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Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Genesis 38:1-30

SECOND SECTIONJudah’s temporary separation (probably in sadness on account of the deed). His sons. Thamar. Genesis 38:1-301And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down, from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah [noble, free]. 2And Judah saw there the daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah [cry for help]; and he took her, and went in unto her. 3And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er [עֶר, watcher]. 4And she... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Genesis 38:1-30

The sad and tragic story of Judah's corruption recorded here needs very little comment. It carries its own lessons of the frailty of human nature and of the far-reaching effects of sin. However, placing it at this point in the history is suggestive and important. Following this revelation, we are observing the first movements of God in the process of regeneration amid the degeneration of the race. So far, we have been occupied almost exclusively with individuals. Gradually the larger outlook... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 38:1-10

Judah Falls Further Into Sin (Genesis 38:1-30 ). The compiler’s purpose in the insertion of this separate account of Judah’s private life here is to demonstrate that Judah, having betrayed Joseph (and Jacob) by instigating the selling of him to the Midianites, now as a consequence continues on a downward path. Thus the one who suggested selling Joseph to the Midianites demonstrates even more clearly his unworthiness by his subsequent behaviour which the compiler possibly sees as the fruit of... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 38:11

‘Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house until Shelah my son is grown up”, (for he said, ‘Lest he also die like his brothers’). And Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.’ Having lost two sons through premature death Judah is concerned for the safety of his third, who is also under obligation to raise up seed for his brother. But he is not yet of age for marriage. Thus he promises Tamar that as soon as he is (and it would not presumably be too... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 38:1-30

Genesis 38. Judah and Tamar.— The source is J, but not the same stratum as that to which the Joseph story belongs. There is not room for the events either before or after the events of Genesis 37, nor does the Joseph narrative suggest that Judah left his brothers and lived the independent life here described. The chronology is quite inconsistent with the view that Genesis is a unity. Judah was roughly about twenty when Joseph, at the age at least of seventeen ( Genesis 37:2), went into Egypt.... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Genesis 38:10

Displeased the Lord; an expression noting a more than ordinary offence against God, as 2 Samuel 11:27. This just but dreadful severity of God is noted both for the terror of such-like transgressors, and to provoke love and thankfulness to God in those whom he useth more indulgently. read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Genesis 38:11

At thy father’s house, whither he sent her from his house, that Shelah might not be insnared by her presence and conversation. So he dismissed her with a pretence of kindness, and a tacit promise of marriage to her, which he never intended to keep, as the following words imply; for he said; or rather, but he said; for the Hebrew chi oft signifies but, as Genesis 45:8; Psalms 37:20; Ecclesiastes 2:10; Ecclesiastes 6:2. So here is an opposition between what he said to Tamar, and what he said to... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Genesis 38:1-30

CRITICAL NOTES.—Genesis 38:1. Turned in.] (Heb.) “And he pitched,” i.e., his tent. He came to dwell in the near neighbourhood of a man belonging to the small kingdom of Adullam (Joshua 12:15; Joshua 15:25.) Genesis 38:2. Whose name was Shuah.] This is not the name of Judah’s wife, but of her father. Genesis 38:8. Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.] This was according to the custom of the Levirate marriage, which was afterwards legalised by Moses. So... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Genesis 38:1-30

Chapter 38For the correlating audio message go to Chapter 37Now it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and he turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her ( Genesis 38:1-2 ). Now customarily, if you wanted to get a wife, you'd have your father go ahead and arrange a dowry. You have a big ceremony and everything else. Judah didn't bother to... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 38:1-30

Genesis 38:1. At that time. All the events of this chapter could not happen in the twenty-two years from the selling of Joseph, to Israel’s going down into Egypt; but according to Eben Ezra, as quoted by critics, Judah must have married a Canaanite before the sale of his brother. At the age of fourteen he left his father, and married this strange woman, by whom he had Er, Onan, and Shelah in three years. Judah’s morals were therefore corrupted at an early age, and this accounts for the... read more

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