Genesis 38:18-23

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. ¹  She became pregnant by him. 38:19 She left immediately, ²  removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.

38:20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah ³  the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge, ⁴  but Hirah ⁵  could not find her. 38:21 He asked the men who were there, ⁶  “Where is the cult prostitute ⁷  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 ⁸  for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest. ⁹  I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”

[38:18]  ¹ tn Heb “and he went to her.” This expression is a euphemism for sexual intercourse.

[38:19]  ² tn Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.

[38:20]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”

[38:20]  ⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[38:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.

[38:21]  ⁵ 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]  ⁵ tn The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[38:23]  ⁶ 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.