Genesis 38

Notes on the verses

Chap. XXXVIII. Ver. 1. At that time.—That is, when Jacob returned from Mesopotamia to dwell in Canaan; connecting this history, not with that of Joseph, but with the first verse of the preceding chapter.— Ainsworth. Dr. Boothroyd renders it ‘‘During this period,” &c. The incidents here related, probably take in the compass of several, perhaps many, years. Adullamite.—[An inhabitant of Adullam, a city of Canaan, afterwards a city to Judah, situated in the southern part of that tribe, west of Hebron.] Ver. 2. The first sin of Judah, here related, is, that he married a Canaanite; and the fruit was as might have been expected: the second, that he neglected to give Shelah his son to Tamar his daughter-in-law, according to his promise, and according to the law respecting widows; and the third, that he himself committed incest with her, under the disguise of a harlot.

Ver. 5. Chezib.—[Chezib is said by Eusebius and Jerome to have been situated near Adullam, and to be then uninhabited.]—Bagster. Ver. 8-10. We have here the first instance of a custom enjoined in the Jewish law, but practised, as appears, under a divine sanction among the Hebrews long before; namely, that if a man died without children, and left a widow, the next brother (if he had one) was to take her, and raise up children to his brother. Onan, the first (as far as appears) who refused to do this, was struck dead for his disobedience. “‘The thing which he did was evil in the eyes of the Lord; (Margin) wherefore he slew him also.” Ver. 12. Timnath.—[Timnath is, in all probability, that in the border of Judah, between Jerusalem and Diospolis, given to Dan, and mentioned in the history of Samson as belonging to the Philistines.]—Bagster. Ver. 14. The conduct of Tamar was that of an artful woman, not governed by any religious principle, with a view to be revenged on her father-in-law. She sat in an open place, say our translators; but the Hebrew reads, “in the door of Enajim;" (eyes, or fountains, as in the margin). This, Ainsworth explains, “a place of two ways;” that is, where two roads met, and where, probably, there were springs of water. (Jeremiah 3:2), (Ezekiel 16:25). Ver. 18, Signet.—(Chothem, or chothemeth, as in ver. 25, is properly a ring-seal, with which impressions were made to ascertain property, &c. From (Jeremiah 22:24), we find that it was worn on the hand; though it might also have been suspended from the neck by a ribband, as the Arabs still wear it.

— Bracelets.—Pathil, from pathal, to twist, wreathe, may denote either a wreath for the arm or neck, a twisted collar, or bracelet. The Vulgate renders it by armillam. It was probably a collar by which the signet was suspended; though its being used in the plural seems to favour the opinion of its being a bracelet.—Bagster. Ver. 21. Harlot.—(Tamar is not here called a harlot, as in our version, but kedaishah, which, from kadash, to consecrate to religious purposes, must mean a person consecrated by prostitution to the worship of some impure goddess. Strabo calls the public prostitutes, who, it is well known, were dedicated to Venus, among the Greeks, holy, or consecrated servants or votaries.

—Bagster. Ver. 24. Bring her forth.—The sequel finally exposes the hypocrisy of Judah, and constrains him to confess, that she was more righteous than himself. We should take care in censuring others, that we do not condemn ourselves. Burning was the death denounced against the daughter of a priest for whoredom; ((Leviticus 21:9).) and Judah wished to go to the utmost extremity, till he was found out to be the chief criminal. Ver. 29, 30, Called Pharez.—That is, a breach, or breaking forth.—Zarah, sprung up.