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Genesis 38
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Judah and Tamar

1It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and oturned aside to a certain pAdullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was qShua. He took her and went in to her, 3and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name rEr. 4She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name rOnan. 5Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name rShelah. Judah1 was in Chezib when she bore him.

6And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7But Er, Judah's firstborn, swas wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 8Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to tyour brother's wife and uperform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also. 11Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, v“Remain a widow in your father's house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained win her father's house.

12In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua's daughter, died. When Judah xwas comforted, he went up to yTimnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14she took off her widow's garments zand covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to aEnaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, band she had not been given to him in marriage. 15When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” 18He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, c“Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19Then she arose and went away, and taking off dher veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

20When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman's hand, he did not find her. 21And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute2 who was at eEnaim at the roadside?” And they said, “No cult prostitute has been here.” 22So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’” 23And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.”

24About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law fhas been immoral.3 Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.”4 And Judah said, “Bring her out, and glet her be burned.” 25As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, hthe signet and the cord and the staff.” 26Then Judah identified them and said, i“She is more righteous than I, since jI did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again.

27When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. 28And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called kPerez.5 30Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called kZerah.

Footnotes

  • 1 38:5 Hebrew He
  • 2 38:21 Hebrew sacred woman; a woman who served a pagan deity by prostitution; also verse 22
  • 3 38:24 Or has committed prostitution
  • 4 38:24 Or by prostitution
  • 5 38:29 Perez means a breach
Displaying 1-6 of 6 sermons for this passage.

The Promised Kingdom

Genesis 1:1–50:26 Sermon Includes Transcript 40:54 ID: 2382

The Partial Kingdom: God’s People — Part One

Genesis 1:1–50:26 Sermon Includes Transcript 29:13 ID: 2383

The Perished Kingdom — Part Two

Genesis 1:1–50:26 Sermon Includes Transcript 38:05 ID: 2379

The Perished Kingdom — Part One

Genesis 1:1–50:26 Sermon Includes Transcript 34:16 ID: 2377

Joseph in Review — Part One

Genesis 37:1–43:34 Sermon 50:14 ID: 1880

Joseph in Review — Part Two

Genesis 37:1–43:34 Sermon 39:54 ID: 1881

Displaying 1-2 of 2 series for this passage.

The Hand of God, Volume 1

Genesis 37:1–41:57 Series ID: 21904

The Kingdom of God, Volume 1

Genesis 1:1 – Malachi 4:6 Series ID: 26801