Revised Literal Translation

Genesis 38:12-23

12And in processוַיִּרְבּוּ֙vai.yir.BuH7235of timeהַיָּמִ֔יםhai.ya.MimH3117the daughterבַּת־bat-H1323of Shuahשׁ֣וּעַShu.a'H7770Judah’sיְהוּדָ֑הye.hu.DahH3063wifeאֵֽשֶׁת־'e.shet-H802diedוַתָּ֖מָתva.Ta.motH4191;and Judahיְהוּדָ֗הye.hu.DahH3063was comfortedוַיִּנָּ֣חֶםvai.yi.Na.chemH5162,and went upוַיַּ֜עַלvai.Ya.'alH5927unto his sheepshearersגֹּֽזֲזֵ֤י צֹאנוֹ֙go.za.Zei tzo.NoH6629 H1494to Timnathתִּמְנָֽתָה׃tim.Na.tahH8553,he and his friendרֵעֵ֥הוּre.'E.huH7453Hirahוְחִירָ֛הve.chi.RahH2437the Adullamiteהָעֲדֻלָּמִ֖יha.'a.du.la.MiH5726.

13And it was toldוַיֻּגַּ֥דvai.yu.GadH5046Tamarלְתָמָ֖רle.ta.MarH8559,sayingלֵאמֹ֑רle.MorH559,Behold thy father in lawחָמִ֛יךְcha.MikhH2524goeth upעֹלֶ֥ה'o.LehH5927to Timnathתִמְנָ֖תָהtim.Na.tahH8553to shearלָגֹ֥זla.GozH1494his sheepצֹאנֽוֹ׃tzo.NoH6629.

14And she putH5493her widow’sאַלְמְנוּתָ֜הּ'al.me.nu.TahH491garmentsבִּגְדֵ֨יbig.DeiH899offH5493from her, and covered herוַתְּכַ֤סva.te.KhasH3680with a vailבַּצָּעִיף֙ba.tza.'IfH6809,and wrapped herselfוַתִּתְעַלָּ֔ףva.tit.'a.LafH5968,and sat inוַתֵּ֙שֶׁב֙va.Te.shevH3427an openH5869placeבְּפֶ֣תַחbe.Fe.tachH6607, which isby the wayדֶּ֣רֶךְDe.rekhH1870to Timnathתִּמְנָ֑תָהtim.Na.tahH8553;for she sawרָאֲתָה֙ra.'a.TahH7200that Shelahשֵׁלָ֔הshe.LahH7956was grownגָדַ֣לga.DalH1431,and she was not givenנִתְּנָ֥הni.te.NahH5414unto him to wifeלְאִשָּֽׁה׃le.'i.ShahH802.

15When Judahיְהוּדָ֔הye.hu.DahH3063saw herוַיִּרְאֶ֣הָvai.yir.'E.haH7200,he thoughtוַֽיַּחְשְׁבֶ֖הָvai.yach.she.Ve.haH2803her to bean harlotלְזוֹנָ֑הle.zo.NahH2181;because she had coveredכִסְּתָ֖הkhi.se.TahH3680her faceפָּנֶֽיהָ׃pa.Nei.haH6440.

16And he turnedוַיֵּ֨טvai.YetH5186unto her by the wayהַדֶּ֗רֶךְha.De.rekhH1870,and saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙vai.Yo.merH559,Go toהָֽבָה־ha.vah-H3051,I pray thee, let me come inאָב֣וֹא'a.Vo'H935unto thee; (for he knewיָדַ֔עya.Da'H3045not that she washis daughter in lawכַלָּת֖וֹkha.la.ToH3618.)And she saidוַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙va.To.merH559,What wilt thou giveתִּתֶּן־ti.ten-H5414me, that thou mayest come inתָב֖וֹאta.Vo'H935unto me?

17And he saidוַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,I will sendאֲשַׁלַּ֥ח'a.sha.LachH7971theea kidגְּדִֽי־ עִזִּ֖יםge.di- 'i.ZimH1423 H5795from the flockהַצֹּ֑אןha.TzonH6629.And she saidוַתֹּ֕אמֶרva.To.merH559,Wilt thou giveתִּתֵּ֥ןti.TenH5414mea pledgeעֵרָב֖וֹןe.ra.VonH6162,till thou sendשָׁלְחֶֽךָ׃shal.Che.khaH7971it?

