Genesis 38:20

Genesis 38:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand: but he found her not.
• New International Version (NIV)Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman's hand, he did not find her.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her.

Context of Genesis 38:20

18“What should I give you as a deposit?” he asked. “Your signet ring, its cord, and the shepherd’s staff that’s in your hand,” she answered. So he gave them to her. Then he slept with her, and she became pregnant. 19After she got up and left, she took off her veil and put her widow’s clothes back on. Judah sent his friend Hirah to deliver the young goat so that he could get back his deposit from the woman, but his friend couldn’t find her. 21He asked the men of that area, “Where’s that prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?” “There’s no prostitute here,” they answered. 22So he went back to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Even the men of that area said, ‘There’s no prostitute here.’ ”

Genesis 38:20 word by word

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יְהוּדָ֜ה אֶת־גְּדִ֣י הָֽעִזִּ֗ים בְּיַד֙ רֵעֵ֣הוּ הָֽעֲדֻלָּמִ֔י לָקַ֥חַת הָעֵרָב֖וֹן מִיַּ֣ד הָאִשָּׁ֑ה וְלֹ֖א מְצָאָֽהּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• the kidעֵז‛êz · goatH5795
• the kidגְּדִיgedîy · kidH1423
• by the handיָדyâd · handH3027
• of his friendרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• the Adullamiteעֲדֻלָּמִי‛ădûllâmîy · AdullamiteH5726
• to receiveלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• pledgeעֵרָבוֹן‛ărâbôn · pledgeH6162
• from the woman’sאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• but he found herמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672

Cross-references for Genesis 38:20

• Genesis 20:9Then Abimelech called for Abraham and asked him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you that you would bring such a serious sin on me and my kingdom? You shouldn’t have done this to me.”
• Leviticus 19:17“Never hate another Israelite. Be sure to correct your neighbor so that you will not be guilty of sinning along with him.
• Judges 14:20Samson’s wife was given to his best man.
• 2 Samuel 13:3Amnon had a friend by the name of Jonadab, a son of David’s brother Shimea. Jonadab was a very clever man.
• Luke 23:12So Herod and Pilate became friends that day. They had been enemies before this.

Commentaries on Genesis 38:20

• 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. 20-23Judah had gone to Tamar as a regular prostitute (Hebrew zonah, 38:15), whereas Hirah was mistakenly looking for a shrine prostitute (Hebrew qedeshah), of which there were none.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 38:20

• Adultery
• Judah
• Pledge
• Tamar
• Women

In the dictionaries

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

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