Genesis 38:14-23
New English Translation
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[a] she saw that she had not been given to Shelah as a wife, even though he had now grown up.)[b]
15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute[c] because she had covered her face. 16 He turned aside to her along the road and said, “Come, please, I want to sleep with you.”[d] (He did not realize it was his daughter-in-law.) She asked, “What will you give me so that you may sleep with me?” 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?”[e] 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, then slept with her,[f] and she became pregnant by him. 19 She left immediately,[g] removed her veil, and put on her widow’s clothes.
20 Then Judah had his friend Hirah[h] the Adullamite take a young goat to get back from the woman the items he had given in pledge,[i] but Hirah[j] could not find her. 21 He asked the men who were there,[k] “Where is the cult prostitute[l] who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 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.’” 23 Judah said, “Let her keep the things[m] for herself. Otherwise we will appear to be dishonest.[n] I did indeed send this young goat, but you couldn’t find her.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 38:14 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.
- Genesis 38:14 tn Heb “she saw that Shelah had grown up, but she was not given to him as a wife.”
- Genesis 38:15 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.
- Genesis 38:16 tn Heb “I want to approach.” The verb בּוֹא (boʾ) with the preposition אֶל (ʾel) means “come to” or “approach,” but is also used as a euphemism for sexual relations. The imperfect verbal form is probably modal and indicates his desire.
- Genesis 38:17 tn Heb “until you send.”
- Genesis 38:18 tn Heb “approached.” See note at v. 16.
- Genesis 38:19 tn Heb “and she arose and left,” the first verb in the pair emphasizing that she wasted no time.
- Genesis 38:20 tn Heb “sent by the hand of his friend.” Here the name of the friend (“Hirah”) has been included in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 38:20 tn Heb “to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand.”
- Genesis 38:20 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Judah’s friend Hirah the Adullamite) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 38:21 tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.
- Genesis 38:21 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.
- Genesis 38:23 tn The words “the things” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 38:23 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.
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