Genesis 38:6-24 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:13

And it was told Tamar ,.... By some of her neighbours, or by some of Judah's family: saying, behold, thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep ; which might be told her as an indifferent thing, without any design in it; but she took notice of it, and it gave her an opportunity she wanted. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:14

And she put her widow's garments off from her ,.... By which it appears that in those times and countries it was usual for widows to have a different apparel from others, especially in the time of their mourning, as it has been since in other nations, and with us at this day, and which is commonly called "the widow's weed": and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself ; in it, or in a cloak, or some such like garment, which the Arabs now call "hykes"; this she did that she might... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:15

When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot ,.... By her posture and the place she was in: because she had covered her face ; with her veil, that he did not know her; for this is not given as a reason why he took her to be an harlot; the reason of this was, because she sat in the public road; but having covered her face he could not discern who she was, and therefore, from the other circumstance, concluded that she was an harlot, and sat there to prostitute herself to any that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:16

And he turned unto her by the way ,.... Which led to her; he turned out of the way in which he was to that where she sat; and very probably it was at some little distance from the way, and therefore he turned aside to it, his lust towards her being excited at the sight of her; perhaps he left his friend Hirah the Adullamite, and sent him on his way, while he committed the following crime: and said, go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee ; that is, lie with her: for he knew not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:17

And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock ,.... Either from Timnath, where his flock was shearing, or rather from Adullam, where he lived; since it is probable he was now returning from Timnath, where he had been feasting and making merry with his shearers, and so in a disposition to commit such an action: and she said, wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it ? she made no objection to the hire or present, only required a pawn, or security for it till she had it; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:18

And he said, what pledge shall I give thee ?.... Being willing to part with anything for the gratification of his lust: and she said, thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand ; she asks all these, that if one should be lost, or fail of being sufficient proof, the other might: the first of these the Septuagint version renders, "thy ring"; the ring upon his finger, which had a seal on it, and was the signet of his right hand; so Onkelos and Ben Melech: the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:19

And she arose and went away ,.... To her father's house immediately, as soon as ever she had parted with Judah; and lest she should be found by the person that would be sent with the kid, and be discovered, she made all the haste she could: and laid by her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood ; that it might not be known or suspected that she had been abroad. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:20

And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite ,.... Who went with him to Timnath, and was privy to all this wickedness, and kept the secret; but would have acted the more friendly and faithful part had he dissuaded him from it: him he employed to carry the kid he had promised, and not any of his servants, for the greater secrecy: and to receive his pledge from the woman's hand ; his signet, bracelets, and staff, or whatever they were: but he found her not ; she... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:21

Then he asked the men of that place ,.... Or "of her place" F4 אנשי מקמה "viros loci ejus, scil mulieris", Piscator, Schimdt. , of the woman's place, supposing that she dwelt somewhere thereabout: saying, where is the harlot that was openly by the wayside ? that sat there very publicly some little time ago: the word for "harlot" F5 הקדשה comes from another, which signifies to sanctify or separate to holy uses; and harlots were so called, either by an antiphrasis, by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:22

And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her ,.... That is, the Adullamite returned to him, and informed him that he could not find the harlot to whom he was sent to deliver the kid and receive the pledge, after he had made the strictest inquiry for her he could: and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place ; by which it appears, that near the place where Tamar was, there was a town or city, and which was so free from such infamous persons, that... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:22

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