Genesis 38 3

Genesis 38:3 kjv

And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.

Genesis 38:3 nkjv

So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

Genesis 38:3 niv

she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.

Genesis 38:3 esv

and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er.

Genesis 38:3 nlt

she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and he named the boy Er.

Genesis 38 verses

Genesis 38 3 meaning

Genesis 38:3 records the fulfillment of the marriage introduced in the previous verse: Judah's Canaanite wife conceived and bore a son. This son was named Er by Judah, marking the first addition to Judah's direct lineage following his departure from his brothers and the significant event of his marriage to a woman from the region. The verse is a straightforward statement of a birth, yet it sets the stage for a critical and challenging part of Judah's personal history and the larger narrative of Israel's patriarchal line.

Genesis 38 3 Context

Genesis chapter 38 serves as a dramatic and morally complex interlude within the larger narrative of Joseph's life. It immediately follows Joseph being sold into slavery (Gen 37) and precedes his ascent in Potiphar's house (Gen 39). Judah's decision to leave his brothers and descend "to a certain Adullamite" (Gen 38:1) signifies a moral decline or a deviation from the nomadic life of his father. His subsequent marriage to a Canaanite woman (Gen 38:2), the daughter of Shua, directly violates the spirit of Abraham's instruction regarding Isaac's wife (Gen 24:3) and sets a dangerous precedent for future Israelite generations regarding assimilation with foreign peoples (Deut 7:3-4). Verse 3 is the first consequence of this union: the birth of Judah's first son, Er. This birth, seemingly ordinary, is loaded with significance as Er will be portrayed as wicked, leading to further tragic events within the family, all part of Judah's challenging journey toward a position of eventual leadership and an ancestral link to the Messiah.

Genesis 38 3 Word analysis

• So she conceived (וַתַּהַר - va'ttahar):

  • This is the standard Hebrew verb for "to become pregnant." The consecutive imperfect tense indicates a direct consequence of Judah's marriage to Shua's daughter.
  • Significance: Highlights the natural and swift outcome of the union, establishing Judah's direct family line outside the main patriarchal narrative for a brief period. This also shows the quick integration and potentially dangerous influence of Canaanite culture.

• and bore a son (וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן - va'tteled ben):

  • va'tteled: "and she gave birth." Standard Hebrew for delivery.
  • ben: "son." The birth of a son was of paramount importance in ancient Israelite and Near Eastern societies, signifying continuity of lineage, inheritance, and social status.
  • Significance: Fulfills the societal expectation of bearing male offspring. The focus on a "son" emphasizes the patrilineal focus of biblical genealogies and the importance placed on male heirs for survival and inheritance of promises.

• and he called his name (וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ - va'yiqra et-shemó):

  • Standard Hebrew phrasing indicating the act of naming. The pronoun "he" refers to Judah, indicating the father's prerogative and authority in naming the child. This reinforces Judah's position as the patriarch of this immediate family unit.
  • Significance: Naming often reflected circumstances of birth, parental hopes, or characteristics. The father's role in naming underscores his headship in the family.

• Er (עֵר - Er):

  • The name's exact etymology is debated among scholars, with suggestions including "awake," "watcher," or "city." However, in biblical narratives, the character's subsequent actions often retroactively define the significance or perception of their name.
  • Significance: As later verses reveal (Gen 38:7), Er was "wicked in the sight of the LORD," and consequently died without an heir. The name itself does not inherently mean "wicked," but the tragic fate of Er is central to the chapter, casting a dark shadow on this firstborn son. His immediate significance is as Judah's eldest son, carrying the initial hopes of the paternal line, yet his story immediately introduces themes of sin, divine judgment, and the complexities within Judah's lineage.

Genesis 38 3 Bonus section

The positioning of Genesis chapter 38, particularly verses like this, is significant within the overall biblical narrative. Its abrupt insertion between Genesis 37 and 39, which detail Joseph's descent into slavery and his subsequent rise, serves a few crucial literary and theological purposes. It contrasts Joseph's steadfastness and eventual redemption with Judah's moral compromise and struggles. The story of Judah and Er (and the subsequent brothers and Tamar) highlights the raw, often messy, reality of humanity, even within the chosen family through whom God's promises are being fulfilled. This chapter demonstrates God's sovereignty and faithfulness, showing how His divine plan for a righteous lineage (leading ultimately to the Messiah) persists and prevails, even amidst human failure, sin, and tragic loss within the very family chosen to carry His covenant. The brief mention of Er in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus (Matt 1:3), despite his wickedness and death without issue, reminds us that the complex tapestry of salvation history encompasses imperfect human lives woven into God's perfect design.

Genesis 38 3 Commentary

Genesis 38:3, while simple in its statement of a birth, is pivotal as it introduces the character of Er, whose short, tragic life significantly impacts Judah's family and the Messianic line. Judah's actions, from leaving his brothers to marrying a Canaanite woman, signify a moral downturn and deviation from the Abrahamic covenant's trajectory. The birth of Er is a direct consequence of this intermarriage, highlighting a common concern in the Old Testament: the spiritual dangers posed by assimilation with idolatrous cultures. Although this verse merely states the birth and naming, the subsequent revelation of Er's wickedness and his divine punishment underscore that even seemingly ordinary events in the patriarchal narratives carry profound theological weight. God's plan often proceeds not through perfect individuals or pristine circumstances, but through the challenging realities of human fallibility, as demonstrated in the convoluted, yet ultimately redemptive, story of Judah's lineage.