Genesis 38:1-30

Judah and Tamar

38:1 At that time Judah left ¹  his brothers and stayed ²  with an Adullamite man ³  named Hirah.

38:2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man ⁴  named Shua. ⁵  Judah acquired her as a wife ⁶  and had marital relations with her. ⁷  38:3 She became pregnant ⁸  and had a son. Judah named ⁹  him Er. 38:4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 38:5 Then she had ¹⁰  yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib. ¹¹ 

38:6 Judah acquired ¹²  a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 38:7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him.

38:8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with ¹³  your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise ¹⁴  up a descendant for your brother.” ¹⁵  38:9 But Onan knew that the child ¹⁶  would not be considered his. ¹⁷  So whenever ¹⁸  he had sexual relations with ¹⁹  his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely ²⁰  so as not to give his brother a descendant. 38:10 What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord ²¹  killed him too.

38:11 Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Live as a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son grows up.” For he thought, ²²  “I don’t want him to die like his brothers.” ²³  So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.

38:12 After some time ²⁴  Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died. After Judah was consoled, he left for Timnah to visit his sheepshearers, along with ²⁵  his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 38:13 Tamar was told, ²⁶  “Look, your father-in-law is going up ²⁷  to Timnah to shear his sheep.” 38:14 So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil. She wrapped herself and sat at the entrance to Enaim which is on the way to Timnah. (She did this because ²⁸  she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.) ²⁹ 

38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute ³⁰  because she had covered her face. 38:16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come on! I want to have sex with you.” ³¹  (He did not realize ³²  it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me in exchange for having sex with you?” ³³  38:17 He replied, “I’ll send you a young goat from the flock.” She asked, “Will you give me a pledge until you send it?” ³⁴  38:18 He said, “What pledge should I give you?” She replied, “Your seal, your cord, and the staff that’s in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had sex with her. ³⁵  She became pregnant by him. 38:19 She left immediately, ³⁶  removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.

38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah ³⁷  the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, ³⁸  but Hirah ³⁹  could not find her. 38:21 He asked the men who were there, ⁴⁰  “Where is the cult prostitute ⁴¹  who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’” 38:23 Judah said, “Let her keep the things ⁴²  for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. ⁴³  I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”

38:24 After three months Judah was told, ⁴⁴  “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has turned to prostitution, ⁴⁵  and as a result she has become pregnant.” ⁴⁶  Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 38:25 While they were bringing her out, she sent word ⁴⁷  to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these belong.” ⁴⁸  Then she said, “Identify ⁴⁹  the one to whom the seal, cord, and staff belong.” 38:26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright ⁵⁰  than I am, because I wouldn’t give her to Shelah my son.” He did not have sexual relations with her ⁵¹  again.

38:27 When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb. 38:28 While she was giving birth, one child ⁵²  put out his hand, and the midwife took a scarlet thread and tied it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 38:29 But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. ⁵³  She said, “How you have broken out of the womb!” ⁵⁴  So he was named Perez. ⁵⁵  38:30 Afterward his brother came out – the one who had the scarlet thread on his hand – and he was named Zerah. ⁵⁶ 

Genesis 29:18-30

29:18 Since Jacob had fallen in love with ⁵⁷  Rachel, he said, “I’ll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel.” 29:19 Laban replied, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man. ⁵⁸  Stay with me.” 29:20 So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. ⁵⁹  But they seemed like only a few days to him ⁶⁰  because his love for her was so great. ⁶¹ 

29:21 Finally Jacob said ⁶²  to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. ⁶³  I want to have marital relations with her.” ⁶⁴  29:22 So Laban invited all the people ⁶⁵  of that place and prepared a feast. 29:23 In the evening he brought his daughter Leah ⁶⁶  to Jacob, ⁶⁷  and Jacob ⁶⁸  had marital relations with her. ⁶⁹  29:24 (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) ⁷⁰ 

29:25 In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! ⁷¹  So Jacob ⁷²  said to Laban, “What in the world have you done to me! ⁷³  Didn’t I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked ⁷⁴  me?” 29:26 “It is not our custom here,” ⁷⁵  Laban replied, “to give the younger daughter in marriage ⁷⁶  before the firstborn. 29:27 Complete my older daughter’s bridal week. ⁷⁷  Then we will give you the younger one ⁷⁸  too, in exchange for seven more years of work.” ⁷⁹ 

29:28 Jacob did as Laban said. ⁸⁰  When Jacob ⁸¹  completed Leah’s bridal week, ⁸²  Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. ⁸³  29:29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) ⁸⁴  29:30 Jacob ⁸⁵  had marital relations ⁸⁶  with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban ⁸⁷  for seven more years. ⁸⁸ 

