Genesis 38:24 kjv

And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.

Genesis 38:24 nkjv

And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry." So Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"

Genesis 38:24 niv

About three months later Judah was told, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant." Judah said, "Bring her out and have her burned to death!"

Genesis 38:24 esv

About three months later Judah was told, "Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality." And Judah said, "Bring her out, and let her be burned."

Genesis 38:24 nlt

About three months later, Judah was told, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has acted like a prostitute. And now, because of this, she's pregnant." "Bring her out, and let her be burned!" Judah demanded.

Genesis 38 verses

Genesis 38 24 Meaning

Genesis 38:24 recounts Judah's severe and swift pronouncement of judgment upon his daughter-in-law, Tamar. After approximately three months, Tamar's pregnancy becomes apparent, and it is reported to Judah that she has conceived through prostitution. Reacting to this perceived shame and sin, Judah immediately commands her public execution by burning, demonstrating a harsh, definitive, and seemingly righteous stance without realizing the profound irony of his own involvement in her conception. The verse marks a pivotal moment in Judah's moral journey and sets the stage for Tamar's dramatic revelation.

Genesis 38 24 Context

Genesis chapter 38 serves as an important narrative interlude, abruptly interrupting the sequential story of Joseph in Egypt. This chapter details the private life and moral struggles of Judah, Jacob's fourth son and the one from whom the lineage of the Messiah would come. Prior to this verse, Judah had separated from his brothers, married a Canaanite woman, and fathered three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er married Tamar but died childless. According to the prevailing custom of levirate marriage, Onan was to marry Tamar and raise offspring for his brother, but he willfully defied this duty and was also struck down by the Lord. Judah, fearing for his youngest son Shelah's life, promised Tamar she would eventually marry Shelah, but continuously delayed, indicating he had no intention of fulfilling his word. Desperate to secure an heir and prevent her deceased husband's line from dying out, Tamar resorted to deception, disguising herself as a harlot (prostitute) and positioning herself to encounter Judah, knowing he would not recognize her. Judah unknowingly had intercourse with her and left her his staff and signet as pledges. This background illuminates the intense moral complexities, Judah's broken promises, and Tamar's desperate actions that led to the reported pregnancy and Judah's judgment in verse 24.

Genesis 38 24 Word analysis

• "About three months later" (כְּמִשְׁלֹשׁ חֳדָשִׁים - kəmiššəlōš ḥodāšîm): This specifies the gestation period, making the pregnancy visibly obvious. It signifies the point at which the truth could no longer be hidden, forcing the issue into public awareness and leading to Judah's receipt of the news.
• "Judah was told" (וַיֻּגַּד לִֽיהוּדָה - wayyuggad lîhûḏāh): The Hebrew verb is in the Hophal (passive-causative) stem, meaning "it was made known to Judah" or "Judah was informed." This passive construction suggests that the news was either a public report or a formal accusation brought to Judah, perhaps due to his patriarchal authority and his connection to Tamar as her father-in-law. It highlights that he wasn't personally investigating but was reacting to a conveyed message.
• "Tamar your daughter-in-law" (תָּמָר כַּלָּתֶךָ - tāmār kallāṯeḵā): Emphasizing "daughter-in-law" highlights the breach of household honor and expected family conduct. Her position in Judah's family made her perceived harlotry a particular disgrace not just for her but for Judah's lineage, provoking his harsh reaction.
• "has played the harlot" (זָֽנְתָה - zōnəṯāh): The verb zanah (זנה) primarily means "to commit fornication," "to act as a prostitute." In biblical literature, it can also metaphorically refer to spiritual apostasy, but here it is used in its literal sense of sexual promiscuity, signifying the perceived betrayal of her position within the family.
• "moreover, she is pregnant by harlotry" (וְגַם הִנֵּה הָרָה לִזְנוּנִים - wəḡam hinnêh hārāh liznûnîm): The addition of "pregnant" (הָרָה - hārāh) with "by harlotry" (לִזְנוּנִים - liznûnîm) underscores that the pregnancy served as undeniable, public evidence of the transgression, amplifying the perceived offense. "By harlotry" uses a noun form (z^enūnîm) for emphasis.
• "And Judah said" (וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה - wayyōʾmer yəhûḏāh): This signifies Judah's immediate, authoritative, and decisive response, reflecting his patriarchal role and customary legal power in this period.
• "Bring her out" (הוֹצִיאוּהָ - hôṣîʾûhā): An imperative command, indicating his instruction to subordinates to fetch her from wherever she resided, likely implying preparation for public judgment and punishment.
• "and let her be burned!" (וְתִשָּׂרֵף - wəṯišśārēp̄): The verb is in the Niphal imperfect, signifying a passive command: "let her be burned" or "she shall be burned." Burning was an extremely severe form of capital punishment, often reserved for actions that caused extreme defilement or sacrilege (e.g., Lev 21:9 for a priest's daughter committing harlotry). This shows the perceived gravity of Tamar's alleged offense in Judah's eyes and the societal disgrace it brought.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "Judah was told... she is pregnant by harlotry": This phrase highlights the lack of prior inquiry by Judah. He is acting on a report, making a swift judgment based on the apparent evidence of pregnancy without seeking details or hearing Tamar's side of the story.
  • "Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot... Bring her out, and let her be burned!": This sequence dramatically showcases Judah's patriarchal authority and his instant, un-tempered judgment. The punishment prescribed (burning) reveals the extreme shame and perceived moral decay associated with such actions, particularly for someone in Tamar's familial position. The irony lies in Judah’s severe reaction to a situation he himself caused, a powerful illustration of hypocrisy before his eventual confession.

Genesis 38 24 Bonus section

The positioning of Genesis chapter 38, particularly this verse, directly before and after the Joseph narrative (Genesis 37, 39-50), is highly significant. It serves not as a mere interlude but as a critical character study of Judah, detailing his moral failings and foreshadowing his later moral transformation (Gen 43-44). This chapter demonstrates that the chosen lineage was maintained not through the inherent perfection of its human participants but through God's unwavering faithfulness and ability to work through complex, flawed, and even sinful human situations. Tamar's inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus (Matt 1:3) further emphasizes that God's grace and redemptive plan embrace those who operate outside societal norms or who engage in morally ambiguous actions, ultimately fulfilling a divine purpose, showcasing a unique and challenging aspect of biblical ethics where intent and context play crucial roles. This episode also highlights the pre-Mosaic understanding and application of legal custom, specifically regarding severe capital punishment for actions bringing shame upon the family, showing the innate recognition of certain moral standards even before codified law.

Genesis 38 24 Commentary

Genesis 38:24 encapsulates the dramatic irony and moral complexity of Judah's character before his transformation. Judah, a patriarch in the line of covenant, issues a definitive and extremely harsh judgment of capital punishment by burning for an act he unknowingly orchestrated. This moment vividly highlights Judah's hypocrisy, condemning in Tamar the very transgression (unauthorized sexual relations resulting in pregnancy) in which he had been the primary participant. The swiftness and severity of his command, especially the choice of burning, reflects the profound societal abhorrence of "harlotry" that brought public disgrace upon a family, especially when committed by a woman within their household structure. Yet, the divine narrative here is not merely about Judah's failing, but how God's purposes endure and unfold even through the messy, sinful actions of humans. Tamar's action, while unconventional and borne out of desperation due to Judah's own failure to uphold his duty regarding Shelah, ultimately ensured the continuation of the Messianic lineage, showcasing God's sovereignty over human flaws to achieve His redemptive plan. This verse underscores the biblical theme of humans' tendency towards self-righteous judgment while being blind to their own sin.