Thematic Bible
Genesis 38:1 (show verse)
Now at that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to [stay with] a certain Adullamite named Hirah.
Genesis 38:2 (show verse)
There Judah saw a daughter of Shua, a Canaanite, and he took her [as his wife] and lived with her.
Genesis 38:3 (show verse)
So she conceived and gave birth to a son and Judah named him Er.
Genesis 38:4 (show verse)
Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan.
Genesis 38:5 (show verse)
Again she conceived and gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah. It was at Chezib that she gave birth to him.
Genesis 38:6 (show verse)
Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar.
Genesis 38:7 (show verse)
But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him [in judgment].
Genesis 38:8 (show verse)
Then Judah told Onan, “Go in to your brother’s widow, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law [under the levirate marriage custom]; [be her husband and] raise children for [the name of] your brother.”
Genesis 38:9 (show verse)
Onan knew that the child (heir) would not be his [but his dead brother’s]; so whenever he lay with his brother’s widow, he spilled his seed on the ground [to prevent conception], so that he would not give a child to his brother.
Genesis 38:10 (show verse)
But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; therefore He killed him also [in judgment].
Genesis 38:11 (show verse)
Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow at your father’s house until Shelah my [youngest] son is grown”; [but he was deceiving her] for he thought that [if Shelah should marry her] he too might die like his brothers did. So Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.
Genesis 38:12 (show verse)
Genesis 38:13 (show verse)
Tamar was told, “Listen, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.”
Genesis 38:14 (show verse)
So she removed her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself up [in disguise], and sat in the gateway of Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah had grown up, and she had not been given to him as a wife [as Judah had promised].
Adultery » Instances of » Judah
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Masking » By tamar
Mourning » Wearing mourning clothes
Sheep » Shearing of
Shelah » Son of judah
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
Timnath » A city
Veil » A covering for the face
Veil » Worn » By tamar
Veil or veil » Was worn » For concealment
Veil or veil » A covering for the head usually worn by women
Widow's » Were clothed in mourning after the decease of husbands
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Masking » By tamar
Mourning » Wearing mourning clothes
Sheep » Shearing of
Shelah » Son of judah
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
Timnath » A city
Veil » A covering for the face
Veil » Worn » By tamar
Veil or veil » Was worn » For concealment
Veil or veil » A covering for the head usually worn by women
Widow's » Were clothed in mourning after the decease of husbands
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Genesis 38:15 (show verse)
When Judah saw her, he thought she was a [temple] prostitute, for she had covered her face [as such women did].
Genesis 38:16 (show verse)
He turned to her by the road, and said, “Please come, let me lie with you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may lie with me?”
Genesis 38:17 (show verse)
He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “Will you give me a pledge [as a deposit] until you send it?”
Genesis 38:18 (show verse)
He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She said, “Your seal and your cord, and the staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and was intimate with her, and she conceived by him.
Adorning » Rich apparel » Bracelets
Adultery » Instances of » Judah
Bracelet » By men
Incest » Instances of » Judah
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Ornaments » Rich apparel » Bracelets
Rings » Antiquity of
Seal » A stamp used for signifying documents » Given as a pledge
Seals » Called signets
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Adultery » Instances of » Judah
Bracelet » By men
Incest » Instances of » Judah
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Ornaments » Rich apparel » Bracelets
Rings » Antiquity of
Seal » A stamp used for signifying documents » Given as a pledge
Seals » Called signets
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Genesis 38:19 (show verse)
Then she got up and left, and removed her veil and put on her widow’s clothing.
Genesis 38:20 (show verse)
When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to get his pledge [back] from the woman, he was unable to find her.
Genesis 38:21 (show verse)
He asked the men of that place, “Where is the temple prostitute who was by the roadside at Enaim?” They said, “There was no prostitute here.”
Genesis 38:22 (show verse)
So he returned to Judah, and said, “I cannot find her; also the local men said, ‘There was no prostitute around here.’”
Genesis 38:23 (show verse)
Then Judah said, “Let her keep the things (pledge articles) for herself, otherwise we will be a laughingstock [searching everywhere for her]. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.”
Genesis 38:24 (show verse)
About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the [role of a] prostitute, and she is with child because of her immorality.” So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned [to death as punishment]!”
Adultery » Instances of » Judah
Children » Power of parents over, during the patriarchal age
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Patriarchal government » Exercised in » Acting as judges
Punishment » Death penalty » Modes of execution » Burning
Punishments » Burning
Punishments » Capital kinds of » Burning
Rulers' » Instances of » Judah
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
The Nation » Punishment » Burning
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Children » Power of parents over, during the patriarchal age
Judah » Son of jacob » His incest with his daughter-in-law
Patriarchal government » Exercised in » Acting as judges
Punishment » Death penalty » Modes of execution » Burning
Punishments » Burning
Punishments » Capital kinds of » Burning
Rulers' » Instances of » Judah
Tamar » Wife of the sons of judah
The Nation » Punishment » Burning
Women » Instances of » Tamar, in her adultery
Genesis 38:25 (show verse)
While she was being brought out, she [took the things Judah had given her and] sent [them along with a message] to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man to whom these articles belong.” And she added, “Please examine [them carefully] and see [clearly] to whom these things belong, the seal and the cord and staff.”
Genesis 38:26 (show verse)
Judah recognized the articles, and said, “She has been more righteous [in this matter] than I, because I did not give her to my son Shelah [as I had promised].” And Judah did not have [intimate] relations with her again.
Genesis 38:27 (show verse)
Now when the time came for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb.
Genesis 38:28 (show verse)
And when she was in labor, one [baby] put out his hand, and the midwife took his hand and tied a scarlet thread on it, saying, “This one was born first.”
Genesis 38:29 (show verse)
But he pulled back his hand, and his brother was born first. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself [to be the firstborn]!” So he was named Perez (breach, break forth).
Genesis 38:30 (show verse)
Afterward his brother who had the scarlet [thread] on his hand was born and was named Zerah (brightness).