Genesis 30:33-40

30:33 My integrity will testify for me ⁸⁹  later on. ⁹⁰  When you come to verify that I’ve taken only the wages we agreed on, ⁹¹  if I have in my possession any goat that is not speckled or spotted or any sheep that is not dark-colored, it will be considered stolen.” ⁹²  30:34 “Agreed!” said Laban, “It will be as you say.” ⁹³ 

30:35 So that day Laban ⁹⁴  removed the male goats that were streaked or spotted, all the female goats that were speckled or spotted (all that had any white on them), and all the dark-colored lambs, and put them in the care ⁹⁵  of his sons. 30:36 Then he separated them from Jacob by a three-day journey, ⁹⁶  while ⁹⁷  Jacob was taking care of the rest of Laban’s flocks.

30:37 But Jacob took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He made white streaks by peeling them, making the white inner wood in the branches visible. 30:38 Then he set up the peeled branches in all the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. He set up the branches in front of the flocks when they were in heat and came to drink. ⁹⁸  30:39 When the sheep mated ⁹⁹  in front of the branches, they ¹⁰⁰  gave birth to young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. 30:40 Jacob removed these lambs, but he made the rest of the flock face ¹⁰¹  the streaked and completely dark-colored animals in Laban’s flock. So he made separate flocks for himself and did not mix them with Laban’s flocks.

Genesis 30:1

30:1 When Rachel saw that she could not give Jacob children, she ¹⁰²  became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children ¹⁰³  or I’ll die!”

Colossians 1:10

1:10 so that you may live ¹⁰⁴  worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects ¹⁰⁵  – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God,

Colossians 1:2

1:2 to the saints, the faithful ¹⁰⁶  brothers and sisters ¹⁰⁷  in Christ, at Colossae. Grace and peace to you ¹⁰⁸  from God our Father! ¹⁰⁹ 

Colossians 1:26

1:26 that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints.

[38:1]  ¹ tn Heb “went down from.”

[38:1]  ² tn Heb “and he turned aside unto.”

[38:1]  ³ tn Heb “a man, an Adullamite.”

[38:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “a man, a Canaanite.”

[38:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “and his name was Shua.”

[38:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “and he took her.”

[38:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:3]  ⁸ tn Or “she conceived” (also in the following verse).

[38:3]  ⁹ tc Some mss read this verb as feminine, “she called,” to match the pattern of the next two verses. But the MT, “he called,” should probably be retained as the more difficult reading.

[38:5]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and she added again and she gave birth.” The first verb and the adverb emphasize that she gave birth once more.

[38:5]  ¹¹ tn Or “and he [i.e., Judah] was in Kezib when she gave birth to him.”

[38:6]  ¹² tn Heb “and Judah took.”

[38:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “go to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:8]  ¹⁴ tn The imperative with the prefixed conjunction here indicates purpose.

[38:8]  ¹⁵ sn Raise up a descendant for your brother. The purpose of this custom, called the levirate system, was to ensure that no line of the family would become extinct. The name of the deceased was to be maintained through this custom of having a child by the nearest relative. See M. Burrows, “Levirate Marriage in Israel,” JBL 59 (1940): 23-33.

[38:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “offspring.”

[38:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “would not be his,” that is, legally speaking. Under the levirate system the child would be legally considered the child of his deceased brother.

[38:9]  ¹⁸ tn The construction shows that this was a repeated practice and not merely one action.

[38:9]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “he went to.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:9]  ²⁰ tn Heb “he spoiled [his semen] to the ground.” Onan withdrew prematurely and ejaculated on the ground to prevent his brother’s widow from becoming pregnant.

[38:10]  ²¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[38:11]  ²² tn Heb “said.”

[38:11]  ²³ tn Heb “Otherwise he will die, also he, like his brothers.”

[38:12]  ²⁴ sn After some time. There is not enough information in the narrative to know how long this was. The text says “the days increased.” It was long enough for Shelah to mature and for Tamar to realize she would not have him.

[38:12]  ²⁵ tn Heb “and he went up to the shearers of his sheep, he and.”

[38:13]  ²⁶ tn Heb “And it was told to Tamar, saying.”

[38:13]  ²⁷ tn The active participle indicates the action was in progress or about to begin.

[38:14]  ²⁸ tn The Hebrew text simply has “because,” connecting this sentence to what precedes. For stylistic reasons the words “she did this” are supplied in the translation and a new sentence begun.

[38:14]  ²⁹ tn Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”

[38:15]  ³⁰ tn Heb “he reckoned her for a prostitute,” which was what Tamar had intended for him to do. She obviously had some idea of his inclinations, or she would not have tried this risky plan.

