Genesis 38:11 - Forerunner Commentary

Genesis 38:11

9 But Onan knew that the heir would not be ^ahis; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.

10 And the thing which he did¹ displeased the Lord; therefore He killed ^ahim also.

11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, ^a“Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt ^bin her father’s house.

12 Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah ^awas comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

13 And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up ^ato Timnah to shear his sheep.”

14 So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and ^asat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw ^bthat Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife.

Commentaries:

No entry exists in Forerunner Commentary for Genesis 38:11.

Genesis 38:11-12

He said, "This woman has a curse on her, or something. Every son I give her is dead by morning, it seems." So you wonder if Judah ever meant to give his son Shelah to his daughter-in-law, Tamar. It seems like he was lying through his teeth here; and that he was just trying to get rid of her. He thought, "In the intervening time (between now and the time when Shelah is able to have a wife) maybe somebody else will come along and take Tamar. Then, that will be a problem off my hands." Well, it did not work out that way.

This begins to tell you a few things about Judah. When it says that Judah was "comforted," it is probably a way of saying that he went and had a real good time with his friend Hirah the Adullamite. They were probably out carousing and drinking.

Excerpted from Christ's Female Ancestors by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

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