13 And it is declared to Tamar, saying, 'Lo, thy husband's father is going up to Timnath to shear his flock;' 14 and she turneth aside the garments of her widowhood from off her, and covereth herself with a vail, and wrappeth herself up, and sitteth in the opening of Enayim, which 'is' by the way to Timnath, for she hath seen that Shelah hath grown up, and she hath not been given to him for a wife. 15 And Judah seeth her, and reckoneth her for a harlot, for she hath covered her face, 16 and he turneth aside unto her by the way, and saith, 'Come, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee,' (for he hath not known that she 'is' his daughter-in-law); and she saith, 'What dost thou give to me, that thou mayest come in unto me?' 17 and he saith, 'I—I send a kid of the goats from the flock.' And she saith, 'Dost thou give a pledge till thou send 'it'?' 18 and he saith, 'What 'is' the pledge that I give to thee?' and she saith, 'Thy seal, and thy ribbon, and thy staff which 'is' in thy hand;' and he giveth to her, and goeth in unto her, and she conceiveth to him;
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 38:13-18
Chapter Contents
The 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, John 8:41. What awful examples the Lord proclaims in his punishments, of his utter displeasure at sin! Let us seek grace from God to avoid every appearance of sin. And let that state of humbleness to which Jesus submitted, when he came to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, in appointing such characters as those here recorded, to be his ancestors, endear the Redeemer to our hearts.