Bible Commentaries
Genesis 38

Verse 1

certain, &c. = a man, an Adullamite. Hebrew. 'ish. See App-14 .

Verse 2

Canaanite. In this was Judah's sin. Compare Genesis 24:3 ; Genesis 26:35 ; Genesis 27:46 ; Genesis 28:1 .Exodus 34:16 . Deuteronomy 7:3 . A warning, and a revelation of the human heart. Note who these Canaanites were! App-23 .

Verse 3

he, should be "she", with Septuagint.

Verse 8

raise up seed, &c. = a law before Sinai. See App-15 . Compare Deuteronomy 25:5-9 . Ruth 4:10 . Matthew 22:24 . An old and present Eastern law.

Verse 10

displeased. Hebrew was evil in the eyes of Jehovah. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .

Verse 11

he die also. Judah, an unnatural brother, is punished in his own children.

Verse 14

And Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ) emphasizing the deliberateness of each action.

in an open place. Hebrew "in the entrance to Enaim".

Verse 19

widowhood. Nine widows mentioned. See App-10 for significance. Tamar, here. Tekoah, 2 Samuel 14:5 . Hiram's mother, 1 Kings 7:14 . Zeruah, 1 Kings 11:26 . Widow of Zarephath, 1 Kings 17:9 . Poor widow, Mark 12:42 . Anna, Luke 2:37 . Widow of Nain, Luke 7:12 . Importunate, Luke 18:3 .

Verse 21

openly. Hebrew "at Enaim".

Verse 24

burnt. This was strictly in accordance with the Code of Hammurabi (157), which was then in force throughout Canaan. See App-15 .

Verse 29

Pharez = "breach".

Verse 30

Zarah = "a rising of light", "Offspring", or "Dawn". Both Pharez and Zarah, together with their rnother Tamar, are in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1:3 ). This is why this parenthetical chapter is inserted here. It is here by the Figure of speech Parecbasis . It comes, historically, before chapter 37.