Genesis 38:1-6

Tamar’s place in Judah’s family

1 At that time, Judah moved away from his brothers and settled near an Adullamite named Hirah.

2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her. After he slept with her,

3 she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, whom she named Er.

4 She became pregnant again, gave birth to a son, and named him Onan.

5 Then she gave birth to one more son and named him Shelah. She was in Chezib when she gave birth to him.

6 Judah married his oldest son Er to a woman named 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

• [a] Sam, Tg; MT he