Genesis 38:24

Genesis 38:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
• New International Version (NIV)About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.” Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)About three months later Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality." And Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.” So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!”

Context of Genesis 38:24

22So Hirah returned to Judah and said, “I could not find her, and furthermore, the men of that place said, ‘No shrine prostitute has been here.’” 23“Let her keep the items,” Judah replied. “Otherwise we will become a laughingstock. After all, I did send her this young goat, but you could not find her.” About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has prostituted herself, and now she is pregnant.” “Bring her out!” Judah replied. “Let her be burned to death!” 25As she was being brought out, Tamar sent a message to her father-in-law: “I am pregnant by the man to whom these items belong.” And she added, “Please examine them. Whose seal and cord and staff are these?” 26Judah recognized the items and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not have relations with her again.

Genesis 38:24 word by word

וַיְהִ֣י׀ כְּמִשְׁלֹ֣שׁ חֳדָשִׁ֗ים וַיֻּגַּ֨ד לִֽיהוּדָ֤ה לֵֽאמֹר֙ זָֽנְתָה֙ תָּמָ֣ר כַּלָּתֶ֔ךָ וְגַ֛ם הִנֵּ֥ה הָרָ֖ה לִזְנוּנִ֑ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֔ה הוֹצִיא֖וּהָ וְתִשָּׂרֵֽף׃Read the interlinear

• Aboutהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• months laterחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
• Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• was toldנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• ·אָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Your daughter-in-lawכַּלָּהkallâh · daughter-in-lawH3618
• Tamarתָּמָרtâmâr · TamarH8559
• has prostituted herselfזָנָהzânâh · to fornicateH2181
• andגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• nowהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• she is pregnantהָרָהhâreh hârîy · pregnantH2030
• she is pregnantזְנוּנִיםzânûn · fornicationH2183
• Bring her outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
• Let her be burned to deathשָׂרַףώâraph · to burnH8313

Cross-references for Genesis 38:24

• Genesis 34:31But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”
• Judges 19:2But she was unfaithful to him and left him to return to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. After she had been there four months,
• Ecclesiastes 7:26And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.
• Jeremiah 2:20“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.
• Jeremiah 3:1“If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Would not such a land be completely defiled? But you have played the harlot with many lovers— and you would return to Me?” declares the LORD.
• Ezekiel 16:15But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking.
• Ezekiel 23:5Oholah prostituted herself while she was still Mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians—warriors
• Hosea 2:5For their mother has played the harlot and has conceived them in disgrace. For she thought, ‘I will go after my lovers, who give me bread and water, wool and linen, oil and drink.’
• Hosea 3:3Then I said to her, “You must live with me for many days; you must not be promiscuous or belong to another, and I will do the same for you.”
• Hosea 4:15Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’
• Genesis 20:3One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
• Leviticus 20:10If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.
• Leviticus 21:9If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by prostituting herself, she profanes her father; she must be burned in the fire.
• Deuteronomy 22:21she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house, and there the men of her city will stone her to death. For she has committed an outrage in Israel by being promiscuous in her father’s house. So you must purge the evil from among you.
• Deuteronomy 24:16Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.
• 2 Samuel 12:5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!

Commentaries on Genesis 38:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Bring her forth, and let her be burnt - As he had ordered Tamar to live as a widow in her own father's house till his son Shelah should be marriageable, he considers her therefore as the wife of his son; and as Shelah was not yet given to her, and she is found with child, she is reputed by him as an adulteress, and burning, it seems, was anciently the punishment of this crime. Judah, being a patriarch or head of a family, had, according to the custom of…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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24-26Judah acted hypocritically by condemning Tamar to death for adultery. When Tamar showed his seal, cord, and walking stick, it proved Judah was the father. He then withdrew the condemnation.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. Bring her forth, and let her be burnt--In patriarchal times fathers seem to have possessed the power of life and death over the members of their families. The crime of adultery was anciently punished in many places by burning (Le 21:9; Jud 15:6; Jr 29:22). This chapter contains details, which probably would never have obtained a place in the inspired record, had it not been to exhibit the full links of the chain that connects the genealogy of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 38:24

• Adultery
• Judah
• Punishment
• Rulers
• Tamar
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Tamar
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Daughter-in-Law
• Lay
• Remain
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism
• Ben-Ammi
• Crime; Crimes

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