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 3:22

3:22 And the Lord God said, “Now ⁵⁷  that the man has become like one of us, ⁵⁸  knowing ⁵⁹  good and evil, he must not be allowed ⁶⁰  to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

Genesis 11:4

11:4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens ⁶¹  so that ⁶²  we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise ⁶³  we will be scattered ⁶⁴  across the face of the entire earth.”

Genesis 33:1-2

Jacob Meets Esau

33:1 Jacob looked up ⁶⁵  and saw that Esau was coming ⁶⁶  along with four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two female servants. 33:2 He put the servants and their children in front, with Leah and her children behind them, and Rachel and Joseph behind them. ⁶⁷ 

Genesis 43:14

43:14 May the sovereign God ⁶⁸  grant you mercy before the man so that he may release ⁶⁹  your other brother ⁷⁰  and Benjamin! As for me, if I lose my children I lose them.” ⁷¹ 

Genesis 43:29

43:29 When Joseph looked up ⁷²  and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, “Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” ⁷³ 

Genesis 44:20-22

44:20 We said to my lord, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young boy who was born when our father was old. ⁷⁴  The boy’s ⁷⁵  brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, ⁷⁶  and his father loves him.’

44:21 “Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see ⁷⁷  him.’ ⁷⁸  44:22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father ⁷⁹  will die.’ ⁸⁰ 

Genesis 44:27-34

44:27 “Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife gave me two sons. ⁸¹  44:28 The first disappeared ⁸²  and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” I have not seen him since. 44:29 If you take ⁸³  this one from me too and an accident happens to him, then you will bring down my gray hair ⁸⁴  in tragedy ⁸⁵  to the grave.’ ⁸⁶ 

44:30 “So now, when I return to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us – his very life is bound up in his son’s life. ⁸⁷  44:31 When he sees the boy is not with us, ⁸⁸  he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father in sorrow to the grave. 44:32 Indeed, ⁸⁹  your servant pledged security for the boy with my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame before my father all my life.’

44:33 “So now, please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave instead of the boy. As for the boy, let him go back with his brothers. 44:34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see ⁹⁰  my father’s pain.” ⁹¹ 

[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).

[3:22]  ⁵⁷ tn The particle הֵן (hen) introduces a foundational clause, usually beginning with “since, because, now.”

[3:22]  ⁵⁸ sn The man has become like one of us. See the notes on Gen 1:26 and 3:5.

[3:22]  ⁵⁹ tn The infinitive explains in what way the man had become like God: “knowing good and evil.”

[3:22]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “and now, lest he stretch forth.” Following the foundational clause, this clause forms the main point. It is introduced with the particle פֶּן (pen) which normally introduces a negative purpose, “lest….” The construction is elliptical; something must be done lest the man stretch forth his hand. The translation interprets the point intended.

[11:4]  ⁶¹ tn A translation of “heavens” for שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) fits this context because the Babylonian ziggurats had temples at the top, suggesting they reached to the heavens, the dwelling place of the gods.

[11:4]  ⁶² tn The form וְנַעֲשֶׂה (vÿna’aseh, from the verb עשׂה, “do, make”) could be either the imperfect or the cohortative with a vav (ו) conjunction (“and let us make…”). Coming after the previous cohortative, this form expresses purpose.

[11:4]  ⁶³ tn The Hebrew particle פֶּן (pen) expresses a negative purpose; it means “that we be not scattered.”

[11:4]  ⁶⁴ sn The Hebrew verb פָּוָץ (pavats, translated “scatter”) is a key term in this passage. The focal point of the account is the dispersion (“scattering”) of the nations rather than the Tower of Babel. But the passage also forms a polemic against Babylon, the pride of the east and a cosmopolitan center with a huge ziggurat. To the Hebrews it was a monument to the judgment of God on pride.

[33:1]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “and Jacob lifted up his eyes.”

[33:1]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “and look, Esau was coming.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the reader to view the scene through Jacob’s eyes.

[33:2]  ⁶⁷ sn This kind of ranking according to favoritism no doubt fed the jealousy over Joseph that later becomes an important element in the narrative. It must have been painful to the family to see that they were expendable.

[43:14]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “El Shaddai.” See the extended note on the phrase “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1.

[43:14]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “release to you.” After the jussive this perfect verbal form with prefixed vav (ו) probably indicates logical consequence, as well as temporal sequence.

[43:14]  ⁷⁰ sn Several Jewish commentators suggest that the expression your other brother refers to Joseph. This would mean that Jacob prophesied unwittingly. However, it is much more likely that Simeon is the referent of the phrase “your other brother” (see Gen 42:24).

[43:14]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “if I am bereaved I am bereaved.” With this fatalistic sounding statement Jacob resolves himself to the possibility of losing both Benjamin and Simeon.

[43:29]  ⁷² tn Heb “and he lifted his eyes.” The referent of “he” (Joseph) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[43:29]  ⁷³ sn Joseph’s language here becomes warmer and more personal, culminating in calling Benjamin my son.

[44:20]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “and a small boy of old age,” meaning that he was born when his father was elderly.

[44:20]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “his”; the referent (the boy just mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:20]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “he, only he, to his mother is left.”

[44:21]  ⁷⁷ tn The cohortative after the imperative indicates purpose here.

[44:21]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “that I may set my eyes upon him.”

[44:22]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the boy’s father, i.e., Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[44:22]  ⁸⁰ tn The last two verbs are perfect tenses with vav consecutive. The first is subordinated to the second as a conditional clause.

[44:27]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “that two sons my wife bore to me.”

[44:28]  ⁸² tn Heb “went forth from me.”

[44:29]  ⁸³ tn The construction uses a perfect verbal form with the vav consecutive to introduce the conditional clause and then another perfect verbal form with a vav consecutive to complete the sentence: “if you take…then you will bring down.”

[44:29]  ⁸⁴ sn The expression bring down my gray hair is figurative, using a part for the whole – they would put Jacob in the grave. But the gray head signifies a long life of worry and trouble. See Gen 42:38.

[44:29]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “evil/calamity.” The term is different than the one used in the otherwise identical statement recorded in v. 31 (see also 42:38).

[44:29]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “to Sheol,” the dwelling place of the dead.

[44:30]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “his life is bound up in his life.”

[44:31]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “when he sees that there is no boy.”

[44:32]  ⁸⁹ tn Or “for.”

[44:34]  ⁹⁰ tn The Hebrew text has “lest I see,” which expresses a negative purpose – “I cannot go up lest I see.”

[44:34]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “the calamity which would find my father.”