Genesis 38:5-15

5 She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.
6 Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death.
8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.”
9 But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother.
10 What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death also.
11 Judah then said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s household until my son Shelah grows up.” For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s household.
12 After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah, to the men who were shearing his sheep, and his friend Hirah the Adullamite went with him.
13 When Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,”
14 she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and then sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that, though Shelah had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.
15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.

Genesis 38:5-15 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.

Cross References 23

  • 1. Numbers 26:20
  • 2. ver 11,13
  • 3. S Genesis 6:5
  • 4. ver 10; Genesis 46:12; Leviticus 10:1-2; 1 Chronicles 2:3
  • 5. Deuteronomy 25:5-6; Ruth 4:5; Matthew 22:24-28
  • 6. S ver 7; Genesis 46:12; Deuteronomy 25:7-10
  • 7. S Genesis 11:31
  • 8. S ver 6
  • 9. Ruth 1:8
  • 10. ver 14,26
  • 11. Ruth 1:13
  • 12. S ver 2
  • 13. ver 14; Joshua 15:10,57; Joshua 19:43; Judges 14:1,2; 2 Chronicles 28:18
  • 14. S Genesis 31:19
  • 15. S ver 1
  • 16. S ver 6
  • 17. S Genesis 31:19
  • 18. ver 19
  • 19. S Genesis 24:65
  • 20. Jeremiah 3:2
  • 21. S ver 12
  • 22. S ver 11
  • 23. Judges 11:1; Judges 16:1
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