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

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. 2And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. 3And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.

Genesis 38:1 word by word

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

• 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, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
• Judges 4:18And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.
• 2 Kings 4:8And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
• Proverbs 9:6Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.
• Proverbs 13:20He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
• Joshua 12:15The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;
• Joshua 15:35Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,
• 1 Samuel 22:1David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.
• 2 Samuel 23:13And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
• Micah 1:15Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

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