Genesis 38:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.”

NIV: Then Judah said, 'Let her keep what she has, or we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn't find her.'

NASB: Then Judah said, 'Let her keep them, otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I sent this young goat, but you did not find her.'

CSB: Judah replied, "Let her keep the items for herself; otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send this young goat, but you couldn't find her."

NLT: Then let her keep the things I gave her,' Judah said. 'I sent the young goat as we agreed, but you couldn’t find her. We’d be the laughingstock of the village if we went back again to look for her.'

KJV: And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

NKJV: Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.”

Hirah was sent to pay a prostitute his friend, Judah, had hired in a town called Enaim (Genesis 38:20). His main goal is to retrieve Judah's personal effects: a signet and staff (Genesis 38:18). Hirah returned with news that the woman can't be found and nobody in the area knows anything about her. Judah still doesn't know this supposed prostitute was his widowed daughter-in-law, Tamar, in disguise (Genesis 38:15–17). She had disguised herself and enticed Judah out of desperation due to his broken promise (Genesis 38:11, 14).

Judah decides to the let the matter drop. If word gets out that he's trying to pay a prostitute that can't be found, his reputation is likely to be damaged. This is not simply a moral concern, it's a matter of ridicule. If others hear of this, Judah will be laughed at. Rather than risk further embarrassment by searching for the woman, he decides to let her keep his signet, his cord, and his staff. Tamar will later produce these items (Genesis 38:24–25) in response to Judah's own hypocrisy.

Genesis 38:20–26 reveals the end of Tamar's scheme to obtain her rightful due as a widow. Her father-in-law, Judah, had refused to follow tradition by granting her marriage to his next son. So, she disguised herself as a prostitute and slept with Judah, keeping his signet and staff as payment. When Judah learns Tamar is pregnant, though widowed, he hypocritically demands she be killed for immorality. Tamar produces the staff and signet as proof that Judah is the father. He sheepishly admits his error.

Jacob's son Judah marries a Canaanite woman and has three sons. His first son marries a woman called Tamar but is put to death by God for an unnamed sin. Judah follows tradition and marries Er's widow to the next oldest brother. Onan takes advantage of the situation for sex, but deliberately refuses to give her children. God puts him to death as well. When Judah abandons Tamar, she disguises herself as a prostitute and has sex with him. Found to be pregnant, she proves Judah is the father, and he admits his guilt. She then gives birth to twin boys.

Genesis 38 departs from the story of Joseph (Genesis 37:26–28) to describe what happens when Judah moves away from his family at Hebron and marries a Canaanite woman. Two of his three sons are put to death by God, each while married to the same woman. When Judah abandons her, she works a scheme to trick him into having sex with her. Confronted with proof that he is the father in her scandalous pregnancy, she is allowed to live and gives birth to Judah's twin boys. The following chapter returns to a focus on Joseph and his rise within Egyptian society (Genesis 39:1).

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 4/28/2024 5:55:38 AM