Genesis 38:1-8

1 It was at this time that Y'hudah went off from his brothers and settled near a man named Hirah who was an 'Adulami.

2 There Y'hudah saw one of the daughters of a certain Kena'ani whose name was Shua, and he took her and slept with her.

3 She conceived and had a son, whom he named 'Er.

4 She conceived again and had a son, and she called him Onan.

5 Then she conceived yet again and had a son whom she called Shelah; he was in K'ziv when she gave birth to him.

6 Y'hudah took a wife for 'Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.

7 But 'Er, Y'hudah's firstborn, was evil from ADONAI's perspective, so ADONAI killed him.

8 Y'hudah said to Onan, "Go and sleep with your brother's wife - perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and preserve your brother's line of descent."

Genesis 38:1-8 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.