Genesis 38:12

Some time later, Judah’s wife died. Her father’s name was Shua. Judah missed his wife, so he felt very sad for a while. But later on, he felt all right again. Judah’s work-men were in the place called Timnah. They were cutting the wool off Judah’s sheep. Judah wanted to visit his work-men, so he started to go towards Timnah, and his friend Hirah went with him. That man Hirah, he was from the town called Adullam.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

In Context

11Then Judah thought, “My sons Er and Onan, they are both dead, and they didn’t have any kids with that woman. So now, my other son Shelah has to marry that woman and have kids with her. That’s the rule in our culture. But if Shelah marries that woman, he might die too, just like Er and Onan.” So Judah got worried, and he didn’t want his son Shelah to marry that woman Tamar. So Judah talked to Tamar, and he tried to trick her. He said to her, “My son Shelah is too young to marry you now. So go back to your father’s house, and live there. Don’t get married to anyone else. Later on, Shelah will grow up, and then you can marry him.” So Tamar went back to her father’s house, and she lived there. Judah’s son Shelah grew up and became a man. But Judah didn’t keep that promise he made to Tamar. He didn’t let her marry his son Shelah.

13Then somebody told that woman Tamar, “Your dead husband’s father is going to Timnah to visit his work-men. They are cutting the wool off his sheep there.”

Read all of Genesis 38

Cross References

Genesis 24:67There was a tent there that used to belong to Isaac’s mother Sarah. Isaac took Rebekah into that tent, and Rebekah became Isaac’s wife. Isaac loved Rebekah. Some time before this, Isaac’s mother Sarah died, so Isaac was sad. But after he married Rebekah, he was happy again.

Genesis 38:1This story is about something that Jacob’s son Judah did. Judah left his brothers, and he went to stay with a man from the town called Adullam. That man’s name was Hirah.

1 Samuel 25:36While Abigail was away, other people came together at their house, to have a big party with her husband. Nabal was happy, and he got very drunk. After Abigail got back, she did not tell him about David.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 38:2-12

Judah's Profligacy. ( b. c. 1717.) 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. 2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her. 3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er. 4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. 5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 38:12