18And he saidוַיֹּ֗אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,WhatH834pledgeהָֽעֵרָבוֹן֮ha.'e.ra.VonH6162shall I giveאֶתֶּן־'e.ten-H5414thee? And she saidוַתֹּ֗אמֶרva.To.merH559,Thy signetחֹתָֽמְךָ֙cho.ta.me.KhaH2368,and thy braceletsוּפְתִילֶ֔ךָu.fe.ti.Le.khaH6616,and thy staffוּמַטְּךָ֖u.ma.te.KhaH4294that isin thine handבְּיָדֶ֑ךָbe.ya.De.khaH3027.And he gaveוַיִּתֶּן־vai.yi.ten-H5414ither, and came inוַיָּבֹ֥אvai.ya.Vo'H935unto her, and she conceivedוַתַּ֥הַרva.Ta.harH2029by him.

19And she aroseוַתָּ֣קָםva.Ta.komH6965,and went awayH3212,and laid byוַתָּ֥סַרva.Ta.sarH5493her vailצְעִיפָ֖הּtze.'i.FahH6809from her, and put onוַתִּלְבַּ֖שׁva.til.BashH3847the garmentsבִּגְדֵ֥יbig.DeiH899of her widowhoodאַלְמְנוּתָֽהּ׃'al.me.nu.TahH491.

20And Judahיְהוּדָ֜הye.hu.DahH3063sentוַיִּשְׁלַ֨חvai.yish.LachH7971the kidגְּדִ֣י הָֽעִזִּ֗יםge.Di ha.'i.ZimH5795 H1423by the handבְּיַד֙be.YadH3027of his friendרֵעֵ֣הוּre.'E.huH7453the Adullamiteהָֽעֲדֻלָּמִ֔יha.'a.du.la.MiH5726,to receiveלָקַ֥חַתla.Ka.chatH3947hispledgeהָעֵרָב֖וֹןha.'e.ra.VonH6162from the woman’sהָאִשָּׁ֑הha.'i.ShahH802handמִיַּ֣דmi.YadH3027:but he found herמְצָאָֽהּ׃me.tza.'AhH4672not.

21Then he askedוַיִּשְׁאַ֞לvai.yish.'AlH7592the menאַנְשֵׁ֤י'an.SheiH582of that placeמְקֹמָהּ֙me.ko.MahH4725,sayingלֵאמֹ֔רle.MorH559, Where isthe harlotהַקְּדֵשָׁ֛הha.ke.de.ShahH6948, that wasopenlyH5869by the way sideהַדָּ֑רֶךְha.Da.rekhH1870?And they saidוַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּvai.Yo.me.RuH559,There was no harlotקְדֵשָֽׁה׃ke.de.ShahH6948in thisבָזֶ֖הva.ZehH2088place.

22And he returnedוַיָּ֙שָׁב֙vai.Ya.shovH7725to Judahיְהוּדָ֔הye.hu.DahH3063,and saidוַיֹּ֖אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,I cannotH3808findמְצָאתִ֑יהָme.tza.Ti.haH4672her; and also the menאַנְשֵׁ֤י'an.SheiH582of the placeהַמָּקוֹם֙ha.ma.kOmH4725saidאָֽמְר֔וּ'a.me.RuH559, thatthere was no harlotקְדֵשָֽׁה׃ke.de.ShahH6948in this place.

23And Judahיְהוּדָה֙ye.hu.DahH3063saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Let her takeתִּֽקַּֽח־ti.kach-H3947itto her, lest we be shamedלָב֑וּזla.VuzH937:behold, I sentשָׁלַ֙חְתִּי֙sha.Lach.tiH7971this kidהַגְּדִ֣יha.ge.DiH1423,and thou hast not foundמְצָאתָֽהּ׃me.tza.TahH4672her.

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Commentaries on Genesis 38