Genesis 38:15

15 And Judah seeth her, and reckoneth her for a harlot, for she hath covered her face,

Genesis 38:15 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 38:15

When Judah saw her, he thought her [to be] an harlot
By her posture and the place she was in: because she had covered her face;
with her veil, that he did not know her; for this is not given as a reason why he took her to be an harlot; the reason of this was, because she sat in the public road; but having covered her face he could not discern who she was, and therefore, from the other circumstance, concluded that she was an harlot, and sat there to prostitute herself to any that passed by.

Genesis 38:15 In-Context

13 And it is declared to Tamar, saying, `Lo, thy husband's father is going up to Timnath to shear his flock;'

14 and she turneth aside the garments of her widowhood from off her, and covereth herself with a vail, and wrappeth herself up, and sitteth in the opening of Enayim, which [is] by the way to Timnath, for she hath seen that Shelah hath grown up, and she hath not been given to him for a wife.

15 And Judah seeth her, and reckoneth her for a harlot, for she hath covered her face,

16 and he turneth aside unto her by the way, and saith, `Come, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee,' (for he hath not known that she [is] his daughter-in-law); and she saith, `What dost thou give to me, that thou mayest come in unto me?'

17 and he saith, `I -- I send a kid of the goats from the flock.' And she saith, `Dost thou give a pledge till thou send [it]?'