[38:16]  ³¹ tn Heb “I will go to you.” The imperfect verbal form probably indicates his desire here. The expression “go to” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:16]  ³² tn Heb “for he did not know that.”

[38:16]  ³³ tn Heb “when you come to me.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:17]  ³⁴ tn Heb “until you send.”

[38:18]  ³⁵ tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:19]  ³⁶ tn Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.

[38:20]  ³⁷ tn Heb “sent by the hand of his friend.” Here the name of the friend (“Hirah”) has been included in the translation for clarity.

[38:20]  ³⁸ tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”

[38:20]  ³⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[38:21]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.

[38:21]  ⁴¹ sn The Hebrew noun translated “cult prostitute” is derived from a verb meaning “to be set apart; to be distinct.” Thus the term refers to a woman who did not marry, but was dedicated to temple service as a cult prostitute. The masculine form of this noun is used for male cult prostitutes. Judah thought he had gone to an ordinary prostitute (v. 15); but Hirah went looking for a cult prostitute, perhaps because it had been a sheep-shearing festival. For further discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, “Cultic Prostitution,” Orient and Occident (AOAT), 213-23.

[38:23]  ⁴² tn The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:23]  ⁴³ tn Heb “we will become contemptible.” The Hebrew word בּוּז (buz) describes the contempt that a respectable person would have for someone who is worthless, foolish, or disreputable.

[38:24]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “it was told to Judah, saying.”

[38:24]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “has been sexually promiscuous.” The verb may refer here to loose or promiscuous activity, not necessarily prostitution.

[38:24]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “and also look, she is with child by prostitution.”

[38:25]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “she was being brought out and she sent.” The juxtaposition of two clauses, both of which place the subject before the predicate, indicates synchronic action.

[38:25]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “who these to him.”

[38:25]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “ recognize; note.” This same Hebrew verb (נָכַר, nakhar) is used at the beginning of v. 26, where it is translated “recognized.”

[38:26]  ⁵⁰ tn Traditionally “more righteous”; cf. NCV, NRSV, NLT “more in the right.”

[38:26]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “and he did not add again to know her.” Here “know” is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:28]  ⁵² tn The word “child” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:29]  ⁵³ tn Heb “Look, his brother came out.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through the midwife’s eyes. The words “before him” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:29]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “How you have made a breach for yourself!” The Hebrew verb translated “make a breach” frequently occurs, as here, with a cognate accusative. The event provided the meaningful name Perez, “he who breaks through.”

[38:29]  ⁵⁵ sn The name Perez means “he who breaks through,” referring to Perez reaching out his hand at birth before his brother was born. The naming signified the completion of Tamar’s struggle and also depicted the destiny of the tribe of Perez who later became dominant (Gen 46:12 and Num 26:20). Judah and his brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, thinking they could thwart God’s plan that the elder brothers should serve the younger. God demonstrated that principle through these births in Judah’s own family, affirming that the elder will serve the younger, and that Joseph’s leadership could not so easily be set aside. See J. Goldin, “The Youngest Son; or, Where Does Genesis 38 Belong?” JBL 96 (1977): 27-44.

[38:30]  ⁵⁶ sn Perhaps the child was named Zerah because of the scarlet thread. Though the Hebrew word used for “scarlet thread” in v. 28 is not related to the name Zerah, there is a related root in Babylonian and western Aramaic that means “scarlet” or “scarlet thread.” In Hebrew the name appears to be derived from a root meaning “to shine.” The name could have originally meant something like “shining one” or “God has shined.” Zerah became the head of a tribe (Num 26:20) from whom Achan descended (Josh 7:1).

[29:18]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “Jacob loved.”

[29:19]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “Better my giving her to you than my giving her to another man.”

[29:20]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “in exchange for Rachel.”

[29:20]  ⁶⁰ sn But they seemed like only a few days to him. This need not mean that the time passed quickly. More likely it means that the price seemed insignificant when compared to what he was getting in the bargain.

[29:20]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “because of his love for her.” The words “was so great” are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[29:21]  ⁶² tn Heb “and Jacob said.”

[29:21]  ⁶³ tn Heb “my days are fulfilled.”

[29:21]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “and I will go in to her.” The verb is a cohortative; it may be subordinated to the preceding request, “that I may go in,” or it may be an independent clause expressing his desire. The verb “go in” in this context refers to sexual intercourse (i.e., the consummation of the marriage).

[29:22]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “men.”

[29:23]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “and it happened in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her.”

[29:23]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “to him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:23]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “went in to her.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse, i.e., the consummation of the marriage.

[29:24]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “and Laban gave to her Zilpah his female servant, to Leah his daughter [for] a servant.” This clause gives information parenthetical to the narrative.

[29:25]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “and it happened in the morning that look, it was Leah.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through Jacob’s eyes.

