11 And Judah saith to Tamar his daughter-in-law, 'Abide a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son groweth up;' for he said, 'Lest he die—even he—like his brethren;' and Tamar goeth and dwelleth at her father's house.
12 And the days are multiplied, and the daughter of Shuah, Judah's wife, dieth; and Judah is comforted, and goeth up unto his sheep-shearers, he and Hirah his friend the Adullamite, to Timnath. 13 And it is declared to Tamar, saying, 'Lo, thy husband's father is going up to Timnath to shear his flock;' 14 and she turneth aside the garments of her widowhood from off her, and covereth herself with a vail, and wrappeth herself up, and sitteth in the opening of Enayim, which 'is' by the way to Timnath, for she hath seen that Shelah hath grown up, and she hath not been given to him for a wife. 15 And Judah seeth her, and reckoneth her for a harlot, for she hath covered her face, 16 and he turneth aside unto her by the way, and saith, 'Come, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee,' (for he hath not known that she 'is' his daughter-in-law); and she saith, 'What dost thou give to me, that thou mayest come in unto me?' 17 and he saith, 'I—I send a kid of the goats from the flock.' And she saith, 'Dost thou give a pledge till thou send 'it'?' 18 and he saith, 'What 'is' the pledge that I give to thee?' and she saith, 'Thy seal, and thy ribbon, and thy staff which 'is' in thy hand;' and he giveth to her, and goeth in unto her, and she conceiveth to him; 19 and she riseth, and goeth, and turneth aside her vail from off her, and putteth on the garments of her widowhood. 20 And Judah sendeth the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the hand of the woman, and he hath not found her. 21 And he asketh the men of her place, saying, 'Where 'is' the separated one—she in Enayim, by the way?' and they say, 'There hath not been in this 'place' a separated one.' 22 And he turneth back unto Judah, and saith, 'I have not found her; and the men of the place also have said, There hath not been in this 'place' a separated one,' 23 and Judah saith, 'Let her take to herself, lest we become despised; lo, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.'
24 And it cometh to pass about three months 'after', that it is declared to Judah, saying, 'Tamar thy daughter-in-law hath committed fornication; and also, lo, she hath conceived by fornication:' and Judah saith, 'Bring her out—and she is burnt.' 25 She is brought out, and she hath sent unto her husband's father, saying, 'To a man whose these 'are', I 'am' pregnant;' and she saith, 'Discern, I pray thee, whose 'are' these—the seal, and the ribbons, and the staff.' 26 And Judah discerneth and saith, 'She hath been more righteous than I, because that I did not give her to Shelah my son;' and he hath not added to know her again. 27 And it cometh to pass in the time of her bearing, that lo, twins 'are' in her womb; 28 and it cometh to pass in her bearing, that 'one' giveth out a hand, and the midwife taketh and bindeth on his hand a scarlet thread, saying, 'This hath come out first.' 29 And it cometh to pass as he draweth back his hand, that lo, his brother hath come out, and she saith, 'What! thou hast broken forth—on thee 'is' the breach;' and he calleth his name Pharez; 30 and afterwards hath his brother come out, on whose hand 'is' the scarlet thread, and he calleth his name Zarah.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 38:11-30
Chapter Contents
The profligate conduct of Judah and his family.
This chapter gives an account of Judah and his family, and such an account it is, that it seems a wonder that of all Jacob's sons, our Lord should spring out of Judah, John 8:41. What awful examples the Lord proclaims in his punishments, of his utter displeasure at sin! Let us seek grace from God to avoid every appearance of sin. And let that state of humbleness to which Jesus submitted, when he came to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, in appointing such characters as those here recorded, to be his ancestors, endear the Redeemer to our hearts.