2. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite—Like Esau [ :-], this son of Jacob, casting off the restraints of religion, married into a Canaanite family; and it is not surprising that the family which sprang from such an unsuitable connection should be infamous for bold and unblushing wickedness. read more
Levirite marriage (the marriage of a man to his deceased brother’s wife to provide his brother with an heir) was a common custom in the ancient Near East at this time (Genesis 38:8-10). [Note: de Vaux, pp. 37-38. See Mathews, Genesis 11:27-50:26, pp. 705-10, for an excursus on levirate marrage.] It was common also in Asia, Africa, and other areas, but it evidently originated in Mesopotamia. The Mosaic Law did not abolish it but restricted it in Israel to preserve the sanctity of marriage (cf.... read more
The History of JudahThe sins recorded in this chapter testify eloquently to the great need the world had of the Greatest of the descendants of Judah, who came to teach the virtue of purity and the sanctity of family life. The honesty and truthfulness of the historian are shown in his not concealing the dark spots in the history of Judah, whose descendants attained to such greatness. The direct purpose of the narrative is to show the ancestry of David, who was descended from Pharez the son of... read more
(2) Canaanite.—This is rendered in the Targum merchant, and so the Authorised Version translates Canaanite in Proverbs 31:24. In favour of this view is the fact, that the marriage of Simeon with a Canaanitish woman is regarded as an act so exceptional, as to be worth recording (Genesis 46:10). But we may well doubt whether, at so early an age, the terms Canaanite and merchant had become synonymous. “Shuah” was the name of the woman’s father, as appears plainly in the Hebrew. (See also Genesis... read more
CHAPTER 38 Judah and Tamar 1. Judah’s marriage to the Canaanitish woman (Genesis 38:1-2 ) 2. His sons: Er, Onan and Shelah (Genesis 38:3-5 ) 3. Tamar married to Er and Onan (Genesis 38:6-10 ) 4. Tamar waiting for Shelah (Genesis 38:11 ) 5. Her deception and Judah’s sin (Genesis 38:12-16 ) 6. The birth of Pharez and Zarah (Genesis 38:27-30 ) Historically this chapter comes before the thirty-seventh. The higher critics are one against the other in their unbelieving speculations over... read more
38:2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name [was] Shuah; {b} and he took her, and went in unto her.(b) A relationship which nonetheless was condemned by God. read more
The story of Joseph is interrupted in this chapter to expose the shamefulness of an important part of Judah's history. We have seen that Judah took the lead in selling Joseph as a slave. In fact, in every relationship of Judah his shame and dishonor is evident. He sold his brother, he deceived his father, he married a Canaanite wife, he had both his sons killed by the Lord for wickedness, he deceived his daughter-in-law when promising his son Shelah to her, then had two sons by the same... read more
JOSEPH ’S HISTORY DISPENSATIONAL ASPECT OF JACOB’S HISTORY Following F.W. Grant in the Numerical Bible, the life of Jacob gives as its lesson the story of that discipline by which the Spirit of God brings us from weakness to power, from nature’s strength to that wholesome weakness in which alone is strength. But for this, natural strength must be crippled, which is provided for in two ways: in allowing us to realize the power of another nature (Esau) and in the direct dealing of God with our... read more
See 1 Chronicles 2:3 ; Numbers 26:19-20 . Reader! observe here the general feature of last since the fall. See Genesis 6:4; Genesis 6:4 . read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 38:2
"And Judah saw there the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her, and went in unto her."Without consulting his father, and with total disregard of the Canaanite nature of Shua's daughter, Judah simply took her. That he actually married her appears in Genesis 38:12. God could not have been pleased with this union of the prince of Israel, destined to receive the birthright of Jacob, with one of the women of Canaan. It is stated in the previous verse that Judah "went... read more