Genesis 38:13

Then 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.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

In Context

12Some 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.

14Tamar thought about Judah’s son Shelah. She knew that he was grown up now, but Judah still didn’t let her marry him. So Tamar thought, “I will trick Judah and get him to sleep with me, like a man sleeps with his wife, so that I can have kids. Then those kids will belong to my dead husband Er.” At that time, Tamar was wearing the sort of clothes that widows wear. But then, Tamar changed those clothes, and she put on some pretty clothes, and she put a scarf over her head, to cover her face. Then she went and sat outside the town called Enayim. That town is on the road that goes to Timnah.

Read all of Genesis 38

Cross References

1 Samuel 25:2There was a man there called Nabal. He belonged to Caleb’s family. His farm was near the town called Carmel, in that Maon country. He had lots of money, 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. He was a hard man and a cheeky man. His wife was called Abigail. She was very beautiful and very clever. One day, Nabal started to cut wool from the sheep. They always used to have a party after they finished that job.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 38:13-24

12 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. 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. 14 And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. 15 When… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 38:13