Genesis 38:15

15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute because she had 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 As soon as Tamar was told that her father-in-law was on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,

14 she took off her widow's clothes, covered her face with a veil, and disguised herself. Then she sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. (She did this because she realized that Shelah was grown up now, and she hadn't been given to him in marriage.)

15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute because she had covered her face.

16 Since he didn't know she was his daughter-in-law, he approached her by the roadside and said, "Come on, let's sleep together!" She asked, "What will you pay to sleep with me?"

17 "I'll send you a young goat from the flock," he answered. She said, "First give me something as a deposit until you send it."