Genesis 38 19

Genesis 38:19 kjv

And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Genesis 38:19 nkjv

So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood.

Genesis 38:19 niv

After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow's clothes again.

Genesis 38:19 esv

Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

Genesis 38:19 nlt

Afterward she went back home, took off her veil, and put on her widow's clothing as usual.

Genesis 38 verses

Genesis 38 19 meaning

Genesis 38:19 states, "And she arose and departed, and took off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood." This verse precisely describes Tamar's actions immediately following her encounter with Judah. It reveals her purposeful disengagement from her disguise as a cult prostitute and her intentional return to her true identity and social status as a widow. This act confirms that her entire encounter was a calculated plan, completed the moment she achieved her goal: conception through Judah, thereby securing an heir in fulfillment of her rights and within the covenant lineage.

Genesis 38 19 Context

Genesis chapter 38 stands as an unusual interruption in the Joseph narrative, seemingly placed out of chronological sequence, but highly significant for its theological and redemptive purposes. The chapter centers on Judah, one of Jacob's sons and a pivotal figure for the covenant line. After selling Joseph into slavery (Gen 37), Judah distances himself from his brothers and settles among the Canaanites. Here, he marries a Canaanite woman and has three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. The story focuses on Tamar, who is first given as a wife to Er, then to Onan, but is left widowed twice without offspring because Judah’s sons were wicked or refused to fulfill their levirate duty, as outlined later in Mosaic Law (Deut 25:5-6).

Judah promises Tamar his youngest son, Shelah, when he grows up, but he fails to honor his word, fearing Shelah might also die. Faced with perpetual widowhood and denied her right to an heir, Tamar takes matters into her own hands. She discards her widow's garments, disguises herself with a veil and as a cult prostitute (though she sits in a place frequented by such women), and positions herself where she knows Judah will pass. The encounter leads to Judah impregnating her, and Tamar securing his staff and signet as pledges. Verse 19 depicts her actions immediately after this event, signaling the calculated end of her masquerade. The profound significance lies in how this controversial event ensured the perpetuation of the Messianic line through Judah, illustrating divine providence even through human sin and unconventional means.

Genesis 38 19 Word analysis

• And she arose: Hebrew: וַתָּקָם (wattāqom).
  • Root: קוּם (qum), meaning "to stand up," "to arise," "to be established."
  • Significance: Denotes an immediate, decisive action. Tamar does not hesitate; her standing up implies a readiness and finality to the encounter. It signifies the end of her pretense and the beginning of the next phase of her plan.
• and departed: Hebrew: וַתֵּלֶךְ (wattēlekh).
  • Root: הָלַךְ (halakh), meaning "to go," "to walk," "to depart."
  • Significance: Simple movement, emphasizing her physical removal from the scene of the deception. The prompt departure ensures she isn't recognized or caught in the act of changing her appearance.
• and took off: Hebrew: וַתָּסַר (wattāsar).
  • Root: סוּר (sur), meaning "to turn aside," "to remove," "to take away."
  • Significance: A deliberate action of shedding something. This is key to revealing her true identity; the veil was not merely a covering but part of her disguise.
• her veil: Hebrew: צָעִיף (tsa'iyph).
  • Meaning: A veil, specific garment covering the face or body.
  • Significance: This specific Hebrew word is sometimes translated as a "shawl" or "wrap." While not exclusively for prostitutes, in this context, it was used to conceal her identity, fitting the appearance of a cult prostitute. The removal of the tsa'iyph signifies the stripping away of her assumed persona, crucial for the subsequent plot point where she would prove Judah's fatherhood.
• from her: Implied separation and complete removal.
• and put on: Hebrew: וַתִּלְבַּשׁ (wattilbash).
  • Root: לָבַשׁ (lavash), meaning "to put on," "to wear," "to clothe oneself."
  • Significance: An intentional act of dressing. It emphasizes her transition from disguise back to her known identity.
• the garments of her widowhood: Hebrew: בִּגְדֵי אַלְמְנוּתָהּ (bigdê ʾalmenūtāh).
  • Meaning: "Garments/clothes of her widowhood."
  • Beged (בֶּגֶד): garment, clothing.
  • Almenutah (אַלְמְנוּתָהּ): widowhood (from almanah אַלְמָנָה: widow).
  • Significance: This phrase is paramount. These were her customary clothes that visually communicated her social and legal status as a widow, thus entitled to the rights of a widow, especially the right to an heir through levirate marriage. The swift return to these clothes confirms her objective was not prostitution but the fulfillment of her family obligation. Her actions were highly intentional and purposed to achieve a specific end relating to the lineage.

Words-group analysis

• "arose and departed": This emphasizes the swift, decisive nature of Tamar's movements. She does not linger, highlighting her resolve and efficiency in carrying out her intricate plan. Her departure is as critical as her arrival in disguise, ensuring the successful execution of her strategy.
• "took off her veil...and put on the garments of her widowhood": This crucial contrast highlights the deliberate exchange of identities. The removal of the veil signifies the end of her strategic deception and anonymity, while putting on the widow's garments proclaims her true social position and underscores her unwavering pursuit of justice within the covenant framework. This immediate transformation back to her original appearance was critical for later confronting Judah with evidence and proving his paternity. The shift in clothing is symbolic of her return from the liminal state of disguised prostitute to her legitimate identity and the legal basis of her claims.

Genesis 38 19 Bonus section

The speed and precision of Tamar's actions in Gen 38:19 highlight her intelligence and determination. The narrative's placement within the larger Joseph story is a crucial literary and theological choice. While it might seem like a diversion, it serves to maintain the patriarchal line, particularly through Judah, emphasizing God's sovereignty over human flaws and the unyielding progress of His covenant promises despite sin. This chapter, and specifically Tamar's agency, stands as a stark contrast to Judah's own moral failings within the same narrative. She, a "foreign" woman (or at least non-Judahite, given her previous marriages), demonstrates a deeper understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of lineage and divine promise than Judah himself, a patriarch. This anticipates the inclusion of outsiders into God's plan and challenges conventional expectations of righteousness. Her strategic use of garments signifies her mastery over appearance to achieve a God-honoring purpose, leading directly to the birth of Perez and Zerah, pivotal ancestors of King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ.

Genesis 38 19 Commentary

Genesis 38:19 marks the successful conclusion of Tamar's bold and calculated strategy to secure an heir for herself and her deceased husbands within the covenant line of Judah. Her swift actions of rising, departing, shedding the "veil" (disguise), and re-donning her widow's attire are not merely descriptive but profoundly intentional. They demonstrate her resolve and foresight; she had achieved her primary objective—conception—and immediately returned to her authentic status. This immediate change of clothes was a vital component of her plan, serving as critical evidence in her subsequent confrontation with Judah (Gen 38:25).

This verse emphasizes Tamar's legal status as a widow denied her rightful levirate marriage, which drove her to these unconventional, yet effective, means. Her actions, though deceitful in method, were righteous in their ultimate aim: to ensure the perpetuation of the lineage through which the Messiah would come, demonstrating her faith in the promises to Abraham through Judah's line. The seemingly scandalous nature of her actions is later acknowledged by Judah himself, who declares her "more righteous" (Gen 38:26) than he for not fulfilling his responsibility. Thus, this verse encapsulates Tamar's decisive transition, positioning her for her vindication and her permanent, pivotal place in redemptive history (Matt 1:3).