Genesis 38:13 kjv

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

Genesis 38:13 nkjv

And it was told Tamar, saying, "Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."

Genesis 38:13 niv

When Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,"

Genesis 38:13 esv

And when Tamar was told, "Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,"

Genesis 38:13 nlt

Someone told Tamar, "Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."

Genesis 38 verses

Genesis 38 13 Meaning

Genesis 38:13 reports that Tamar received specific information about Judah's intentions, "When she was told, 'Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.'" This seemingly simple verse is crucial as it details Tamar's pivotal moment of decision and action, setting the stage for her plan to secure an heir and fulfill the covenant responsibilities that Judah had neglected. It highlights the transmission of vital information, allowing Tamar to take the initiative in her pursuit of justice and the continuation of Judah's lineage.

Genesis 38 13 Context

Genesis chapter 38 serves as a distinct interlude within the larger narrative of Joseph, preceding his rise to power in Egypt. This chapter abruptly shifts focus to Judah, one of Jacob's sons, tracing his lineage and revealing significant moral shortcomings in his early life. Tamar, his daughter-in-law, is the central figure in this account of a desperate and determined woman seeking to secure her place and future through obtaining an heir from Judah, following the deaths of her first two husbands (Er and Onan) and Judah's subsequent failure to provide her with his third son, Shelah. The immediate historical context is Judah living in the vicinity of Adullam and Timnah, engaging in the everyday affairs of shepherding and trade, away from his family for a time. Sheep shearing was a well-known annual activity, often associated with festivity, business, and potential carousing, providing a fitting setting for Tamar's pre-conceived plan to approach Judah under disguise. The verse therefore is a pivotal piece of intelligence that triggers the dramatic events of the chapter.

Genesis 38 13 Word analysis

• When she was told (וַיֻּגַּד - vayyugad):

  • Word-level: Hebrew vayyugad is from the verb nagad (to tell, report) in the Pual stem, which signifies a passive action: "it was told to her," "she was informed." This highlights Tamar's passive reception of information before her active pursuit of her goals. It suggests the news came from someone else, perhaps Judah's servants or neighbors.
  • Significance: The focus is on the crucial intelligence that reached Tamar, which directly precipitated her bold actions.

• Look (הִנֵּה - hinneh):

  • Word-level: An interjection often translated as "behold," "pay attention," or "indeed." It draws immediate focus to the important news about Judah.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the significance and urgency of the information, implying that what follows is important for Tamar's plans.

• your father-in-law (חָמִיךְ - ḥamikha):

  • Word-level: Explicitly identifies Judah's familial relationship to Tamar. It uses the direct possessive pronoun, reinforcing the personal stake Tamar has in this news regarding her father-in-law, who also holds her destiny in his hands.
  • Significance: This highlights the intimate and often burdensome patriarchal ties that governed women's lives, especially widows, in this culture. Judah's obligation to her was personal and relational.

• is going up (עֹלֶה - ‘ōleh):

  • Word-level: Hebrew ‘ōleh is a present participle, meaning he is in the process of going or habitually goes up. The verb ‘alah ("to go up") often indicates movement to higher ground, which Timnah likely was from where Judah started, or implies a deliberate journey to a significant destination.
  • Significance: Describes Judah's present action and direction, providing a specific time and place for Tamar to intercept him.

• to Timnah (תִּמְנָתָה - timnatah):

  • Word-level: A specific geographical location in the Shephelah (lowlands) region of Judah. The "-ah" ending is a directional suffix, meaning "to Timnah."
  • Significance: Pinpoints the exact destination, which becomes the stage for the dramatic encounter. Timnah was also known as a strategic point in border disputes (Josh 15:10) and features in Samson's story (Judg 14:1-5).

• to shear his sheep (לָגֹז צֹאנוֹ - lagōz tzo'no):

  • Word-level: lagōz (to shear) indicates the specific purpose. tzo'no (his sheep/flock) specifies what Judah is going to do. Sheep shearing was an annual agricultural event, often marked by festivities, feasting, and the collection of profits, akin to a harvest.
  • Significance: Provides Judah's immediate motivation for travel. Such an occasion could be a time when men might be less cautious, more prone to celebratory excess, or simply away from their usual vigilant supervision, creating the very opportunity Tamar needs. It underscores Judah's wealth and status, as he owned significant flocks.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "When she was told... your father-in-law": This opening emphasizes Tamar's receiving critical information about Judah, linking him directly as the central figure of her immediate concern and strategic target due to his familial role and unfulfilled duty.
  • "is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep": This phrase delivers the practical intelligence: Judah's specific destination, the reason for his journey, and implicitly, the nature of the occasion—a potentially unguarded time of business and feasting—that makes it ideal for Tamar's audacious plan.

Genesis 38 13 Bonus section

The seemingly disruptive placement of Genesis 38 within the Joseph narrative (between Joseph's betrayal by his brothers in Gen 37 and his enslavement in Gen 39) serves several critical literary and theological purposes. It is not merely an anecdote but sheds light on Judah's character, particularly his moral shortcomings and his subsequent development, contrasting with Joseph's purity. By featuring Tamar and the events in Timnah, the chapter underscores the precarious position of women without heirs in ancient patriarchal societies and subtly critiques male patriarchal irresponsibility. More significantly, it highlights God's unwavering commitment to His covenantal promises, demonstrating that the lineage leading to the Messiah would continue despite human sin and moral failure, ultimately being rooted in Judah's line through Tamar's courageous and unconventional actions, ultimately producing Perez, an ancestor of King David and Jesus (Ruth 4:18-22, Matt 1:3). This detail emphasizes that God works in and through complex human situations to accomplish His divine plan.

Genesis 38 13 Commentary

Genesis 38:13 is a succinct yet profoundly impactful verse. It serves as the immediate catalyst for Tamar's desperate and strategic actions. The narrative foregrounds Tamar's resourcefulness as a widow marginalized and left without an heir by Judah's failure to uphold the ancient custom of levirate marriage. The information she receives—Judah's specific whereabouts and purpose for travel—is critical, transforming her from a passive victim of circumstances into an active agent for her own survival and the continuation of Judah's lineage. The detailed nature of the intelligence about Judah's trip to Timnah for sheep shearing signifies more than just a mundane travel update; sheep shearing was often a time of merriment, consumption, and potentially moral laxity, offering the perfect pretext and environment for Tamar to execute her daring scheme, disguised as a shrine prostitute. This verse thus lays the necessary groundwork for Tamar to achieve her righteous aim of lineage continuation, subtly highlighting divine providence working even through unconventional means to ensure the messianic line.