[29:25]  ⁷² tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:25]  ⁷³ tn Heb What is this you have done to me?” The use of the pronoun “this” is enclitic, adding emphasis to the question: “What in the world have you done to me?”

[29:25]  ⁷⁴ sn The Hebrew verb translated tricked here (רָמָה, ramah) is cognate to the noun used in Gen 27:35 to describe Jacob’s deception of Esau. Jacob is discovering that what goes around, comes around. See J. A. Diamond, “The Deception of Jacob: A New Perspective on an Ancient Solution to the Problem,” VT 34 (1984): 211-13.

[29:26]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “and Laban said, ‘It is not done so in our place.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:26]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “to give the younger.” The words “daughter” and “in marriage” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

[29:27]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “fulfill the period of seven of this one.” The referent of “this one” has been specified in the translation as “my older daughter” for clarity.

[29:27]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “this other one.”

[29:27]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “and we will give to you also this one in exchange for labor which you will work with me, still seven other years.”

[29:28]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “and Jacob did so.” The words “as Laban said” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[29:28]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:28]  ⁸² tn Heb “the seven of this one.” The referent of “this one” has been specified in the translation as Leah to avoid confusion with Rachel, mentioned later in the verse.

[29:28]  ⁸³ tn Heb “and he gave to him Rachel his daughter for him for a wife.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:29]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “and Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his female servant, for her for a servant.”

[29:30]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:30]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “went in also to Rachel.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse, i.e., the consummation of the marriage.

[29:30]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[29:30]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “and he loved also Rachel, more than Leah, and he served with him still seven other years.”

[30:33]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “will answer on my behalf.”

[30:33]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “on the following day,” or “tomorrow.”

[30:33]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “when you come concerning my wage before you.”

[30:33]  ⁹² tn Heb “every one which is not speckled and spotted among the lambs and dark among the goats, stolen it is with me.”

[30:34]  ⁹³ tn Heb “and Laban said, ‘Good, let it be according to your word.’” On the asseverative use of the particle לוּ (lu) here, see HALOT 521 s.v. לוּ.

[30:35]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[30:35]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “and he gave [them] into the hand.”

[30:36]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “and he put a journey of three days between himself and Jacob.”

[30:36]  ⁹⁷ tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by the vav with subject) is circumstantial/temporal; Laban removed the animals while Jacob was taking care of the rest.

[30:38]  ⁹⁸ sn He put the branches in front of the flocks…when they came to drink. It was generally believed that placing such “visual aids” before the animals as they were mating, it was possible to influence the appearance of their offspring. E. A. Speiser notes that “Jacob finds a way to outwit his father-in-law, through prenatal conditioning of the flock by visual aids – in conformance with universal folk beliefs” (Genesis [AB], 238). Nevertheless, in spite of Jacob’s efforts at animal husbandry, he still attributes the resulting success to God (see 31:5).

[30:39]  ⁹⁹ tn The Hebrew verb used here can mean “to be in heat” (see v. 38) or “to mate; to conceive; to become pregnant.” The latter nuance makes better sense in this verse, for the next clause describes them giving birth.

[30:39]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “the sheep.” The noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“they”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:40]  ¹⁰¹ tn Heb “and he set the faces of.”

[30:1]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “Rachel.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“she”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:1]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “sons.”

[1:10]  ¹⁰⁴ tn The infinitive περιπατῆσαι (peripathsai, “to walk, to live, to live one’s life”) is best taken as an infinitive of purpose related to “praying” (προσευχόμενοι, proseucomenoi) and “asking” (αἰτούμενοι, aitoumenoi) in v. 9 and is thus translated as “that you may live.”

[1:10]  ¹⁰⁵ tn BDAG 129 s.v. ἀρεσκεία states that ἀρεσκείαν (areskeian) refers to a “desire to please εἰς πᾶσαν ἀ. to please (the Lord) in all respects Col 1:10.”

[1:2]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Grk “and faithful.” The construction in Greek (as well as Paul’s style) suggests that the saints are identical to the faithful; hence, the καί (kai) is best left untranslated (cf. Eph 1:1). See ExSyn 281-82.

[1:2]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

[1:2]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Or “Grace to you and peace.”

[1:2]  ¹⁰⁹ tc Most witnesses, including some important ones (א A C F G I [P] 075 Ï it bo), read “and the Lord Jesus Christ” at the end of this verse, no doubt to conform the wording to the typical Pauline salutation. However, excellent and early witnesses (B D K L Ψ 33 81 1175 1505 1739 1881 al sa) lack this phrase. Since the omission is inexplicable as arising from the longer reading (otherwise, these mss would surely have deleted the phrase in the rest of the corpus Paulinum), it is surely authentic.