Genesis › Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Session 1 February 2026

Chapter 38

Keywords

  1. [Genesis 38:1-30 KJV]

  1. 1 And it came to pass in that time, that Judah went down from {Mem/}Aleph/Tav his brethren, and turned to a Adullamite[mj] man, and his name Hirah[mk].
  2. 2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a Canaanite man, ans his name Shuah[ml]; and he took her, and went in unto her.
  3. 3 And she conceived, and gave birth to a son; and he called Aleph/Tav–his name Er[mm].
  4. 4 And she conceived again, and gave birth to a son; and she called Aleph/Tav–his name Onan[mn].
  5. 5 And she conceived again, and gave birth to a son; and called Aleph/Tav–his name Shelah[mo]: and he was at Chezib[mp], when she gave birth to Aleph/Tav{/Vav} him.
  6. 6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name Tamar[mq].
  7. 7 And Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil [בּעיני][h5869]in the eyes of YAHUAH; and YAHUAH killed him.
  8. 8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto your brother's wife, and marry[h2992] Aleph/Tav{/Hey} her, and raise up seed to your brother.
  9. 9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that [h7843]he destroyed to ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.
  10. 10 And that which he did was evil in the eyes of YAHUAH: and he killed Aleph/Tav{/Vav} him also.
  11. 11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at your father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brothers. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
  12. 12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath[mr], he and his neighbor Hirah the Adullamite.
  13. 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold your father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
  14. 14 And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail[h6809], and wrapped herself, and sat [h6607]in the entrance of [עינים][h5879]Enaim[ms], which by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.
  15. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought her a [h2181]prostitute; because she had covered her face.
  16. 16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Please give, let me come in unto you; (for he knew not that she his daughter in law.) And she said, What will you give me, that you may come in unto me?
  17. 17 And he said, I will send a goat kid from the flock. And she said, Will you give a pledge[h6162], till you send?
  18. 18 And he said, What pledge shall I give you? And she said, your signet[h2368], and your bracelets[h6616], and your staff[h4294] that in your hand. And he gave her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
  19. 19 And she arose, and went away, and put off her vail from upon her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
  20. 20 And Judah sent Aleph/Tav–a kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.
  21. 21 Then he asked Aleph/Tav–men of that place, saying, Where [הקּדשׁה][h6948]the holy woman, with eyes on the road? And they said, There was no holy woman by this.
  22. 22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, there was no holy woman by this.
  23. 23 And Judah said, Let her take to her, lest we be to scorn: behold, I sent this kid, and Aleph/Tav{/Hey} you have not found her.
  24. 24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar your daughter in law has played the prostitute; and also, behold, she with child [h2183]by prostitution. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt[h8313].
  25. 25 When she brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these I with child: and she said, Please discern, whose these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.
  26. 26 And Judah acknowledged 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.
  27. 27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins in her womb.
  28. 28 And it came to pass, when she gave birth, he gave a hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet[h8144], saying, This came out first.
  29. 29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How have you broken[h6555]forth? a breach upon you: therefore his name was called Pharez[mt].
  30. 30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah[mu].

Discussion

  1. Surety | Pledge

  1. [John 8:1-11 KJV] 1 Yahusha went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Yahusha stooped down, and with [his] finger wrote on the ground. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard [it], being convicted by conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, [even] unto the last: and Yahusha was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Yahusha had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Yahusha said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

  1. Scarlet

  1. Breach