas said, Let her have them, but let us not be ridiculed; I sent this kid, but thou hast not found her.