Genesis 38:1

Genesis 38:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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.
• New International Version (NIV)At that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam named Hirah.
• English Standard Version (ESV)It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
• New King James Version (NKJV)It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.

Context of Genesis 38:1

Now at that time, Judah left his brothers and went down to [stay with] a certain Adullamite named Hirah. 2There Judah saw a daughter of Shua, a Canaanite, and he took her [as his wife] and lived with her. 3So she conceived and gave birth to a son and Judah named him Er.

Genesis 38:1 word by word

וַֽיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֥רֶד יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת אֶחָ֑יו וַיֵּ֛ט עַד־אִ֥ישׁ עֲדֻלָּמִ֖י וּשְׁמ֥וֹ חִירָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass at that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• that Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• went downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• from his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
• and turnedנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• in to a certainאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• Adullamiteעֲדֻלָּמִי‛ădûllâmîy · AdullamiteH5726
• whose nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• Hirahחִירָהchîyrâh · HirahH2437

Cross-references for Genesis 38:1

• Genesis 19:2And he said, “See here, my lords, please turn aside and come into your servant’s house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may get up early and go on your way.” But they said, “No, we shall spend the night in the open plaza [of the city].”
• Judges 4:18Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me! Have no fear.” So he turned aside to her [and went] into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.
• 2 Kings 4:8Now there came a day when Elisha went over to Shunem, where there was a prominent and influential woman, and she persuaded him to eat a meal. Afterward, whenever he passed by, he stopped there for a meal.
• Proverbs 9:6Leave [behind] your foolishness [and the foolish] and live, And walk in the way of insight and understanding.”
• Proverbs 13:20He who walks [as a companion] with wise men will be wise, But the companions of [conceited, dull-witted] fools [are fools themselves and] will experience harm.
• Joshua 12:15the king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
• Joshua 15:35Jarmuth and Adullam, Socoh and Azekah,
• 1 Samuel 22:1So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s house heard about it, they went down there to him.
• 2 Samuel 23:13Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David at harvest time in the cave of Adullam, while an army of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
• Micah 1:15Moreover, I will bring on you The one who takes possession, O inhabitant of Mareshah (Prominent Place). The glory (nobility) of Israel will enter Adullam [seeking refuge].

Commentaries on Genesis 38:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1And it came to pass at that time - The facts mentioned here could not have happened at the times mentioned in the preceding chapter, as those times are all unquestionably too recent, for the very earliest of the transactions here recorded must have occurred long before the selling of Joseph. Mr. Ainsworth remarks "that Judah and his sons must have married when very young, else the chronology will not agree. For Joseph was born six years before Jacob left…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-30Verses 1-30 - The Family of Judah 1. עדלם ‛ǎdûllâm Adullam, “righteousness.” חירה chı̂yrâh Chirah, “nobility?” 2. שׁוּע shûa‛ Shua, “luck, riches, cry.” 3. ער ‛êr Er, “watching.” 4. אונן 'ônân Onan, “strong.” 5. שׁלה shēlâh Shelah, “request? rest.” כזיב kezı̂yb Kezib, “falsehood.” 6. תמר tāmār Tamar, “palm.” 12. תמנה tı̂mnâh Timnah, “counted or assigned.” 14. עינים 'êynayı̂m Enaim, “two fountains.” 29. פרץ perets Perets, “breach.” This…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The 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, He 7:14. But God will show that his choice is of grace and not of merit, and that Christ came into the world to save sinners, even the chief. Also, that the worthiness of Christ is of himself, and not from his ancestors. How little reason…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-30The story of Judah and Tamar is a carefully placed break in the larger story. It shows what was happening in Judah’s family. Judah would later become an important leader. The story also shows the early stages of the family mixing with the people of the land. This helps explain why God sent the family to Egypt (chapters 39–47). The Egyptians kept themselves separate from other peoples (43:32). Because of that, the Israelites were more likely to keep their…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-301. at that time--a formula frequently used by the sacred writers, not to describe any precise period, but an interval near about it.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 38:1

• Adullam
• Adultery
• Hirah
• Judah

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Adullamite
• Lay
• Remain
• Adullam
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism
• Ben-Ammi
• Genealogy

Commentaries on Genesis 38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings