Would you tarry for them till they were grown?
&c.] It is not to be thought that they would tarry till she
was married and had children, and then till these infants were
grown up to men's estate, and be marriageable; for though Tamar
tarried for Shelah, yet he was born, and of some years of age,
though not a grown man, ( Genesis
38:11 Genesis
38:14 )
would ye stay for them from having husbands?
they were young widows, and it was fit they should marry again;
and it could not be imagined that they would deny themselves
having husbands, in expectation of any sons of her's:
nay, my daughters;
I am well satisfied you will never tarry for them, nor deprive
yourselves of such a benefit; it is unreasonable to suppose it:
for it grieveth me much for your sakes;
that she could be of no manner of service to them, either to give
them husbands, or to support and maintain them, should they go
with her; or "I have exceedingly more bitterness than you"
F4; her condition and circumstances
were much worse than theirs; for though they had lost their
husbands, she had lost both husband and children: or it was more
bitter and grievous to her to be separated from them, than it was
for them to be separated from her; her affection to them was as
strong, or stronger than theirs to her; or they had friends in
their own country that would be kind to them, but as for her, she
was in deep poverty and distress, and when she came into her own
country, knew not that she had any friends left to take any
notice of her:
that the hand of the Lord is gone out against
me;
in taking away her husband and children, and reducing her to a
low estate, penniless and friendless; so poor, as it appears,
that her daughter-in-law, when come to the land of Canaan, was
obliged to glean for the livelihood of them both, as in the next
chapter.