Genesis 38

Genesis · Chapter 38

Genesis 38:25

1And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.2And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.3And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.4And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.5And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.6And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.7And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.8And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.9And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.10And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.11Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house.12And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.13And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.14And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.15When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.16And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?17And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?18And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.19And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.20And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand: but he found her not.21Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.22And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.23And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.24And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.25When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.26And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.27And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.28And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.29And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.30And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
25When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.As she was being brought out, Tamar sent a message to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong.” And she added, “Please examine them. Whose seal and cord and staff are these?”When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and the cords, and the staff.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
sheהִ֣ואhi'H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

[was being] brought outמוּצֵ֗אתmu-TZETH3318H
to come out: come

יָצָא (ya.tsa) : come/go_out/escape 1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart 1a2) to go forth (to a place) 1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something) 1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result) 1a5) to come out of 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out 1b2) to bring out of 1b3) to lead out 1b4) to deliver 1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth

and sheוְהִ֨יאve-HI'H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

she sentשָׁלְחָ֤הshal-CHAHH7971G
to send: depart

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) : depart/send 1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to send 1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct 1a3) to send away 1a4) to let loose 1b) (Niphal) to be sent 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out 1c2) to let go, set free 1c3) to shoot forth (of branches) 1c4) to let down 1c5) to shoot 1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled 1e) (Hiphil) to send

toאֶל־'el-H0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

father-in-law herחָמִ֙יהָ֙cha-MI-haH2524
father-in-law

חָם (cham) father-in-law, husband's father

to sayingלֵאמֹ֔רle-MORH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

to a manלְאִישׁ֙le-'ISHH0376G
man

אִישׁ (ish) : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)

whomאֲשֶׁר־'a-SHER-H0834A
which

אֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

theseאֵ֣לֶּה'E-lehH0428
these

אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) 1) these 1a) used before antecedent 1b) used following antecedent Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)

Iאָנֹכִ֖י'a-no-KHIH0595
I

אָֽנֹכִ֫י (a.no.khi) I (first pers. sing.) Another spelling of a.ni (אֲנִי, אָֽנֹכִ֫י "I" H0589)

[am] pregnantהָרָ֑הha-RAHH2030A
pregnant

הָרָה (ha.rah) pregnant Also means: ha.riy.yah (הָרִיָּה "pregnant" H2030B)

and she saidוַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙va-TO-merH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

investigateהַכֶּר־ha-ker-H5234A
to recognize

נָכַר (na.khar) 1) to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard 1a) (Niphal) to be recognised 1b) (Piel) to regard 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to regard, observe, pay attention to, pay regard to, notice 1c2) to recognise (as formerly known), perceive 1c3) to be willing to recognise or acknowledge, acknowledge with honour 1c4) to be acquainted with 1c5) to distinguish, understand 1d) (Hithpael) to make oneself known

pleaseנָ֔אNa'H4994
please

נָא (na) 1) I (we) pray, now, please 1a) used in entreaty or exhortation

[belong] to whom?לְמִ֞יle-MIH4310
who?

מִי (mi) who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever

the sealהַחֹתֶ֧מֶתha-cho-TE-metH2858
ring

חֹתֶ֫מֶת (cho.te.met) signet ring, signet seal

and the cordוְהַפְּתִילִ֛יםve-ha-pe-ti-LIMH6616
cord

פָּתִיל (pa.til) cord, thread (twisted)

and the staffוְהַמַּטֶּ֖הve-ham-ma-TEHH4294G
tribe: rod

מַטֶּה (mat.teh) : rod/staff 1) staff, branch, tribe 1a) staff, rod, shaft 1b) branch (of vine) 1c) tribe 1c1) company led by chief with staff (originally)

the theseהָאֵֽלֶּה׃ha-'E-lehH0428
these

אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) 1) these 1a) used before antecedent 1b) used following antecedent Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.